Description
These Pistachio Muffins with Pistachio Streusel combine a nutty, slightly sweet muffin base enriched with pistachio paste and matcha powder, topped generously with a crunchy pistachio streusel. Perfect for breakfast or a sophisticated snack, these muffins are moist, flavorful, and packed with pistachio goodness both inside and on top.
Ingredients
Muffin Batter
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) shelled salted pistachios
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) + 1 tablespoon (12 grams) sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (29 grams) whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (If using unsalted pistachios, increase to 1/2 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup (114 grams) full-fat sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons (59 grams) pistachio paste
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Pistachio Streusel
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (68 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (22 grams) whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) shelled salted pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (107 grams) brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (If using unsalted pistachios, increase salt to 3/4 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3 tablespoons (43 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons (59 grams) pistachio paste
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a muffin pan with six tulip muffin liners to prepare for baking.
- Grind pistachios: Place the shelled salted pistachios and 1 tablespoon of sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the pistachios are ground to a coarse cornmeal consistency, being careful not to overprocess into a paste.
- Mix dry ingredients: Transfer the ground pistachios to a medium bowl. Add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, matcha powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Stir well to combine all the dry ingredients evenly.
- Prepare wet mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and sour cream. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each egg until incorporated.
- Add flavorings: Add pistachio paste, melted butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the wet mixture. Beat again for 20-30 seconds just until combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Portion batter: Divide the batter evenly among the six muffin liners, using about 1/3 cup per muffin.
- Prepare streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, chopped pistachios, brown sugar, salt, and cardamom. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and pistachio paste in 30-second bursts, stirring each time. Pour melted mixture into the dry streusel ingredients along with almond extract and mix with a fork until moistened with some larger clumps.
- Top muffins: Generously divide and sprinkle the pistachio streusel over each muffin, pressing some between your fingers to form larger clusters. The tulip liners will help hold the abundant streusel in place.
- Bake: Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin—if it comes out clean without raw batter, the muffins are done.
Notes
- Using tulip muffin liners helps hold the generous amount of streusel topping in place without spilling.
- If you are using unsalted pistachios, increase the salt in both the batter and streusel to compensate for flavor balance.
- Be careful not to overprocess the pistachios in the food processor to avoid turning them into a paste prematurely.
- Matcha powder adds a subtle earthy flavor and green color, but it can be omitted if unavailable, though some flavor and color will be lost.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter after adding wet and dry ingredients to keep muffins light and tender.