Last updated on January 27th, 2026.
Pistachio cupcakes made without artificial flavoring are tender, fluffy, moist, and loaded with pistachio flavor. They’re easy to make and can be personalized with fillings and toppings, making them an a crowd-pleaser.
Baking with pistachio can be a bit tricky. Its mild flavor is easily overpowered by other ingredients, yet the right ones can make it truly shine. When it comes to cupcakes, we don’t have the same flexibility with ingredients as we do when baking Pistachio Cream Cheese Pound Cake. With cupcakes, less is more, and simple ingredients are key to achieving light, tender, and moist cupcakes, rather than ones that are dense or overly cakey. The solution is a simple one, and one you can use for many other bakes.
The Secret
When I developed this recipe, I knew that adding ingredients like pistachio cream would make the cupcakes too dense. Pistachio extract tastes more like almonds, so that was a no. Instead of flavoring the batter directly, I chose to flavor the milk. By adding roughly chopped pistachios (more surface area means more flavor) to the milk and gently warming it, the milk turns into pistachio flavored milk. As the temperature rises, the pistachios release fat and flavor, which the milk absorbs.
It is important to let the milk reach room temperature before running it through the sieve. The extra time is when the milk soaks in all the flavor.
Making The Cupcakes
You can make this recipe using a stand mixer, or a hand mixer and a large bowl, like I did. Below are step by step images for a visual guide, and all my notes, tips, and lessons I learned when testing this recipe:
- Be organized, with the timing, and the prep. Plan ahead and make the pistachio milk about 2 hours ahead of time, or even the night before. Then, measure the dry ingredients (flour, ground pistachios, and baking powder) in a medium bowl, then the milk and sour cream in a measuring cup before creaming the sugar and butter.
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature: milk, sour cream, butter and eggs. If one of the ingredients is too cold, the batter will curdle, and the cupcakes might baked too dense.
- The ingredients: this recipe calls for cake flour which is rich in starch and has a weak gluten giving the cupcakes a tender crumb and its tall, rounded top. Avoid from replacing it, but if it is not available to you, use bleached all-purpose flour and mix in 1/2 teaspoon of potato or corn starch.
- The combination of butter and oil in this recipe is key to the texture and flavor: the butter incorporates air during the creaming stage, and of course adds its unique flavor. While the oil adds another layer of tenderness and helps prolong the cupcakes’ freshness.
Topping (& Filling)
First, no matter which buttercream you chose, make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled, or the buttercream (or cream), will melt.
Here are some alternative options for frosting the cupcakes with:
- Pistachio Buttercream.
- Classic Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
- Homemade Whipped Cream, or Pistachio Whipped Cream.
- White Chocolate Ganache.
If you want to take the cupcakes to the next level culinary experience, fill them with one of these:
Yields and Baking
This recipe makes 8-12 regular sized cupcakes, depending how much you fill the liners. I like to fill it all the way to the top, leaving about 1/8-inch space to the top.
The bigger the liner, the longer the baking time should be, so please pay attention to the cupcakes and not the timer. They are ready when the top is matte, slightly rounded and a toothpick comes out from the center with a few moist crumbs.
Storing
Store at room temperature for up to two days, covered. If using perishable filling or topping like whipped cream, refrigerate within 2 hours.
Freeze for up to three weeks, frosted or unfrosted, making sure to tightly sealed the cupcakes. When ready, unwrap, and place at room temperature.
Tender and Fluffy Pistachio Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 Cup (240ml) Whole milk
- 1 Cup (150g) Whole roasted pistachios (divided)
- 1 1/4 Cup (150g) Cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/4 Cup (55g) Unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) Unflavored vegetable oil
- 1/2 Cup (100g) Granulates sugar
- 1/3 Cup (80ml) Sour cream at room temperature
- 2 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 1 Recipe Pistachio Buttercream
Instructions
- Make ahead: pour the milk into a medium sauce pan. Roughly chop 2/3 cup (100g) of the pistachios and add them to the milk.
- Bring the milk to a medium boil, over medium heat. Until you notice bubbles on the sides of the pan strating to make thier way to the center of the pan. Remove from heat, cover and set aside to chill to room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 340°F (175°C), and line 12-mold cupcake pan with 10-12 cupcake liners.
- Pour the pistachio milk into a sieve over a bowl, discard the pistachios then measure 1/3 cup of the milk.
- Mix the sour cream (80ml) and the pistachio milk (80ml) and set aside.
- Finley chop the rest of the pistachios (50g). You can use a sharp knife, or a food processor.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour (150g), baking powder (1 1/2 teaspoons) and finely chopped pistachio (50g) and set aside.
- Cream the butter (55g) with the sugar (100g) in a large bowl, until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes if using a hand mixer, or 4-5 minutes if using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl 1-2 times as you go.
- Add the oil and mix to incoporate.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, waiting for each egg to completely incorporate before adding the next.
- Reduce speed to low (or use a rubber spatula), add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the milk mixture in two additions starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake liners and bake over the middle oven rack for 18-20 minutes. Until a toothpick comes out from the center of the cupcakes with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let chill for about an hour before filling and frosting.
- Top with the pistachio buttercream and serve.
LOVE pistachio, never have made a frosting or cake before (in decades of baking) with enough of a pistachio hit. LOVE this cupcake recipe—your generous sharing of your expertise ensured my success today.
Thank you so much Mildred, it turned out really good, I am so glad you liked it.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I really want to try it. I just noticed that oil is listed among the ingredients, but I don’t see it mentioned in the instructions. When should it be added?
Hi Jelena, You add the oil after you cream the butter and sugar, before adding the eggs.