These pistachio cupcakes get their flavor from real nuts in three forms: pistachio flour and chopped roasted pistachios in the batter, and 2 tablespoons of pistachio paste in the buttercream. The recipe makes 12 cupcakes, bakes at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes, and takes about 45 minutes before cooling.
The crumb is soft and fine, with little bits of crunch, and the frosting tastes like pistachio rather than plain sweet butter. A ½ teaspoon of almond extract is optional, but it makes the pistachio taste stronger.
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- Yield: 12 standard cupcakes
- Time: 25 minutes prep, 18 to 22 minutes in the oven, about 45 minutes total plus cooling
- Oven: 350°F (175°C), one 12 cup muffin pan, liners filled about two-thirds
- Pistachio in the batter: ½ cup pistachio flour plus ½ cup chopped roasted pistachios
- Flour ratio: 1 part pistachio flour to 3 parts all-purpose flour
- Buttercream: 1 cup butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons pistachio paste, 1 to 2 tablespoons cream
- Storage: 2 days at room temperature, 5 days in the fridge
Pistachio Flour vs Ground Pistachios
Pistachio flour is simply pistachios ground very fine. You can buy it, or make it at home by pulsing shelled, unsalted pistachios in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts and stop when it looks like damp sand. Keep going and the oil comes out, and you have paste instead of flour.
Fine flour blends into the batter, so the cupcakes rise evenly and the crumb stays smooth. Coarser ground pistachios give a more rustic, slightly denser crumb with visible flecks. Either works, but fine flour gives the taller, bakery-style cupcake.
Do not swap all the wheat flour for nut flour. Pistachio flour has no gluten and plenty of fat, so it adds flavor and tenderness but not structure. Here it is ½ cup next to 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour. Go much higher and the cupcakes crumble when you peel the liner.
Why Pistachio Cupcakes Are Not Bright Green
Expect a tan crumb with a green tint, not a bright green one. Pistachio color dulls in the oven, and the butter, eggs and sugar lighten it further. The greenest flour comes from raw, shelled nuts with most of the papery skins rubbed off. Skins make it browner.
The buttercream is where the color shows. Pistachio paste gives a soft olive green, and the recipe allows 1 drop of leaf green gel if you want it brighter. I often leave it out. A vivid green pistachio cupcake has usually been colored.
Mixing the Pistachio Batter
Beat 1 cup softened butter with 1 cup sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the 3 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
If the batter looks curdled at this point, the butter or eggs were a little cold. Keep going. It smooths out once the first dry addition goes in.
Whisk the all-purpose flour, pistachio flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt in another bowl. Stir the milk, vanilla and almond extract together. With the mixer on low, add the dry mix in three parts and the milk in two, starting and ending with dry. Stop when no flour shows.
Chop the roasted pistachios small, about the size of a lentil, and fold them in with a spatula. Large pieces sink to the bottom. Fill the liners about two-thirds and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then move them to a rack to cool completely.
For a breakfast version of the same flavor, try my pistachio muffins.
Pistachio Paste Buttercream
Beat the softened butter on medium-high for 2 minutes, then mix in the 2 tablespoons of pistachio paste. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed, then 1 tablespoon of cream or milk, a pinch of salt, and the green gel if using. Beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy, adding the second tablespoon of cream only if it is too stiff to pipe.
The paste you buy changes the result. Pure pistachio paste is thick, unsweetened and strong, and it is what this amount is written for. A sweetened pistachio spread, like my pistachio cream, is softer and milder, so start with less cream and taste before adding more sugar. You can also grind your own with this homemade pistachio butter.
Pipe with a large round or star tip, or spread with an offset spatula, and finish with chopped pistachios or a pinch of pistachio flour. For a tangier topping, pistachio mascarpone frosting works on the same cupcakes.
Keeping Pistachio Cupcakes Fresh
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or 5 days in the fridge. Let chilled ones sit out 20 to 30 minutes so the buttercream softens. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well; wrap them tightly, thaw at room temperature, then frost.
Pistachio Paste, Pudding Mix and Extract Questions
Can I make pistachio cupcakes with pistachio paste?
Yes, this recipe uses 2 tablespoons of pistachio paste in the buttercream. The batter gets its flavor from pistachio flour and chopped roasted pistachios.
Do pistachio cupcakes need pudding mix?
Not this recipe. Box mix versions often use instant pistachio pudding for color and flavor; here it all comes from real nuts, so the color is softer.
Can I leave out the almond extract?
Yes, it is optional. Without it the pistachio flavor is milder and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla carries more of the taste.
More pistachio bakes from the same pantry: lemon pistachio cake, rose and pistachio cupcakes and pistachio cookies.
Pistachio Cupcakes Recipe
These pistachio cupcakes are soft, nutty vanilla cupcakes made with pistachio flour, chopped roasted pistachios, butter, eggs and milk, topped with a pistachio paste buttercream. The recipe makes 12 standard cupcakes in about 45 minutes, baked at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes, with a fine, tender crumb and small bits of crunch. Pistachio flour replaces only a quarter of the flour, so the cupcakes get real pistachio flavor without losing structure, and an optional splash of almond extract makes the nut taste stronger. Serve them for birthdays, spring tea parties, baby showers or as a pistachio birthday cake alternative. Store frosted cupcakes 2 days at room temperature or 5 days in the fridge.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CUPCAKES
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup pistachio flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
- ½ cup chopped roasted pistachios
- FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp pistachio paste
- 1–2 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1 drop leaf green gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- ADD THE EGGS: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pistachio flour, baking powder, and salt.
- MIX WET INGREDIENTS: In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the whole milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using.
- ALTERNATE ADDING DRY AND WET: With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk mixture in two parts, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined.
- FOLD IN PISTACHIOS: Gently fold in the chopped roasted pistachios using a spatula, taking care not to overmix.
- DIVIDE AND BAKE: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- COOL COMPLETELY: Remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until smooth. Add the pistachio paste and mix until combined.
- ADD SUGAR AND CREAM: Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until combined. Add 1 tablespoon of cream or milk, the salt, and food coloring if using. Beat on high speed for 2–3 minutes until fluffy, adding more cream as needed for desired consistency.
- FROST THE CUPCAKES: Use a piping bag or offset spatula to frost the cooled cupcakes with the pistachio buttercream. Optionally, garnish with extra chopped pistachios or a light sprinkle of pistachio flour.
Notes
To make pistachio flour at home, pulse shelled unsalted pistachios in short bursts until they look like damp sand; stop before they turn into paste. Do not replace more of the all-purpose flour with pistachio flour; nut flour has no gluten and the cupcakes will crumble. Chop the roasted pistachios small so they do not sink. If the batter looks curdled after the eggs, keep mixing; it smooths out once the dry ingredients go in. The baked crumb is tan-green, not bright green; the color comes from the buttercream. Pure pistachio paste is stronger than sweetened pistachio cream, so add cream to the buttercream a little at a time. Adjust the food coloring to preference or omit for a more natural look. Store frosted cupcakes 2 days at room temperature or 5 days in the fridge; freeze unfrosted.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 686Total Fat 45gSaturated Fat 25gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 150mgSodium 251mgCarbohydrates 66gFiber 2gSugar 51gProtein 7g
