Pistachio-Chai Muffins with Lemon Glaze

Happy Monday.

I am off from work today in honor of MLK day, and I’m celebrating with muffins. Fluffy, spicy, and nutty muffins.

I adore pistachios. They are one of the best nuts, in my opinion. I usually just eat them plain, simply roasted and salted…but lately, I’ve been trying to come up with ways to incorporate them into meals. Pistachio ice cream, by the way, doesn’t count as a meal…in some people’s books. I, however, could eat it every day for dinner and never get sick of it. It’s one of those ice cream flavors I didn’t come to appreciate until I was an adult. As a kid, it was rainbow sherbet, mint chocolate chip, and cookie dough. All the way.

I also adore Chai tea. It’s SUCH a comforting combo of flavors. I thought it would pair perfectly with the nuttiness of pistachios. Spicy and nutty. Yes.

I am normally an absolutely-no-nuts-in-my-baked-goods person. I mean, there is NOTHING worse than nuts in brownies or cookies. Blech. They just don’t belong. I don’t like walnuts or pecans anywhere near my banana muffins, either. So, these muffins are a bit of a departure for me. I have to say, the pistachios are not at all obnoxious in these muffins. They just work so perfectly with the spices of Chai and they are actually pretty tender as far as nuts go. I was pleasantly surprised.

These muffins bake up so fluffy and moist, they almost remind me of a cupcake. They are the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee or tea. Which is exactly how I’m going to enjoy them this morning. I suggest you do the same.

 

Pistachio Chai Muffins                         (makes 12 muffins)

 

For the Muffins:

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 Chai blend tea bags, opened

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup pistachios, finely chopped, DIVIDED

1 stick of butter, softened

⅔ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk

 

For the Glaze:

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup powdered sugar

 

For the Muffins:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a muffin pan or line the cups with paper liners.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, tea, flax, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest, and ½ cup of the chopped pistachios in a large bowl.

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract.

Alternately add in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, mixing after each addition. Do not overmix the batter.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of pistachios over the top. Place the muffins in the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then remove to cool on a wire rack.

For the Glaze:

Whisk together the lemon juice and sugar until smooth. Lightly drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins.