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Pile of pistachio muffins in white paper liners on a wooden board with a white paper. Light grey background.

Pistachio Muffins (easy recipe)

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These muffins perfectly blend a nutty flavor with a soft, moist texture. The pistachios bring a subtle green hue and a unique and rich yet not overpowering taste. They are perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch, a snack on the go or afternoon tea. You can use regular-sized tins or make jumbo muffins. They keep well and can be frozen.

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 12 regular muffins

Ingredients

Units
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup pistachios, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
  2. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners (paper cups) or butter/spray them.
  3. Beat soft butter and add sugar gradually while you continue beating for 2-3 minutes. 
  4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly. 
  5. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and juice and combine.
  6. Sift the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder and soda) together in a bowl, or have them measured and sift them directly over the egg batter. 
  7. Add them in 3 parts, alternating with the sour cream in 2 parts. That means you start and end with the dry ingredients. 
  8. Mix and integrate the batter well, but don't beat much at this point. After adding the flour, batters should not be beaten too much as it will develop gluten and toughen the baked muffins. 
  9. Add the chopped pistachios. You can use them all in the batter or remove some to sprinkle on top before baking. 
  10. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins. I use a large cookie scoop, but you can use two spoons. 
  11. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until they rise, the tops crack a little and a tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. The time varies depending on the size of your muffin tin and oven.  
  12. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

  • Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
  • Filling the muffin pans: this is a thicker batter than other muffins in this blog, so you can fill the paper liners to 3/4 of their capacity, maybe even a tad more.
  • Storage: keep them wrapped or in an airtight container for a day or two at room temperature or frozen for a month. 
  • Double batch: this recipe can easily be doubled if making them for a large crowd or if you want to make ahead and freeze.
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Muffins
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/pistachio-muffins/