Spiced muffins with pistachios and cranberries
After a few weeks of a technical break, caused by too much work and other matters, it was time to dust off my muffin recipe book and adapt one in my own way. The original recipe is for blueberry muffins, and the idea of combining them with spices and pistachios is the result of letting loose what I call my “creative cooking instinct“, which lately I’ve been developing to unsuspected limits.
What I liked most about these muffins is, besides their flavor, their professional look with that crispy sugar crust on top that reminds me of the traditional cookies from my father’s hometown. They also rise beautifully, so if you share my love of photographing what you cook, get your camera ready because they’ll turn out absolutely gorgeous 😆 .
Ingredients for 12 units
12 paper muffin liners
250 g wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
150 g white sugar
150 g dried cranberries
80 g chopped pistachios
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
120 ml vegetable oil (I used extra virgin)
180 ml buttermilk
A little extra sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)
Preparation
Start by preparing the pistachios and hydrating the cranberries, as this takes the most time. Peel the pistachios, chop them, and set aside. Soak the cranberries in warm water and leave them for about 10 minutes. After this time, drain them.
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and spices (cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg), and set aside.
In another bowl, beat the egg and add the sugar, oil, and buttermilk.
Pour the mixture from the second bowl into the first and stir until combined. If it is too thick, add a splash of milk to continue mixing. Now add the chopped pistachios and the hydrated cranberries.
Distribute the batter into the paper liners, previously placed in a more rigid mold to prevent them from deforming (I usually use a silicone mold or flan molds). Fill the liners only 2/3 full so they can rise. Sprinkle a bit of white sugar on top of each muffin before baking (this step is optional and helps create the sugar crust).
Preheat the oven to 200ºC for 5–10 minutes. Bake the muffins on the middle rack for about 25 minutes.
Once baked, let them rest for about 5 minutes in the mold so they don’t break. Remove them and let them cool.
Things to keep in mind
They can be frozen and taken out a few minutes before eating, either reheated in the oven or for 30 seconds in the microwave.
The amount of pistachios and cranberries is approximate; you can adjust it to your taste.
If you don’t have or can’t find buttermilk, substitute it with milk and reduce the sugar slightly (about 130 g instead of 150 g).