Pistachio Cupcakes with Creamy Buttercream (Printable Version)

Fluffy cupcakes infused with real pistachios, topped with creamy pistachio buttercream frosting for an elegant nutty dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 4.2 oz shelled unsalted pistachios
02 - 1.3 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1 ½ tsp baking powder
04 - ¼ tsp salt
05 - 3.9 oz unsalted butter softened
06 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ½ cup whole milk
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Pistachio Buttercream

10 - 3.5 oz shelled unsalted pistachios
11 - 8 oz unsalted butter softened
12 - 2 cups powdered sugar
13 - 2-3 tbsp milk
14 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
15 - Pinch of salt

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - Finely grind 4.2 oz pistachios in a food processor. Reserve 1-2 tbsp for garnish.
03 - Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the ground pistachios.
04 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
05 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
06 - Add dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour mixture.
07 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners.
08 - Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
09 - Grind 3.5 oz pistachios finely. Beat butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar.
10 - Mix in ground pistachios, vanilla, salt, and 2 tbsp milk. Beat until fluffy, adding extra milk for desired consistency.
11 - Pipe or spread buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with reserved ground pistachios.

# Expert Tricks:

01 -
  • The buttercream alone is worth the effort—creamy, nutty, and not cloyingly sweet like grocery store frosting
  • These cupcakes stay moist for days, making them perfect for make-ahead dessert planning
02 -
  • Over-grinding pistachios releases too much oil and makes a paste rather than a flour-like consistency
  • Cooling the cupcakes completely before frosting is absolute—melted buttercream slides right off warm cake
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale for the pistachios—volume measurements are notoriously inaccurate for nuts
  • Toast half the pistachios before grinding for deeper flavor, but keep the rest raw for color

Go Back