Using a homemade praline, these Pistachio Gelato Milkshakes are nutty, creamy and perfect for warm summer days.

Milkshake with whipped cream and cherry on top with striped straw.

Despite all the amazing food found in Italy, there is one special treat that my mind constantly wanders back to—pistachio gelato. Nutty, sweet, and oh-so-creamy, I dream of this unobtainable dessert and wondered how could I replicate it at home without a gelato maker.

Once I discovered these mini-milkshake glasses at a vintage shop in North Carolina, the pieces fell into place. Instead of fruitlessly trying to duplicate the texture of classic Italian gelato, I relied on the naturally creamy texture of the good-old-tried-and-true American milkshake instead.

Enter the pistachio milkshakes. And in no time, I am transported back to Lake Como. I was enjoying a pistachio dessert, and life made sense again.

Pistachio Praline

The secret to making these delightful milkshakes is in the pistachio praline base. You can use this base in a variety of different desserts. And here’s the bonus: it keeps for ages in the fridge, so feel free to make a larger batch to keep some handy for another bake.

Other Uses for Pistachio Praline

Wondering about those other desserts you can use this praline in? Here is a list of ideas to get started:

Add to ganache for a truffle or macaron filling
Add to pastry cream for a cream puff or eclair filling
Use in a cake batter
Add to buttercream for a nutty cupcake topping
As a crostini spread

First, purchase a bag of roasted and salted, and pre-shelled pistachios. Please don’t shell each pistachio individually. Honestly, who has the time to shell handfuls of these things in a sitting? The cost outweighs the time tenfold here. I still like to give them a quick additional toast in the oven to really bring out that pistachio flavor.

From there, combine with some sugar and a little almond extract (to pop the nuttiness factor) in a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape the bowl a few times to get all the little pieces incorporated.

I know it can be tempting to make the praline in the blender because you’ll already have it out to make the milkshakes, but trust me, it just doesn’t work as well. I make the praline ahead of time and have it ready to go in the fridge.

Useful Tools

A Food Processor is key for making the praline super smooth
Blenders are the heart and soul of milkshakes! This is the mack daddy of them all.

3 green milkshakes from above with whipped cream and cherries on top.

Looking for Other Pistachio Desserts?

If you’re looking for other pistachio desserts, I have plenty of options. Pistachios are one of my favorite foods.