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    Home | Recipes | Muffins

    Published: Jan 12, 2023 · Updated: Sep 11, 2023 by Angie Dixon ·

    Pistachio Muffins

    jump to recipe Pin
    Pin - pistachio muffins on a plate.

    These easy bakery-style pistachio muffins are moist, tender, and filled with pistachio flavor complimented with white chocolate chips. And topped with pistachio sugar to give a little extra crunch!

    This is an easy muffin recipe that results in beautiful bakery style muffins that are speckled with the light green color of the nuts.

    Pistachio muffins on a plate.

    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love These Pistachio Muffins
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Pistachio Muffins
    • Pro Tips for this Recipe
    • Storage and Freezing
    • Pistachio Muffin FAQ
    • Other Recipes You May Like
    • Rate & Review!
    • Recipe Card
    • Pin for Later
    • Community Comments

    Why You Will Love These Pistachio Muffins

    • These soft, moist, delicious pistachio muffins are super easy to make, and perfect for the pistachio lover!
    • This pistachio muffin recipe is made with real pistachios.
    • They make a great addition to the school or work for lunch pack. 
    • A great treat to add to the weekend brunch table.
    • They come together in a few minutes, using simple ingredients, and are a perfect addition to St. Patrick's Day.

    Ingredients

    Here are some notes on the ingredients used in this recipe. Please see the recipe card for quantities.

    Pistachio Muffin Ingredients.

    Butter adds flavor, softness, and moisture and sometimes aids in the leavening of baked goods. I use New Zealand butter in my recipes, which has approximately 82% butterfat and can be very yellow (similar to European or Irish butter). Butter cannot be substituted with butter or margarine spreads, but it can be substituted with baking margarine. If using salted butter you can leave out the additional salt in the recipe.

    Salt is a crucial ingredient in all baked goods. I use table salt in all my recipes. One teaspoon of table salt equals 1.5 teaspoons of Morton Kosher Salt equals 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal.

    Plain/all-purpose/standard grade flour can be substituted on a 1-to-1 basis for recipes that have ½ to 1 teaspoon of baking powder per 125 grams/1 cup of flour. If the recipe requires more than 1 teaspoon per cup, add the extra baking powder to the recipe to make up the difference. Self-raising/rising flours may already contain salt so this may need to be omitted from the recipe as well.

    White sugar gives this muffin sweetness and moisture.

    Raw sugar or coarse sugar for the Pistachio sugar to create a crunchy muffin top. 

    Vanilla extract enhances the flavor of baked goods. Use the best you have. 

    Eggs - I use a New Zealand size 6 egg, which is around the same size as Australian and South African Large Eggs, but closer to a US/Europe Medium sized egg.

    Test the freshness of your baking powder by placing a small amount in a few drops of boiling water. If it bubbles and fizzes, it's good to use!

    White chocolate chips complement the pistachios and add a nice little burst of white chocolate flavour to the muffins.

    Unsalted pistachios- I used raw pistachio nuts that I then toasted in the oven for 5 minutes. You can also use raw pistachios.

    Room Temperature Ingredients

    Use room temperature ingredients! Using room temperature ingredients ensures that ingredients in the batter or dough will be incorporated more easily. Take note that room temperature refers to around 20°C/68F.

    • To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place them into warm water for about 10 to 15 minutes.
    • To bring butter to room temperature quickly, cut the butter into cubes and zap it in the microwave at 20% power in 10-second intervals. Or place the cubes in a bowl over warm water (such as with a double boiler) over low heat for 1 minute!
    • Milk, buttermilk, and cream can be brought to room temperature by zapping in the microwave at 20% power in 10-second intervals. Or on low heat for a minute or two swirling every 10-15 seconds.
    • If the butter is too warm/soft for baking - pop it into the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

    Weighing & Measuring Ingredients

    Weighing ingredients with a kitchen scale is more accurate than using measuring cups. All my recipes are developed and tested using grams only.

    However, I have activated the metric-to-cup conversions. Simply click on "cups" or "metric" for your preferred measurements. For these conversions, cups are equal to 240 millilitres/8 fluid ounces, tablespoons are 15 milliliters and teaspoons are 5mL.

    How to Make Pistachio Muffins

    Step 1 - Preheat & Prep

    Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

    Step 2 - Toast the pistachios

    Toss the raw pistachios onto a baking tray and toast in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Allow the nuts to cool a bit before roughly chopping using a serrated bread knife. You can use a food processor to roughly chop the nuts.

    Step 3 - Combine the dry ingredients

    In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk to combine. Then toss in the white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios. Mix to coat the nuts and chocolate chips with the flour.

    Dry ingredients whisked together in a large mixing bowl.

    Step 4 - Prepare the wet ingredients

    In a large mixing bowl melt the butter either in the microwave or in a medium saucepan over low heat. Allow the melted butter to cool before adding in the eggs, milk, yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.

    Wet ingredients mixed together in a pyrex jug.

    Step 5 - Mix the batter

    Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix through until just combined.

    Wet ingredients being mixed into dry ingredients.

    Step 6 - Divide and top the muffins

    In a small bowl, combine the raw sugar and 2 tablespoons of chopped pistachios. Mix to combine. Divide the muffin batter between the 12 muffin liners, filling them almost to the top. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with approximately ¾ to 1 teaspoon of the sugar-pistachio mix.

    NOTE: Depending on the size of your cupcake liners (there is a slight variation in volume globally), this batter may make up to 15 muffins.

    Pistachio muffin batter divided into 12 muffin liners.

    Step 7 - Bake, cool, and serve

    Bake the muffins at 200°C/390°F for 5 minutes. Then turn down the oven to 180°C/355°F and bake for a further 12 to 15 minutes until just baked. The muffins are done when a cake tester comes out mostly clean from the center of the muffins. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before cooling on a wire rack. Serve and enjoy.

    Baked muffins in a muffin tin.

    Pro Tips for this Recipe

    Ovens & Air Fryers

    The temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. For convection, fan-forced, fan-assisted, or air-fryers, the temperature must be reduced by 20°C/25°F.

    For baking, make sure the oven is fully preheated, and that the rack is in the middle of the oven. Open the oven as little as possible. For best baking results use an oven thermometer.

    Remember that all ovens work slightly differently and bake times may need to be adjusted for your specific oven.

    Bakeware

    Metal bakeware (if you can, choose light-coloured bakeware for an even better bake) is superior when it comes to baking biscuits, cookies, brownies, muffins and quick bread, scones, cakes. These heat up and cool down faster than glassware. Glassware is heavier, heats up and cools down slower than metal, and is more suited for bread puddings, pies, crisps, crumbles, and cobblers.

    Baking Tall Moist Muffins

    • A hot preheated oven is key to a great oven spring and tall bakery-style muffins.
    • Mix the ingredients until just combined and no more!
    • Do not overbake the muffins. Once the temperature has been turned down, check the muffins at the 12-minute mark. If the toothpick/cake tester comes out mostly clean the muffins are done.
    • Check more than 1 muffin when testing the doneness - to make sure that you haven't just hit a pocket of chocolate.

    Storage and Freezing

    These pistachio muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. If you stick them in the fridge, for up to a week. To freshen up the muffin, pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds.

    To freeze the muffins, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap before popping into an airtight container.

    Pistachio muffins on a plate.

    Pistachio Muffin FAQ

    What is the secret to tall bakery-style muffins?

    A hot preheated oven gives muffins their beautiful tall bakery-style domes. The blast of heat really activates the leaveners in the muffins. Use fresh baking soda or baking powder.

    How do I make sure my muffins are moist and tender?

    The combination of butter, eggs, milk, and yogurt keeps these muffins moist. But the muffin batter should be treated tenderly and just mixed and no more.

    Can I use salted pistachios?

    This really depends on how salty the pistachios are. I recommend raw pistachios in order to control the saltiness of the batter. However, if using salted pistachios, unsalted butter is a must, and I would not add additional salt to the batter.

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    Pistacho muffins on a wooden serving board.

    Rate & Review!

    If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating! It gives my readers and me helpful feedback. If you want more recipes, subscribe to my newsletter, and follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    Recipe Card

    Pistachio muffins on a serving board.

    Pistachio Muffins

    Angie Dixon
    These easy bakery-style white chocolate pistachio muffins are moist, tender and absolutely delicious. And topped with pistachio sugar to give a little extra crunch!
    4.9 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep time.Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook time.Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total time.Total Time 40 minutes mins
    CourseCourse Dessert, Snack
    CuisineCuisine American
    Servings 12 muffins

    Equipment

    • Regular Muffin Pan (12-Well)
    • Regular Cupcake Liners

    Ingredients
     
     

    Muffin

    • 2½ cups plain flour (all-purpose/standard grade)
    • 6 tablespoons cornstarch
    • ¾ cup white granulated sugar (caster/granulated)
    • 3 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon table salt
    • 1 cup white chocolate chips
    • ¾ cup pistachios (chopped)
    • 9 tablespoons butter (1 stick plus 2 tbsp)
    • 2 eggs (medium/large/size 6)
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • ½ cup milk
    • ½ cup Greek yogurt (sour cream)

    Pistachio Sugar

    • 3 tablespoons raw sugar
    • 2 tablespoons pistachios (chopped)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
    • Toss the raw pistachios onto a baking tray and toast in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Allow the nuts to cool a bit before roughly chopping using a serrated bread knife.
      ¾ cup pistachios
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cornstarch and salt. Whisk to combine. Then toss in the white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios. Mix to coat the nuts and chocolate chips with the flour.
      2½ cups plain flour, 6 tablespoons cornstarch, ¾ cup white granulated sugar, 3 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon table salt, 1 cup white chocolate chips, ¾ cup pistachios
    • In a mixing bowl melt the butter either in the microwave or in a medium saucepan over low heat. Allow the butter to cool before adding in the eggs, milk, yoghurt, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.
      9 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ cup milk, ½ cup Greek yogurt
    • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix through until just combined.
    • In a small bowl, combine the raw sugar and 2 tablespoons of chopped pistachios. Mix to combine. Divide the muffin batter between the 12 cupcake liners, filling them almost to the top. Sprinkle the muffins with approximately ¾ to 1 teaspoon of the sugar-pistachio mix.
      3 tablespoons raw sugar, 2 tablespoons pistachios
    • Bake the muffins at 200°C/390°F for 5 minutes. Then turn down the oven to 180°C/355°F and bake for a further 12 to 15 minutes until just baked. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before cooling on a wired cooling rack. Serve & Enjoy.

    Notes

    This recipe makes 12-15 regular-sized muffins, depending on the size of the muffin liners. There does tend to be a slight variation in the volume globally.
    These pistachio muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. If you stick them in the fridge, for up to a week. To freshen up the muffin, pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 305mg

    Nutrition information is an estimate. If scaling the recipe remember to scale your cook and bakeware accordingly. All temperatures stated are conventional, unless otherwise stated. Recipes tested in grams and at sea level.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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