Cranberry Orange Pistachio Cardamom Muffins

What are cranberry orange pistachio cardamom muffins?

Cranberry orange pistachio cardamom muffins are easily my new favorite muffin!

Let me just start by saying that these aren't your average cranberry orange muffins. These delicious muffins have zesty orange, sweet, tart cranberries, and notes of spicy cardamom. To take it to the next level, a dreamy pistachio orange cardamom glaze tops these ultra-fluffy muffins. I guarantee cranberry orange pistachio cardamom muffins will make you forget all of the other basic muffins!

These muffins have a super fluffy and tender muffin base, just like your favorite bakery-style muffins! They bake up super tall and so gorgeous.

Better yet, cranberry orange pistachio cardamom muffins are extremely easy to make- no mixer required!

I love having these for breakfast- they are a bright and delicious start to my day! They seriously motivate me to get out of bed in the morning! :)

What do I need to make cranberry orange pistachio cardamom muffins?

Okay, here's your grocery list:

• all-purpose flour
• granulated sugar
• light brown sugar
• salt
• baking powder
• nutmeg
• cardamom
• buttermilk
• unsalted butter
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• Orange zest
• dried cranberries
• pistachios (unsalted)
• powdered sugar
• heavy cream
• Orange extract (optional)

No buttermilk? No problem!

So if you don't have buttermilk or can't find it at your store, you can easily make your own buttermilk substitute at home.

All you need to do is add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Stir it up, and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until the milk curdles slightly.

Using buttermilk in this recipe is highly recommended, because the acid content in buttermilk contributes to these muffins being so tender and fluffy.

As a result, substituting buttermilk with regular milk will likely negatively impact the recipe results. So don't skip it!

Pistachio orange cardamom glaze

I wanted to bring a little something different and unique to your typical cranberry orange muffin recipe. So, while brainstorming flavor combinations, pistachio popped into my head as a perfect flavor pairing for cranberry, orange, and cardamom!

I incorporated the pistachio element into a super dreamy pistachio orange cardamom glaze to go on top of the muffins. I just love the crunchy texture and nuttiness the pistachios bring to this flavor profile!

For the glaze, the pistachios are crushed up to make smaller pieces. I pulsed them a few times in the food processor to get them to the perfect size.

Using unsalted pistachios in this glaze is highly recommended, because salted pistachios might make this glaze too salty. I buy dry roasted and unsalted pistachio nutmeats from Trader Joe's. These are unshelled and ready to use which I love! No tedious un-shelling required.

The orange flavor in the glaze comes from orange extract. I love using extract for glazes especially, because they add a maximum amount of flavor without having to add a ton of liquid. If you don't have orange extract on-hand or can't find it in the store, you can try using some orange juice in the glaze instead. You will just have to adjust the powdered sugar to liquid ratio a little bit! Just add more powdered sugar if the glaze is too thin, and more heavy cream or orange juice if the glaze is too thick.

Also note that if you do use orange juice, the flavor also won't be as strong as if you were to use orange extract.

Can I add pistachios to the muffin batter?

Yes! If you want to incorporate pistachios into the muffins as well, you can mix in 1/2 cup of unsalted pistachios into the batter.

Tips for cranberry orange pistachio cardamom muffins

• If you want insanely fluffy, tall bakery-style muffins, try leaving the batter in the fridge overnight. That's what I did with these and it really works! This is a little tip I learned from Tessa at Handle the Heat.
• Also, make sure you do not over-mix the muffin batter, because that can result in dry, rubbery muffins. Once all the flour has disappeared, you're done mixing!
• To ensure the mix-ins don't sink to the bottom, first scoop some plain batter into the bottom of the muffin liners. Then, stir your mix-ins into the batter and proceed!

I hope you love these muffins as much as I do! They are totally my new favorite go-to muffin to make for breakfast, an easy snack, or fun and easy baking project!

If you make these, I would really appreciate if you left a comment and a rating below! Thanks! :)

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Cardamom Muffins

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Cardamom Muffins have tons of zesty orange, sweet and tart cranberries, a hint of spice from the cardamom, and are topped with a gorgeous pistachio orange cardamom glaze.

• Standard muffin pan
• 12 muffin liners

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Cardamom Muffins

• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp orange zest (about 2 oranges)
• 3/4 cup cranberries (dried)

Pistachio Orange Cardamom Glaze

• 1/4 cup pistachios (unshelled, unsalted)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tsp orange extract

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Cardamom Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Prepare muffin pan with 12 liners; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, cardamom, and nutmeg. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients; add wet ingredients and mix using a rubber spatula, until just combined.

3. Fill liners 1/4 of the way with the plain batter. Mix dried cranberries into batter; finish filling liners, each about 3/4 full.

4. Bake muffins in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Pistachio Orange Cardamom Glaze

1. Pulse pistachios in food processor until reduced to smaller pieces. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, heavy cream, cardamom, and orange extract; whisk until smooth.

3. Once muffins are completely cooled, drizzle pistachio orange cardamom glaze on tops of muffins. While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle on pistachios.

Breakfast

muffins