Do you love to add nuts to your desserts? If yes, then try this Pistachio muffins recipe. These muffins are made from scratch with everyday ingredients and tools.
There are soft, fluffy, and bursting with that naturally nutty pistachio flavor we all love.
I tried Pistachio muffins at Panama City Beach, Florida, when we were on vacation, and I just loved the nutty flavor, so I decided to give them a try. After a few experiments, here I am. Sharing a foolproof recipe with you all.
They’re perfect for breakfast, a quick snack, or even as a light dessert. And the best part? You just need 2 mixing bowls, one for wet and one for dry ingredients, so don’t worry about washing too many utensils too.
Also, try my Pistachio loaf cake recipe, loaded with pistachios.
Without any further delay, let’s get baking!
Why will you love this pistachio muffins recipe?
- Great for breakfast or snacking – These are perfect with your morning coffee or as an afternoon treat. (Trust me, they disappear fast!)
- Freezer-friendly – Bake a batch now, freeze a few for later, and thank yourself next week when the cravings hit.
- Easy, straightforward recipe – No fancy tools or steps. Just one bowl, simple ingredients, and you’re good to go.
- Soft and fluffy texture – Thanks to just the right mix of ingredients, these muffins come out perfectly moist and tender every time.
- Real pistachio flavor – No artificial pudding mixes here. We’re using real pistachios for that rich, nutty goodness in every bite.
How do you make a pistachio muffin recipe?
As always, let us look at the overview of the recipe before we go into a detailed, step-by-step recipe.
| Sr. No. | Steps |
| 1. | Sift dry ingredients. |
| 2. | Mix all wet ingredients. |
| 3. | Combine wet and dry ingredients, along with pistachios. |
| 4. | Bake and enjoy. |
Pistachio muffins ingredients
Dry ingredients
- All-purpose flour – Use any brand of all-purpose flour, no specific mention here. I would not recommend replacing it with cake flour or whole wheat flour. Cake flour will make the muffins light, may fall apart, and whole wheat flour will make them dense. Either way is not advisable.
- Baking soda – This is used as leavening agent and is stronger than baking powder. Do not skip so that muffins will have perfect dome on top.
- Baking powder – This also works as a leavening agent.
- Salt – You know what I am to say here :). Do not skip salt, as it enhances the flavor. You can skip only if you are using salted butter.
- Chopped pistachios – Star of the show. I highly recommend using unsalted pistachios, as you can control the amount of salt.
Wet ingredients
- Unsalted butter – Use whichever is available in your pantry, no specific brand here. Make sure the butter is at room temperature so that it gets mixed with other ingredients. I would not recommend to replace with oil as this adds flavor to our muffins and is secret to our best banana oatmeal muffins.
- Granulated sugar – This is also referred as caster sugar. Use any brand, whichever is available at home.
- Eggs – Use large eggs at room temperature. If you forgot to take them out don’t worry. Just keep them in a bowl of tapped hot water for 3 to 4 minutes and you can use them right away.
- Pure vanilla extract – Just a little bit, for flavor. You can also use artificial vanilla if you just have that at home. Pure vanilla extract will add deep vanilla flavor but it is ok to replace with imitation if that is what is available.
- Milk – Use any milk that has 3.25% as a fat percentage. You can replace it with 2%, but for that rich flavor, I would recommend full-fat milk. Just make sure that it is at room temperature.
- Sour cream – I have used full-fat sour cream in this recipe. This adds moisture and richness to the muffins. If you do not have sour cream, you can replace it with yogurt.
Any substitutes?
Pistachios – I have not tried replacing the ingredients yet, but try replacing with other nuts such as Almonds, cashews, or walnuts.
Tools needed
- Mixing bowls – to mix muffin batter.
- Weighing scale – to precisely measure dry and wet ingredients.
- Measuring spoon/cups – to measure ingredients.
- Whisk – to combine the muffin batter.
- Cupcake pan – to bake the muffins.
- Rubber spatula – to fold the muffin batter.
- Ice cream scoop (optional) – to fill the muffin batter in the pan.
Pistachio muffins (step-by-step) recipe
- Before you begin, prepare your cupcake pan and preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Sift together the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). This integrates air, ensuring that leavening ingredients are equally distributed. Keep it aside.
- Now, add chopped pistachios and mix them to dry ingredients. Gently mix them using a spatula.
- In another bowl, combine the wet components (milk, oil, eggs) along with the sugar and stir until well blended.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter equally between 12 cupcake liners. A cookie scoop will make this easier for you:).
- Sprinkle some coarse pistachios on top of each muffin.
- The muffins should be baked for the first 5 minutes at 425°F (218 °C). Reduce the temperature to 350°F (180 °C) and bake for an additional 14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. DO NOT OPEN THE Oven. Just reduce the temperature.
- Take it out of the oven and place it on a wooden surface to cool. Perform a toothpick test, insert a toothpick, and check if it comes out clean.
PS – This step needs to be done when the muffins are still in the oven. But I am just showing it outside so that it is easy for me to show. - Once cooled, transfer the muffins to a wire rack.
- Serve.
- Enjoy.
How to serve?
Whether you’re enjoying them as is with a cup of tea or sharing them at a celebration, there are tons of fun ways to serve your Funfetti muffins. So, let’s get into it!
- Plain – Sometimes, the best way to enjoy this pistachio muffin is as is, plain. Warm them in the oven, or microwave for a few seconds, (or just at room temperature).
- With a cup of coffee or tea – Is there anything better than a warm, freshly baked muffin paired with a hot drink? I think not! Enjoy it with a classic cup of coffee or tea.
Watch me making it (video)
Storing and freezing instructions for the pistachio muffins recipe
Like any other muffins on my blog, these can be stored at room temperature, refrigerator, or in the freezer.
Storing instructions
Let muffins cool down completely and then either store in a Ziplock bag or an airtight container.
Freezing instructions
These muffins can be prepared in advance and frozen for up to 3 months.
Once cooled down, wrap the muffins using a cling wrap, followed by aluminum foil.
Thawing instructions
To thaw the muffins, just keep them overnight in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter for a couple of hours. Finally, microwave them just for 10 to 15 seconds, depending on your microwave. Start with 10 seconds. If it is still cold, then keep it for a few more seconds.
To summarize,
| Sr. No. | Storing Type | Days/Weeks/Months |
| 1 | Room temperature | 3-4 days |
| 2 | Refrigerator | up to 2 weeks |
| 3 | Freezer | up to 2 months |
Variations
I have tried with the following add-ins, and it turned out amazing.
Chocolate chips – add 1/2 cup of dark or milk chocolate chips to the muffin batter and turn your funfetti muffins into chocolate chip muffins.
Other nuts – replace pistachios with walnuts, almonds, or a combination of both and turn them into nutty muffins.
Secret tips to make the pistachio muffins recipe
I am sharing my secret tips with you to make the best pistachio muffins every single time.
- Measure ingredients – Measuring the ingredients correctly is the key to any dessert. I prefer to do it with a weighing scale as that will give you the same results every single time. More flour = more gluten = dense muffins.
- Don’t overmix – Overmixing will form the gluten and make the muffins dense. When you are combining wet and dry ingredients, I would recommend doing it with a spatula and mix until is is just combined.
- Distribute evenly – Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute muffin batter in 12 cupcake cavities. This makes sure the even distribution and, in turn, even baking.
- Do not overbake – Baking at the right temperature and for the right amount of time makes the best muffins ever. Overbaking will make our muffins dry; even a few minutes of overbaking will cause a big issue. My suggestion: Every oven is different, so I would highly recommend checking its doneness 5 minutes before the actual baking time mentioned in the recipe. If the toothpick inserted comes out clean, then you are done.
- Bake at the correct temperature – Start your baking at a high temperature and then lower the temperature. This ensures the perfect dome-shaped top with moist and fluffy muffins.
- Use cupcake or muffin liners – Use cupcake liners for easy removal, and from a storage point of view, it is convenient too.
FAQs
If you have any further questions, please feel free to drop a comment below, and I will be happy to answer them.
Want to try some other muffins recipes?
Did you make it?
Did you make these nutty pistachio muffins yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Try these out and I guarantee they will surely impress friends and families.
Please let me know in the comments section below. I love hearing from you, and your feedback matters a lot.
If you post on Instagram, do not forget to tag @DessertKatta or hashtag it #dessertkatta, or #dessertkattarecipes
Recipe card
Pistachio Muffins Recipe
Description
Make these delicious pistachio muffins with real pistachios (no pudding mix) and using just a whisk. Isn't it mind-blowing? So, start your day with these soft, fluffy, moist, and lightly sweetened muffins.
Ingredients
Recipe
- Before you begin, prepare your cupcake pan and preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Sift together the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). This integrates air, ensuring that leavening ingredients are equally distributed. Keep it aside.
Now, add chopped pistachios and mix them to dry ingredients. Gently mix them using a spatula.
In another bowl, combine the wet components (milk, oil, eggs) along with the sugar and stir until well blended.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter equally between 12 cupcake liners. A cookie scoop will make this easier for you:).
- Sprinkle some coarse pistachios on top of each muffin.
- The muffins should be baked for the first 5 minutes at 425°F (218 °C). Reduce the temperature to 350°F (180 °C) and bake for an additional 14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. DO NOT OPEN THE Oven. Just reduce the temperature.
- Take it out of the oven and place it on a wooden surface to cool. Perform a toothpick test, insert a toothpick, and check if it comes out clean.
- PS - This step needs to be done when the muffins are still in the oven. But I am just showing it outside so that it is easy for me to show.
- Once cooled, transfer the muffins to a wire rack.
- Serve.
- Enjoy.
