These healthy Pistachio Muffins are a great way to start your day. They’re nutty and tender with a sweet pistachio flavor. Naturally gluten free, made with raw pistachio nuts and sweetened with coconut sugar. Easy to make in a food processor, with simple ingredients.
This recipe uses real pistachio nuts. Their flavor is enhanced by the addition of cardamom. It’s a warm spice and brilliant combination with pistachios to give the muffins a floral spiciness you will love.
Health Benefits of Pistachio Nuts
The word pistachio comes from the Greek word pistákion meaning “the green nut.” It’s a beloved tree nut that’s been around for centuries.
This popular nut is available with or without shells, and comes in raw or roasted varieties. They are packed with these nutritional benefits.
- one of the highest protein nuts (1)
- a complete plant-based protein with all 9 amino acids
- full of fiber, vitamins and minerals
- their healthy fat profile helps keep blood sugar stable
- lots of antioxidants from the green and red-purple colors
- have anti-inflammatory properties
What makes these pistachio muffins healthy?
Using whole pistachio nuts ground into a coarse meal makes the muffins high in protein (7 grams per muffin). To make them even healthier they are sweetened with just a little coconut sugar, no refined sugar. There are no grains just almond flour and tapioca flour making them totally gluten free. Coconut milk adds flavor and moisture and keeps the muffins dairy free.
Ingredients
These gluten-free muffins are nutty, moist and perfectly sweet made with nutrient dense ingredients. Perfect as a healthy breakfast option or sweet afternoon snack! Here’s what you need:
- raw unsalted shelled pistachios (not roasted or salted)
- blanched almond flour
- tapioca flour
- coconut sugar
- baking soda, baking powder and sea salt
- ground cardamom powder
- a pastured egg, room temperature
- coconut oil, room temperature not melted
- vanilla extract
- unsweetened coconut milk or other non dairy milk
How To Make
The whole recipe is made in a food processor, it’s easy! These are the guidelines, the exact recipe is in the recipe card below.
Mix the the dry ingredients: Since the recipe calls for whole pistachios they need to be ground. Start by grinding them into a very coarse meal in a food processor. Don’t make them too fine. Add the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, coconut sugar and cardamon. Pulse to combine.
Add 1 tablespoon of room temperature coconut oil (not melted) and pulse to evenly distribute. Pulsing the coconut oil into the flour gives the muffins a light and flaky texture.
Add the egg, vanilla and coconut milk. Process briefly, just until combined, don’t over process.
Divide the batter evenly into 9 muffin cups, lined with muffin liners. Since the batter is thick I use a cookie cream scoop to fill them.
Top with a sprinkle of coconut sugar and then chopped pistachio nuts. Gently press the nuts onto the batter with a spoon so they don’t fall off. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Tips for Perfect Muffins
- Don’t overmix the batter. You want to quickly process the batter and immediately scoop it into the muffin pan. That will help make the muffins nice and fluffy. If you overmix batter you’ll end up with dense and gummy muffins instead of fluffy and soft ones.
- Weigh your ingredients to get the best results.
- Use fresh baking soda. If your baking soda is older than 6 months, it a good idea to get a new one.
Storing
These healthy pistachio muffins taste fabulous the first day, and leftovers keep well at room temperature for about 3 days. After that, you can store them in the fridge for about 5 days.
They freeze well in an air tight container for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw them in the fridge or on the counter.
TIP: Here are a few recipes to use up the remaining coconut milk from the can. Mulligatawny Soup, Curried Cauliflower Soup with Spinach, Thai Shrimp and Vegetable Curry, Coconut Lime Chicken. The recipes come out great even if you are short the 1/4 cup you used for the muffins. No point in throwing the rest of the can away.
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Did you try this recipe? If so, let us know how it turned out by leaving a star rating and comment below. And as always, feel free to comment and ask questions if you need substitutes! Thanks, 💛 for supporting Eat Well Enjoy Life.
You may also like these other healthy gluten free muffin recipes:
- Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins
- Paleo Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Paleo Blueberry Muffins with Coconut Crumb Topping
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Print
Pistachio Muffins (Gluten Free, Paleo)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
Description
These healthy Pistachio Muffins are a great way to start your day. They’re nutty and tender with a sweet pistachio flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 grams) pistachios (raw, unsalted)
- 1 1/2 cup (168 grams) blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour (30 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup (45 grams) coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) coconut oil, solid, room temperature
- 1 pastured egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk or other non-dairy milk
- 9 teaspoons coconut sugar for topping
- 9 teaspoons chopped pistachio nuts for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with 9 liners.
- Place the pistachios in a food processor. Pulse to coarsely chop.
- Add almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, coconut sugar, and cardamom. Process until combined.
- Add the 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and pulse about 20 times to cut the oil into the flour.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and milk.
- Process until combined. Don’t overprocess. It will be thick like cookie dough.
- Divide the batter evenly into the 9 muffin cups. I use a cookie scoop.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon coconut sugar on the top of each muffin. Then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of chopped pistachio nuts. Press down gently with the back of a spoon to prevent the nuts from falling off.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until tester comes out clean.
- Transfer to a cooling rack, let cool 15 minutes and enjoy!!
- Store covered at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Process, Bake
- Cuisine: Paleo, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Dairy Free
