Pistachio Muffins
Incredibly moist and bursting with nutty pistachio flavor, these pistachio muffins are a delicious treat for breakfast or anytime. Made with real pistachios without any pudding mix, these muffins are perfect for pistachio lovers!
I cannot wait for you to try these pistachio muffins! I gave some to a friend and she quickly texted, “I feel like I’m in a Parisian bakery! Wow, these are so good!”
These are fluffy, moist pistachio orange muffins made with real pistachios, which means their flavor is top-notch. No packaged mix here! And yes, they are a true bakery style muffin. Fancy and delicious!
Slightly nutty and tender, with a pistachio crumble on top! I can’t get enough of these muffins and hope you love them as much as we do.
See below for more details, step-by-step photos and tips for success, or scroll down to the full recipe at the bottom.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Milk: I prefer oat milk in this recipe as it’s higher carbohydrate concentration makes it better for browning. This recipe is naturally vegan as written, but you can also use cow’s milk if preferred.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: You’ll mix this with the milk to create a buttermilk. The acid helps break down gluten strands in the batter, resulting in a tenderized crumb and a softer, moister texture in baked goods like cakes, muffins, and quick breads.
- Shelled Pistachio Nuts: If you can find raw pistachios, great! Roasted pistachios are fine, as they are often easier to find shelled. You’ll combine this with sugar to make pistachio sugar. This creates the base of your muffins and provides the best texture.
- Yogurt or Sour Cream: Like with the homemade buttermilk, the acid in the yogurt and sour cream helps tenderize the dough, making for a more moist muffin. ou want something thick, like a Greek yogurt. Yes, you can use dairy-free options if you prefer!
- Oranges: The orange zest is a must in these pistachio muffins– don’t skip it! You can enjoy the oranges afterwards, or juice them for use in another recipe.
How to Make these Pistachio Muffins
Make the Pistachio Sugar
Place the pistachio and sugar in the base of a food processor and process until very finely ground together.
Whisk together the dry ingredients
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl
Add the wet ingredients
Mix together the wet ingredients, then add to the dry bowl
Divide into a cupcake pan and bake
Add the batter to a cupcake pan, then top with pistachio crumble and bake until tender. Let cool and enjoy!
Tips for Success
You’ll want to use a food processor to make the pistachio sugar, but you can also use a blender (affiliate). This really helps to create the best texture for these muffins and using a knife alone won’t get the same fine crumb.
Almond pairs really nicely with pistachio and oranges, and you can sub in almond extract for the vanilla extract. I really like orange and pistachio together, but lemon zest also works instead of the orange.
I use a small ice cream scoop to add the batter to the prepared pan, dividing it easily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a glaze?
I think these pistachio muffins are perfectly sweet as is, but if you want to omit the pistachio crumble and top with powdered sugar, you can. Or, for a more cupcake-style muffin, keep the crumble and drizzle a glaze on top.
How long will these keep?
These muffins will keep on the counter in an airtight container for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for 3-4 days. Or, you can also freeze the muffins to enjoy later. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
More Muffin Recipes
- Lemon Olive Oil Muffins
- Honey Pear Muffins
- Applesauce Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
If you try these pistachio muffins, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Your feedback helps other readers, and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Pistachio Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin Tin
Ingredients
Pistachio Orange Muffins
- 1 cup milk*
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream**
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 oranges, zested
Pistachio Crumble, for topping
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted**
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a cupcake tin with cooking spray and set aside.
- Make a buttermilk by mixing together milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Place the cup of pistachios and sugar in the base of a food processor. Process on low until finely ground together.
- Add this 'pistachio sugar' to the base of a large bowl along with the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together to combine.
- To the bowl, add the buttermilk, yogurt, vanilla, and orange zest. Fold together to combine, taking care not to overmix.
- Make the pistachio crumble:Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Divide the batter into the prepared muffin tin and top with the pistachio crumble.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool before diving in!