Description
These Pistachio Muffins combine the rich, nutty flavor of toasted pistachios with a moist, tender crumb for a delightful breakfast or snack. Featuring a mix of finely ground and coarsely chopped pistachios, these muffins offer a perfect texture contrast. Made with simple ingredients including yogurt for added moisture and a hint of vanilla, they bake up golden and fluffy with a crunchy pistachio topping. Easy to prepare and perfect for sharing, they stay fresh for days and freeze well for convenient enjoyment.
Ingredients
Pistachio Ingredients
- 1 and ¼ cups (140g) shelled unsalted pistachios, divided
Dry Ingredients
- 1 and ⅓ cups (160g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 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)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Toast the pistachios: Divide the pistachios into two portions: ¾ cup and ½ cup. Toast the ¾ cup portion using your preferred method until golden and fragrant, then allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Process pistachios: Pulverize the toasted ¾ cup pistachios in a food processor or blender to create a fine crumb. Transfer to a medium bowl. Process the remaining ½ cup pistachios to a coarse chop and set aside.
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with cupcake liners.
- Mix dry ingredients: Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl with the pistachio flour. Whisk together until blended well and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add yogurt and vanilla extract, beating on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula until there are no pockets of flour, being careful not to overmix.
- Fill muffin cups and add topping: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups using an ice cream scoop or spoon. Sprinkle the tops generously with all of the coarsely chopped pistachios.
- Bake muffins: Bake for 5 minutes at 400ºF, then reduce oven temperature to 350ºF (177ºC) without opening the door. Continue baking for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean and the tops are golden brown.
- Cool and store: Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerate up to 1 week. Muffins can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator or warm in the microwave before serving. To refresh the crunch of the pistachios, toast the tops briefly in a toaster oven or air fryer before eating.
Notes
- To toast pistachios, you can use an oven, stovetop pan, or toaster oven — just keep an eye to prevent burning.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins tender and light.
- Using Greek yogurt adds extra moisture and a slight tang but regular yogurt works well too.
- Sprinkling chopped pistachios on top gives a lovely crunchy texture contrast.
- Freezing muffins is a great way to keep them fresh; thaw and warm slightly for best flavor.
- Allow muffins to cool completely before storing to prevent sogginess.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
