Pistachio Muffins

I worked in Delaware for 15 years and, as you may remember reading, I started working in Center City Philadelphia again last year.

I couldn’t be happier.  

Except for one thing.

When I worked in Delaware, I could walk to a place that had the best (BEST) pistachio muffins. So every so often, I would take a stroll and buy a few to satisfy my inevitable craving.  Despite the  plethora of bakeries and eateries in Center City, I have not been able to find pistachio muffins.  

Giant, bless their hearts, carries them every now and then.  More then than now.

So, considering this distance and dearth dilemma, the only thing a girl could do is to bake her own. 

So I did.

Pistachio Muffins

Adapted from a few recipes

1 box of instant pistachio pudding (3.4 ounce package)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup wheat flour

¾ cups granulated sugar

½ cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Dash of sea salt

1/4 cup pistachios, ground pretty finely

2 eggs

1 cup of milk

½ cup canola oil

½ teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and add liners to the muffin pan. In a large mixing bowl mix all dry ingredients – pudding, flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and most of the ground pistachios (save a little for topping).  In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients, medium mix eggs, almond extract, milk, oil and lemon zest.  Combine wet and dry ingredients and hand mix until incorporated. Sprinkle on the reserved ground pistachios and some coarse sugar, which adds a nice, subtly sweet crunch.

Fill muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick done.

These muffins are so good.  The ground pistachios add a little munch, the zest brightens things up, and the almond extract contributes a natural nutty note.  Bonus, they freeze beautifully!