Description
These cranberry orange pistachio muffins are made with whole wheat flour and no refined sugar! They’re sweetened with maple syrup, studded with cranberries and pistachios, and topped with a lovely vanilla bean glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a snack!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Muffins:
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons (200g) whole wheat pastry flour* (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk (any kind), room temperature
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw if frozen)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
For the Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), sifted
- Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste/extract)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (start with 2)
Instructions
1. Make the Muffins:
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and melted (slightly cooled) butter until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, orange zest, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are okay.
- Fold in Berries and Nuts: Gently fold in the cranberries (fresh or frozen) and chopped pistachios until evenly distributed.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Using a large cookie scoop or a 1/3 cup measure, divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops with Turbinado sugar, if desired.
- Bake: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are set, golden brown, and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the tins for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Ensure muffins are completely cool before glazing.
2. Make the Glaze:
- While the muffins are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla bean seeds (or paste/extract), and 2 tablespoons of milk until combined.
- Adjust Consistency: Add the extra tablespoon of milk (or more, 1 teaspoon at a time) if the glaze seems too thick, whisking until it reaches a smooth, drizzling consistency.
3. Glaze and Serve:
- Once the muffins are completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the tops.
- Let the glaze set slightly before serving.
Notes
- Flour: Whole wheat pastry flour provides a tender crumb with whole grains. All-purpose flour can be substituted 1:1.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room-temperature eggs, yogurt, and milk helps the batter mix evenly.
- Cranberries: Use fresh or frozen cranberries. Do not thaw frozen cranberries before adding them.
- Do Not Overmix: Mix the batter just until combined to keep the muffins tender.
- Cooling: Muffins must be completely cool before glazing, or the glaze will melt and run off.
- Vanilla Bean: If you don’t have a vanilla bean, use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract in the glaze.
- Storage: Store glazed muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.