These delicious Vegan Pistachio Muffins are gluten-free and oil-free and so easy to make. Ground up pistachios give wonderful flavor, moisture and color to these muffins and a lovely texture. Only 1 bowl and 8 ingredients needed!
VEGAN PISTACHIO MUFFINS
If you are as big of a fan of pistachios as I am, then you are going to LOVE these vegan pistachio chocolate chip muffins! They are bursting with so much pistachio flavor in every bite. They are incredibly moist thanks to the natural fat in pistachios.
Of course, this means since the fat is coming from the nuts, then we need no oil added! That is right, these are oil-free muffins. This does not mean fat-free, it just means that oil is not an added ingredient like the majority of muffin recipes you will find.
But don’t let that doubt the deliciousness of these gorgeous green beauties. They are rich, decadent, moist, fluffy and absolutely amazing. They are also grain-free.
If you are trying to bake oil-free, then check out all of my tips on How to Cook and Bake Without Oil.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
(Only 8 ingredients needed. Full details and measurements on the recipe card below.)
- Raw, unsalted shelled pistachios
- Potato starch: this starch is important because it balances out the moisture that the pistachios release. Other starches will not yield the same quality of results. Potato starch helps to make baked goods really fluffy.
- Baking powder
- Pure maple syrup or agave
- Unsweetened plant-based milk: I used almond.
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Vanilla extract
- Dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN PISTACHIO MUFFINS
Step 1. Add the pistachios to a food processor and process until a flour forms, being careful not to process it into a nut butter. It’s okay if there are a few tiny pieces of nuts, but try to get it as fine as possible.
Step 2: Add the processed pistachios into a large bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until a smooth, moist batter forms.
Step 4: Divide the batter into 9 muffins and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with no batter on it. Cool 15 minutes before eating.
These beautiful vegan oil-free muffins will wow you with their flavor and texture, not to mention they are a beautiful color. Even without traditional flour, you will love these. They are gluten-free but every bit as delicious as any traditional muffin.
MORE VEGAN MUFFIN RECIPES
- Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
- The Best Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Healthy Vegan Chocolate Muffins
- Chocolate Yogurt Muffins
- Blueberry Lemon Muffins
Vegan Pistachio Muffins (8 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 168 grams raw, unsalted pistachios OR 1 1/2 cups (168g) ground pistachio flour, make sure to use correct weight
- 1/2 cup (80g) potato starch, this cannot be subbed with another starch, I use this one (it is what makes them fluffy)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- scant 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (30g) unsweetened plant-based milk (I used almond)
- 6 tablespoons (120g) pure maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons (90g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
NOTE
- Always use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed. You never need cups, just the scale and bowl and make sure to zero out in between each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with 9 parchment paper liners. This will prevent the muffins from sticking.
- Add the pistachios to a food processor and process until a flour forms, being careful not to process it into a nut butter. It's okay if there are a few tiny pieces of nuts, but try to get it as fine as possible.
- To a large bowl, add the processed pistachios, the potato starch, baking powder, and salt and whisk until mixed.
- Add the milk, syrup, applesauce, vanilla, and chocolate chips and stir with a spoon until mixed and moist. It will seem too dry at first, but gently mix until all the batter is moist. If you weighed everything to my gram weights it should be a perfectly moist batter.
- This batter is so delicious, I wanted to just eat it and not bake the muffins, so warning at how good it is!
- Divide the batter into the 9 liners, which means you will be filling up each liner about half full.
- Bake the muffins for 20 minutes or until risen and a toothpick comes out clean from the center of a muffin.
- Cool the muffins 15 minutes to allow them to finish cooking before eating.
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These are delicious!!!!! I expected they would be good but they exceeded expectations for sure and are so easy to make. So moist and not crazy sweet, just sweet enough. Now I have to try your sweet potato muffins someone else mentioned!
That is so wonderful to hear Stefani!!
This recipe is easy to make and the taste is divine! I’ve already made them two weeks in a row!
I made these muffins today to do some stress-baking, and these.are.incredible! I didn’t think anything could rival your sweet potato chocolate chip muffins, which are my favorite muffin ever. But then I made these…I’ve got a new favorite! Fantastic recipe, Brandi!
Oh wow, that just made my day, thank you so much Coby!
I can’t find applesauce in my country. Can i replace it with bananas in the same amount in pretty much all your recipes?
Hi Ago, I have not tested it, so I’m not sure of the results, but you can certainly try it. Yes, I would do the same weight amount. But keep in mind that it will yield banana flavor.
So delicious! I made them for someone’s birthday (she cannot eat wheat) but my husband and I have been enjoying them on occasion with our morning coffee! I will be making them again and again!
So very happy to hear these were a hit Debra!!
These pistachio muffins are epic!!!! Seriously the best muffins ever. I can’t even say the proper words. So delicious, satisfying and decadent and the texture is on point. Thank you so much for this recipe. After I tasted these I immediately was like oh I need to make her blueberry muffins next because if they are anything like these I know they are going to be out of this world!! I don’t think anything can top these pistachio muffins but I am sure your blueberry muffins will be the best blueberry muffins ever.
Thank you soooo much Christina!! I’m just beyond excited how much you love these and your photo you shared on Instagram was so beautiful! Thanks for the amazing feedback!
Absolutely delicious! Easy. Even non vegans loved them.
So very happy these were such a hit, Jeannette, thank you so much for coming back and leaving a review!!
This is the best muffin I have ever eaten! Fabulous!
This makes me so happy to hear Tina, thank you for making them and the review!