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.
½cup(113g) unsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
⅔cup(133g) granulated sugar
2large eggs
½cup(123g) plain yogurtGreek or regular is fine3
2teaspoonsvanilla 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.
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.