Delicious Pistachio Muffins Without Pudding Mix

As I have written in many dessert posts, I love baking, however, I also love eating, so tend to bake and send most of the goods to Jay's office for everyone to enjoy, while I save one [or two] for myself.

I also bake two different flavors of cupcakes or muffins every year for his birthday, and this year - one of these was this yummy pistachio muffins recipe without pistachio pudding mix, while the other was this absolutely decadent raspberry and white chocolate loaf cake!

They both went down very well, and, I am ever so pleased to share this recipe with you all!

There are no un-foundable ingredients, but only plain and simple staples you most probably have in your pantry already.

What makes this recipe unique, is that the dome of each pistachio muffin is dipped in melted dark chocolate and then covered with chopped pistachios and nuts, to create the perfect balance of sweet, salty, bitter, and crunchy with each mouthful.

Preheat the oven, it's time to bake!

Pistachio Muffins Recipe Ingredients

• Pistachios: For ease of use and preparation, shelled pistachios are the best choice.
• Mixed Nuts: In most grocery stores you will find chopped mixed nuts that include hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, etc. As long as they are natural and not salted or sweetened, they will be perfect for this recipe. These can be substituted for pistachios as well.
• All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt: These ingredients make the bulk of the muffins. Should you have self-raising flour, you can use it instead of plain flour and baking powder. Salt offers a nice contrast to the sweetness of the muffins and the richness of the pistachios.
• Unsalted Butter: Using this allows you to control and balance the salt added to taste, however, should you opt to use salted butter, then skip the salt.
• Granulated Sugar, Eggs, and Milk: These, with the butter, are the wet ingredients for the recipe. It is important the milk is full fat as it adds richness, flavor, and moisture to the muffins. Should you decide to use light brown sugar as a sweetener, it will work well too.
• Lemon Zest: Adding lemon zest to pistachio muffins creates just the perfect balance, however, this can be swapped for vanilla extract or almond extract for a warmer, sweeter taste.
• Milk Chocolate: This is used as a glaze on top and perfectly balances the muffins' saltiness, sweetness, and richness. White chocolate or dark chocolate can be used too, however, milk chocolate is my favorite for this recipe.
• Green Food Coloring: This is optional as it doesn't add taste or texture, however, it makes these pistachio muffins look very 'pistachio-ey' and perfect for St Patrick's!

How To Make Pistachio Muffins Without Pistachio Pudding Mix?

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F, 180*C FAN, 200*C static, or Gas Mark 6.
2. In a mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients: the sifted all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix them together.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, add all the wet ingredients: the melted butter, eggs, sugar, food coloring [if using it], milk, and lemon zest, and mix well together.

4. Start adding the dry mixture to the wet one, three or four tablespoons at a time, mixing in between. As soon as it's all mixed well, stop mixing [overmixing may cause the muffins to be too dense].
5. Add the pistachios and mixed nuts to the food processor and chop until you achieve a coarse powder.
6. Add the nut mixture to the muffins' batter and mix until well incorporated, without overmixing [no dense muffins!].

7. Add the paper liners to the muffin tin and share the muffins' batter evenly, until each liner is ⅔ to ¾ full.
8. Place the muffins on the middle shelf in the oven and bake for approximately 18 minutes, depending on the oven.
9. Check that the muffins are ready using a cake tester or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs, but no batter.
10. Once ready, remove the pistachio muffins from the oven and put the tin on a wire rack to cool down for 10 minutes.
11. After 10 minutes, remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow the muffins to cool completely on the rack. This will stop the moisture from settling at the bottom of the cupcake liners, making them greasy.

12. To decorate the pistachio muffins, roughly chop the remaining pistachio and mixed nuts, and, in a separate mixing bowl melt the milk chocolate [either bain Marie or in the microwave].
13. Once ready, dip the dome of the muffins in the melted chocolate and then, before it driws, dip them in the chopped pistachios and mixed nuts.
14. Your green pistachio muffins are ready to be served and enjoyed!

People Also Ask [FAQs]

How To Store Pistachio Muffins?

• On The Counter: These pistachio muffins can be stored in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for 2-3 days.
• In The Freezer: These muffins can be frozen for up to three months.

Pistachio Muffins Variations

• Lemon Pistachio Muffins: Add two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the batter and reduce the milk used by the same amount.
• Chocolate Chip Pistachio Muffins: Add ⅓ cup of chocolate chips to the batter.
• Chopped Nuts: Add ⅓ cup of chopped pistachios and nuts to the batter for crunch [don't chop them as finely as the ones added to flavor the batter!].
• Dried Fruits: Add some dried cranberries, apricots, or raisins to the batter. ⅓ cup will be plenty!
• Flavorings: Add a tablespoon of pumpkin spice mix, chai latte powder, or matcha [perfect for enhancing the green color!] to the batter!
• Coconut: Replace ½ cup of unsalted butter with coconut oil, or add 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut to the batter. You can also dip the muffins in the coconut after dipping them in the chocolate!
• Almond Flavor: Skip the lemon zest and add some almond extract to the batter!
• With A Crunch: Add ⅓ cup of coarsely chopped pistachios to the batter or some crushed pistachios on top of the batter before baking.
• Bakery Style Pistachio Muffins: When thinking of bakery style, we surely think of big muffins! Make these 6 jumbo muffins instead of 12 regular ones, and sprinkle with some coarse sugar before baking. The baking time will increase by 5-10 minutes, depending on the oven, so keep an eye on the pistachio muffins while they bake!
• Keep It Simple: Simply sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top of the pistachio muffins once they cool completely.

Tips & Tricks For The Best Pistachio Muffins

• Don't Overstir The Batter: When preparing the pistachio muffins batter, mix the ingredients only until incorporated well, then move on to the next step. Overmixing the batter may create dense muffins, which is something we don't really want!
• Fresh Baking Powder: Make sure to use fresh baking powder that has been stored properly, as this is key to fluffy green pistachio muffins.
• Muffin Or Cupcake Liners: To avoid the batter sticking to the muffin liners, you can lightly grease them with a little cooking or baking spray before adding the batter. Every muffin cup is different depending on the material, and some may be pre-greased.
• Muffin Tin: Personally, I prefer to use liners, as they keep the muffins moist, keep them from sticking to the tin, and reduce cleaning time, however, sometimes they may also stop the muffins from overcooking in the areas of contact with the tin. Should you decide to skip the liners, make sure your prepared muffin tins are well-greased, and keep an eye on the pistachio muffins while they bake.
• Ice Cream Scoop: Using this to divide batter equally, definitely helps! For ease, spray a little baking spray on the scoop before using it too: this will help the batter slide in the muffin tins!
• Baking Soda: Should you decide to add more flavors to these muffins [i.ei.: adding chopped pistachios or dried fruit], then add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the batter too. This will help them raise and fluff up, even with the added weight!
• Pistachio And Nuts Storage: Should you have leftover nuts, ensure they are properly stored for future use in an airtight plastic or glass container.

This muffin recipe really does use minimal ingredients and, without the use of instant pistachio pudding mix, you probably have most of them in your pantry.

An easy muffin recipe full of flavor and color, it is perfect for any sharing event, such as St Patrick's day, a picnic, or a birthday party, however, they are perfectly fine also when not sharing and are great for a breakfast on the go.

If, like me, you love muffins, then give this beautiful treat a go!

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