These Perfect Pistachio Rose Muffins are fantastic for Mother’s Day brunch or any time you want to feel a little fancy! No pudding, just real pistachios and rosewater for the best flavor possible.
Is there anything more quintessentially Mother’s Day than roses and brunch?
We’re slamming both together today in these delightfully different and perfect muffins! Rosewater is not often used in American baking, but I’m starting to love it for it’s delicate scent and flavor.
Mother’s Day is one of the few holidays I can get behind, because I’m totally selfish like that. Actually it’s my one excuse a year to be selfish, instead of eating a minimum of two meals a day standing up while taking care of other people.
Still, you can make these muffins any time of year if you’re tired of the same old blueberry/chocolate chip/apple/etc. This recipe gives the best muffin texture like you’d find straight from a bakery.
Pistachio rose muffin ingredients
- Flour
- Pistachios
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cardamom
- Salt
- Buttermilk
- Rosewater
- Butter
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
How to make pistachio rose muffins
- Grind pistachios in a food processor until very small and almost powdery.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ground pistachios, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt.
- Add buttermilk, rosewater, melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon or rubber scraper until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Divide batter evenly amongst 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Sprinkle the tops with dried rose petals or chopped pistachios if desired.
- Bake 18-22 minutes at 350ºF. Let cool 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Top tips and questions
Where to buy rosewater for rose muffins
I found my rosewater in the imported section of the grocery store, but you can also follow this affiliate link to order it online. It is a clear liquid that comes in a little bottle.
Do I have to use rose petals for rose muffins?
I love how pretty these are topped with dried, edible rose petals, but if you’re not willing to go the extra mile to find them they can definitely be left off. I did find them in the bulk spice section at my local natural foods store if you don’t want to order a whole pound!
How to shell pistachios
Pistachios can be kind of a pain to shell, so I tend to purchase pre-shelled when I’m using them for cooking and baking. Shelling pistachios yourself will give you the best flavor and freshness however.
To shell pistachios, pry apart the shell where it is open at the top. Keep the bright greenish purple nut and discard the two shell halves. If the pistachio doesn’t have an opening at the top it will probably be too difficult to shell, so just discard it.
More Mother’s Day recipes
If your mom is more into savory than sweet, I highly recommend making her these Vegetarian Potato Skin Egg Boats or my Sweet Potato and Spinach Quiche (both of which also happen to be gluten-free) for her special day.
Tips for customizing pistachio rose muffins
- Drizzle baked muffins with this vanilla glaze for a totally decadent breakfast treat
- Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar or another coarse sugar before baking for extra crunch and sweetness
- Sprinkle tops with finely chopped pistachios before baking
- Experiment with other nuts such as almond or pecan
More muffin recipes
- Apple Spice Muffins
- Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Banana Coconut Muffins
- Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Zucchini Muffins
- Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
If you make this recipe be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Pistachio Rose Muffins
Ingredients
Pistachio Rose Muffins
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup rosewater
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Toppings
- ¼ cup edible dried rose petals , (optional)
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- Place ¼ cup shelled pistachios in a food processor and grind until small and almost powdery. Watch carefully to prevent them from getting too sticky.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ground pistachios, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt.
- Add buttermilk, rosewater, butter, egg, and vanilla extract and stir gently with a wooden spoon or rubber scraper until completely incorporated. The batter may still be a little lumpy, but you don’t want big dry lumps and you don’t want to overmix the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly amongst the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with dried rose petals, chopped pistachios, or any other topping you might want.
- Bake 18-22 minutes or until the tops are firm and lightly browned, and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Katie says
I made these with honey, not sugar. They are really nice. I should have used a bit more honey to make them sweeter but I still love the rose water flavor with the pistachios and the texture.