Pistachio Muffins
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These pistachio muffins taste like they came straight from a bakery with their perfectly domed tops and robust pistachio flavor that comes entirely from real pistachios.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS PISTACHIO MUFFINS RECIPE
Imagine this… You walk into a bakery, smell all the smells, see all the sights, and land on a fluffy, beautifully domed top pistachio muffin straight from the display case. It’s moist, it’s flavorful, it has crunchy pistachio pieces everywhere, and you’d love to recreate it at home in your jammies.
Lucky for you, this homemade pistachio muffin recipe will let you do exactly that. It’s been a staple recipe in my kitchen since 2018 and loved by my readers, too.
Consider this 5-star review from reader Courtney:
“I made these pistachio muffins using sour cream and they are outstanding! Every pistachio muffin I have ever tried either tasted like almond extract or had pudding mix in it. This will be a go to recipe for me!”
NO INSTANT PUDDING MIX
Too many times, pistachio recipes turn to pistachio pudding, instant pistachio pudding mix, or almond extract to get that robust pistachio flavor to shine through. None of that here!
Instead, we’re using real fresh pistachios and we’re going the extra mile to toast them before pulverizing them into a fine powder, almost like pistachio flour, to bring all of the pistachio flavor naturally.
And of course, each muffin top gets a generous sprinkle of coarsely chopped pistachios that toast in the oven and make the perfect texture and flavor complement to the tender and moist pistachio muffin crumb.
PISTACHIO MUFFIN RECIPE INGREDIENTS
This easy muffin recipe only requires nine simple ingredients, most of which I am positive you already have in your pantry.
To make these delicious pistachio muffins, you will need:
• shelled unsalted pistachios
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• butter
• granulated sugar
• eggs
• yogurt or sour cream
• vanilla extract
HOW TO MAKE PISTACHIO MUFFINS
This recipe has lived on my site since 2018, so I’ve had my fair chance to make them the best pistachio muffins out there over the years. The one thing I changed over the years is that I now toast a portion of the pistachio nuts (the portion that goes in with the dry ingredients) which brings a good pistachio punch without anything artificial.
The other portion of pistachios, you’ll reserve for the tops of the muffins.
STEP #1
Before starting on the muffin batter, toast ¾ cup of the pistachios. You can do this in whatever way you prefer. I like to toast nuts on the stovetop, but you can also use the oven, since you’ll be heating it up to make the muffins anyway. Just a light toast to bring out that classic nutty flavor. Toasting the pistachios will also bring out some of that natural green color which will help tint the muffins a beautiful pistachio green.
STEP #2
Process the toasted pistachios to a fine crumb. And I mean really process them. I like to use a blender or food processor. We’re adding this portion of pistachios to the dry ingredients, so aim for a texture similar to almond flour, but, you know, pistachio flour.
STEP #3
Coarsely process the remaining ½ cup of pistachios. These will go on the tops of the muffins.
STEP #4
Combine the dry ingredients.
STEP #5
Cream the butter and sugar, then add the remaining wet ingredients.
STEP #6
Combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients for the last step of making the batter.
STEP #7
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, then sprinkle the tops of the mounds of muffin batter with the coarsely chopped pistachios.
Now they’re ready to bake!
HOW TO GET DOMED MUFFIN TOPS
STEP #8
Perhaps you’ve seen this tip before, but if you haven’t, know this is the crucial key to a bakery style muffin: bake them at a high heat for the initial few minutes in the oven. This trick encourages the leaveners in the batter to activate quickly, shooting the muffins straight up right in the beginning.
STEP #9
After an initial 5 minutes at that high heat, you’ll turn the temperature of the oven down without opening the oven door. As the temperature comes down, the muffins continue to bake, and after the total bake time, you’ll be left with beautiful bakery-style pistachio muffins, each with a crunchy muffin top that will have your taste buds dancing with anticipation.
PISTACHIO MUFFIN STORAGE
Once your pistachio muffins are completely cool, you can store them at room temperature for up to 5 days, but here’s your giant PSA: the toasted pistachios on the top of each muffin will lose their crunch as they sit.
PRO TIP
Before enjoying your next pistachio muffin beyond day 1, check the crunchiness of the pistachios on the top of your muffin. If the texture is fine with you, enjoy!
If you want to crisp up those pistachios, simply toast your pistachio muffin in a toaster oven or air fryer before enjoying. Just 2-3 minutes under some heat will re-toast those pistachios and your muffin will be *chef’s kiss* delish.
PISTACHIO MUFFIN RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS
FLOUR– I have used all-purpose, whole wheat, and bread flour for these pistachio muffins, and I don’t prefer one over the other. In fact, I have used a combination of 2 or even all 3 of these flours to change things up based on availability, and all 3 work perfectly. Just be sure to use 160g total of flour regardless of which kind of flour you use.
YOGURT– while I do encourage you to use full fat yogurt here, you can use plain yogurt, Greek style, or even sour cream. Again, I have used all 3 of these over the years and they all work great.
PISTACHIO MUFFIN RECIPE FAQS
Are you a fellow pistachio lover? Check out some of my favorite recipes featuring pistachios: pistachio cheesecake, pistachio white chocolate chip biscotti, and Jennifer Aniston salad.
Pistachio Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 and ¼ cups (140g) shelled unsalted pistachios1 divided
- 1 and ⅓ cups (160g) all purpose flour2 be sure to measure properly
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (123g) plain yogurt Greek or regular is fine3
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
TOAST THE PISTACHIOS
- Divide your pistachios into two portions: a ¾ cup portion and a ½ cup portion.
- Using your preferred method4 of toasting nuts, toast the ¾ cup portion, allow to cool for a few minutes, then pulverize in a food processor or blender until you create a fine crumb. Pour into a medium size bowl and set aside.
- Use the same food processor or blender to process remaining ½ cup of pistachios. Set aside.
PISTACHIO MUFFINS
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Spray the wells of a 12 count muffin tin with non-stick spray, or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl with the pistachio flour, then whisk together until well-blended. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the yogurt and the vanilla and beat again on medium-high speed until everything is combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until no flour pockets remain. Be careful not to overmix.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 prepared wells. I prefer to use an ice cream scoop with a thumb trigger for my muffins. Sprinkle the tops of the mounds of batter with the coarsely chopped pistachios (be sure to use all of the ½ cup of coarsely chopped pistachios).
- Bake the muffins for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (177ºC) without opening the door, and bake for another 13-15 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean and the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack. Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature up to 5 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 weeks. Keep in mind, as the muffins sit, the pistachios on top will collect moisture and lose their crunch, so I like to toast them in a toaster oven or air fryer before eating them. Muffins freeze well, up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator or heat in the microwave about 15 seconds before serving.
Notes
- Pistachios: you will want to be sure you are using unsalted, raw pistachios. These are typically labeled “pistachio kernels.”
- Flour: you can use whole wheat, all-purpose, or bread flour for these pistachio muffins. I have used all 3 separately, a combination of 2, and a combination of all 3 many times to make these muffins. I have no preference. Just be sure to use 160g total of flour regardless of which kind you use.
- Yogurt: I highly recommend a full fat or Greek style yogurt for these pistachio muffins. You can also use full fat sour cream.
- Toasting the pistachios: you can use the oven or the stovetop to toast your pistachios. For the oven, preheat to 350ºF (177ºC), then spread pistachios into an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes, stirring every minute or so until nuts start to turn slightly brown and smell fragrant. For the stovetop, heat pistachios in a medium size saucepan, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes until nuts start to turn slightly brown and smell fragrant.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Hi,
I love all things pistachios and want to make these. 2 quick questions: can I use store bought pistachio paste for the 3/4cup of pistachios you list? Also could I make this with gluten free flour? Thanks
Hey, Protima– you can certainly use GF flour, but I have never worked with pistachio paste, so I’m unsure how that would alter the recipe. Let me know if you try it!
I have been searching for a good pistachio muffin recipe forever and this one is perfect.
That warms my heart, Susan– thank you!
Tasty! Had to make adjustments for what I had in the pantry. Used sour cream instead of Greek yogurt, and used 25% teff flour. Started running out of pistachios for the topping but still very good!
Thanks so much, Jill!
This was absolutely wonderful. I was looking for a way to use up tons of pistachios we had in the house. I will be making this over and over. Even our foodie relatives loved it.
Thanks so much, Laurie! 🙂
I made these on Monday using sour cream instead of greek yogurt, they are outstanding! Every pistachio muffin I have ever tried either tasted like almond extract or had pudding mix in it. I did make them into jumbo muffin tin, albeit a little smaller than I’d like, any tips to make them jumbo size? This will be a go to recipe for me.
Awesome, Courtney! Thank you so much for this feedback. I love that you loved these muffins 🙂 as far as jumbo size goes, you’ll still want to fill the wells 2/3 full (it’s about 1/2 cup of batter), and bake that initial 5 minutes. Add 3-5 minutes to the total bake time after the temperature reduction and you should have some nice big muffins!
Thanks. This time I had just filled each one. Next time I will try just filling 5 of the wells, more fully next time. I’ve done the initial high heat trick ever since I read it on Sally’s blog. And they were done at about the 23 minute mark.
Perfect– let me know how they turn out next time!
Oh, my goodness! I attended a music teachers’ workshop this AM and one of the organizers prepared your recipe… these muffins were a SMASH HIT!! I asked her for the recipe and she directed my to YOU! I cannot wait to make these YUMMY treats for my family! Cheers!
This is so great 🙂 thanks so much, Heidi!
Oh my gosh. Soooo amazing
Thank you, Valerie!
These were so light and fluffy, even with the accidental fat free yogurt I used. Next time I will use almond extract and reduce the vanilla, just to amp up the pistachio flavor. Thanks for sharing this wonderful and natural recipe.
What would happen if I used salted pistachios? I only have a bag of salted. Thanks.
Hi, Janice– that should be fine. Just reduce the amount of added salt to 1/4 tsp.
I have made these muffins 2x so far, i love pistachios and the crunch on top is wonderful. I like them because they are not sweet, but very satisfying. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks so much, Irene 🙂
Hi Lynn, Followed the recipe to the dot, all of us loved it. Became our family favorite easily. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Hi
Have you made this with gluten free flour?
Also, do you add oil when roasting the nuts on the stovetop?
Thank you!
Hi, Michelle– I have not personally made these with GF flour, but I know others have! And no, you do not need any oil to roast the nuts. Enjoy!