Description
Delight in these Vegan Pistachio Muffins topped with a crunchy pistachio crumble and a smooth vanilla glaze. These moist, nutty muffins are made without any dairy or eggs, using vegan buttermilk, yogurt, and plant-based oils. Perfect for breakfast or a wholesome snack, they balance a rich pistachio flavor with a sweet, tender crumb and a touch of vanilla sweetness on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Muffin Batter
- 120 g raw shelled pistachios (with or without skins)
- 200 g granulated sugar (organic if possible)
- 240 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (sifted)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (sifted)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 batch vegan buttermilk (see note)
- 118 ml olive oil (or neutral oil like rapeseed or sunflower oil)
- 80 g vegan Greek-style yogurt (or vegan sour cream)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Pistachio Crumble Topping
- 40 g raw shelled pistachios (with or without skins)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (organic if possible)
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter (melted, or olive oil)
Vanilla Glaze
- 120 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat oven to fan-forced 190°C (375°F) or conventional 210°C (410°F). Line half the muffin tray cavities with liners, filling every second one to encourage tall muffin tops. The recipe yields 8 large muffins; if using one tray, bake in two batches, allowing the pan to cool between batches and refrigerate batter until ready.
- Blend the nuts and sugar: In a food processor or blender, combine pistachios and granulated sugar. Blitz until finely ground, creating a pistachio sugar mixture.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the pistachio sugar mixture, sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until evenly combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large separate bowl, whisk vegan buttermilk, olive oil, vegan yogurt, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well mixed.
- Make the muffin batter: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two parts. Gently fold between additions until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender. Set aside the batter.
- Make the pistachio crumble: Roughly chop pistachios. In a small bowl, mix chopped pistachios with flour, sugar, and melted vegan butter. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with fingertips until a crumbly texture forms.
- Fill liners and add crumble: Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to portion batter evenly into prepared muffin liners. Sprinkle pistachio crumble generously on top of each muffin.
- Bake: Place muffins in oven and bake at 190°C fan-forced (or 210°C conventional) for 5 minutes. Then reduce heat to 170°C fan-forced (or 190°C conventional) and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife; it should come out mostly clean with a few crumbs. Let muffins cool in tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack for 30 minutes.
- Make the glaze: Stir powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and non-dairy milk together until smooth. Adjust sugar amount for desired thickness or runniness. Drizzle glaze over cooled muffins.
- Storage: Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerated for up to one week (bring to room temperature before serving). Muffins can be frozen and thawed for a couple of hours before eating.
Notes
- If you don’t have vegan buttermilk, make it by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup (240 ml) of plant-based milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until curdled.
- Using raw shelled pistachios with skins gives a stronger color and flavor, but skins can be omitted if preferred.
- Filling every second muffin liner ensures better heat circulation and taller muffin tops.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins fluffy and tender.
- Allow muffins to cool completely before glazing to prevent glaze from melting off.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Western
