Pistachio Muffins are an easy bakery style treat using a secret ingredient! They are incredibly moist with a bright green color.
Pistachio Muffins Recipe
These delicious pistachio muffins are just as good as a fresh baked bakery muffin! You won’t believe how simple they are and how amazing the whole house will smell as they bake!
Made from scratch in just 30 minutes they are a great treat for family gatherings, weeknight desserts, brunch parties and more! The recipe is so easy and quick you can get the kids in the kitchen to help make them.
My recipe uses pistachio flavored pudding mix for the bright pop of color and it also keeps them moist! Chopped pistachios are mixed into the batter to give it a little burst of flavor and crunch.
The secret to bakery style muffins is a perfectly rounded sweet muffin top! My recipe has all the tips and tricks to make bakery style muffins at home.
What are Pistachio Muffins?
Pistachio Muffins are a bright green muffin made with a secret ingredient… Jell-O Pistachio Pudding Mix! The pudding mix not only adds the bright pop of color but it also keeps the muffins incredibly moist.
Chopped pistachios are mixed into the batter for added flavor and texture. The muffins are topped with coarse sugar for that signature bakery style sweet crunch, and of course more pistachios on top… they are pistachio muffins after all!
What is in Pistachio Muffins?
Dry Ingredients
- Pistachio Pudding Mix – the secret to these bright green muffins is the Jell-O Pudding mix! It has a sweet pistachio flavor and adds just the right pop of color.
- If you cannot find pistachio pudding mix, you can swap for vanilla pudding mix and add a few drops of green food coloring into the wet ingredients when making the batter
- Pistachios – chopped pistachios are mixed into the batter for added flavor and crunch.
- Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt – standard pantry staple ingredients make this an easy recipe for any day of the week. Granulated white sugar, or your sweeter of choice can be used.
Wet Ingredients
- Butter – I love baking but I often forget to take the butter out to let it get to room temperature. The great thing about this recipe is that is uses melted butter!
- Eggs, Milk, Vanilla – pantry staple ingredients making this an easy recipe.
Topping (optional)
- Coarse Sugar – I think we can agree the best part of a muffin is the crunchy top! A pinch of coarse sugar finishes off the muffins for a bakery style sweet crunch.
- Pistachios – additional crushed pistachios are baked on top of the muffins.
More Muffin Tin Recipes You Will Love!
- Banana Oat Crumble Muffins – not only a healthier twist on classic banana bread, they are just as delicious. Featuring a sweet and crispy crumble topping these are a must try!
- Mini Berry Dutch Babies – these mini German pancakes are made in a muffin tin so you don’t have to worry about flipping pancakes all morning!
- Portuguese Milk Tarts, Queijadas de Leite – a traditional Portuguese dessert made with pantry staple ingredients. They are creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside!
How to Make Pistachio Muffins
Full Printable Recipe at Bottom of Page
1 Preheat oven to 425°F.
2 To a large bowl add the melted butter and sugar. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
3 Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until evenly combined.
4 Add the pudding mix, baking powder, salt and milk. Gently stir with a spoon until just combined.
5 Add the flour. Gently fold until just combined (Tip: do not over mix. Gently fold to keep the muffins light and fluffy)
6 Fold in the chopped pistachios, if using. Reserve a few spoonful’s of the chopped pistachios to top the muffins with.
7 Using a 12 cup muffin tin, add paper muffin liners or grease well with cooking spray. Fill 3/4 of the way full with the batter. Sprinkle with coarse or granulated sugar and chopped pistachios (optional).
8 Bake for 7 minutes at 425°F then reduce the heat to 350°F and continue to bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. (Tip: insert a toothpick in the center of the muffins to check for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean the muffins are done.
Remove the muffin tin from the oven and transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Pistachio Muffins
- Be careful not to over bake the muffins. Once the muffins have browned on top check for doneness with a toothpick. Insert the toothpick into the center of the muffin and if it comes out clean the muffins are done. Remove from the oven, let them cool in the tins for a few minutes and then transfer the muffins to a cooling rack.
- Do not overmix the muffins. When adding the flour into the batter use a spoon or spatula to fold the flour in until just combined. Over mixing will result in tough and dense muffins..
- To get perfectly domed muffins be sure to cook them at high heat first and then reduce the heat as per the recipe. This allows the baking powder to activate and results in perfect muffin tops!
How to Store Pistachio Muffins
Allow the muffins to fully cool at room temperature and then transfer to an air tight container. Store at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Alternatively, individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 3-4 days.
How to Freeze Pistachio Muffins
Allow the muffins to fully cool at room temperature. Individually wrap in plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer safe air tight container or Ziploc bag. Or, transfer the cooled muffins to a freezer safe air tight container or Ziploc bag without wrapping in plastic wrap. The plastic wrap will keep the muffins fresh longer in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Looking for More Easy Dessert Recipes?
- Lemon Blueberry Angel Cake – the perfect combination of fresh lemony pudding and blueberry pie filling! All layered together with light angel food cake and whipped cream.
- Nanaimo Bars – a classic Canadian no bake dessert with 3 irresistible layers of chocolate and custard cream! They are a must try.
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Egg Rolls – a fun twist on a classic apple pie. Light and crispy egg roll wrappers stuffed with cinnamon and caramel seasoned apples with cream cheese!
Enjoy!
– Sab
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission.
Pistachio Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3.4 ounce Pistachio pudding mix, 1 package Jell-O mix
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar , for topping (optional)
- ½ cup chopped pistachios, unsalted (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- To a large bowl add the melted butter and sugar. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until evenly combined.
- Add the pudding mix, baking powder, salt and milk. Gently stir with a spoon until just combined.
- Add the flour. Gently fold until just combined (Tip: do not over mix. Gently fold to keep the muffins light and fluffy)
- Fold in the chopped pistachios, if using. Reserve a few spoonful’s of the chopped pistachios to top the muffins with.
- Using a 12 cup muffin tin, add paper muffin liners or grease well with cooking spray. Fill 3/4 of the way full with the batter. Sprinkle with coarse or granulated sugar and chopped pistachios (optional).
- Bake for 7 minutes at 425°F then reduce the heat to 350°F and continue to bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. (Tip: insert a toothpick in the center of the muffins to check for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean the muffins are done.
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Serve and enjoy!