These pistachio cupcakes with strawberry buttercream are a go-to when I want something a little different from the usual cupcake flavors. They’re always a crowd-pleaser! Many readers have even used this same batter to make a 6-inch cake, too. The buttery pistachios blend beautifully with hints of vanilla and almond, all wrapped up in a soft and fluffy cake crumb.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and more success tips.
One reader, Katie, commented: “The strawberry/pistachio combination is brilliant. I’ve made these two years in a row for my husband’s birthday and they are our favorite cupcakes ★★★★★”
Pistachio is an underrated flavor in the dessert world. The nuts are certainly delicious cracked open and eaten on their own, but even better when they shine as the main flavor in ice cream. Or pistachio cake, or pistachio cookies! Or, best of all, cupcakes.
By the way, did you know that pistachio ice cream is usually flavored with almond extract? It complements the pistachio flavor.
Tell Me About These Pistachio Cupcakes
- Flavor: The pistachio flavor isn’t super strong and that’s because we’re relying on the actual nuts and not artificial pistachio flavor. You can certainly add artificial flavor if you’d like, but I love the light pistachio, delicious almond, and strong vanilla flavor balance in the recipe as written below. Add the intensity of the real strawberry flavor and your tastebuds will certainly thank you!
- Texture: I used my vanilla cupcakes as the starting point for this recipe, and if you’ve ever tried those before, you know today’s pistachio-flavored version will taste extra buttery and soft. You’ll add ground pistachios to the batter, but don’t get nervous about that texture—the tiny pistachio pieces taste creamy and chewy in the cupcake when baked.
- Ease: This is a basic cupcake recipe—whisk dry ingredients; beat sugar, butter, egg whites, and extracts. The extra step here will be processing the pistachio nuts, which takes a few seconds. Same applies to the frosting, where you’ll pulse the freeze-dried strawberries first.
Choosing the Right Ingredients
- Pistachios: We’ll grind shelled (out of shell), unsalted pistachios into fine little crumbs and pour those into the dry ingredients. This is how we start pistachio cookies, too. After grinding, you’re looking for a powdery consistency with a few small chunks.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour helps promise an extra soft and cake-like crumb. I use it in a lot of cake recipes because it keeps everything light and airy. If you can’t find it, use this easy cake flour substitute.
- Egg Whites + Sour Cream: These two power ingredients, along with cake flour, attribute to the cupcake’s light and fluffy texture. Egg yolks weigh the crumb down, so you’ll use only the egg whites. And sour cream adds pure moisture, which is key in a batter with lots of powdery nuts. I promise you’ve never tasted a cupcake like this.
Can I Use Salted Pistachios? Yes, salted pistachios are perfectly fine and will add a lovely sweet/salty flavor. Roasted pistachios work as well, but those are usually browner than raw pistachios, which will affect the color of the batter.
Grind the pistachios down to a crumbly powder, like this:
They’ll turn the cupcake batter a lovely shade of muted green.
Do I Add Food Coloring?
You don’t have to. The pictured cupcake batter did not include green food coloring, which is why it’s a bit yellow. If you want a more vibrant shade of green, add a small drop of green gel food coloring.
Fill the cupcake liners only 2/3 of the way full, to prevent the cupcakes from spilling over the sides. This recipe yields about 15 cupcakes.
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
This colorful cupcake features one of my favorite frostings on the planet: strawberry buttercream. It’s made with strawberry dust aka freeze-dried strawberries ground up into a powder. It’s incredible!
- If you’re not into strawberry, cream cheese frosting is a fantastic choice; I pair these flavors together in my pistachio cake recipe.
I knew this strawberry frosting would be perfect for these pistachio cupcakes because you need a food processor for the nuts anyway. The reason we’ll use freeze-dried strawberries in this strawberry frosting is because they deliver the most intense (and natural) strawberry flavor while, at the same time, do not alter the texture of the actual frosting. Real strawberries can end up curdling your pretty frosting.
Where to buy freeze-dried strawberries? I always find them at major grocery stores in the dried fruit section or you can try Target, Trader Joe’s, or online here or here.
I decorated the cupcakes with a tall swirl using Ateco #849 piping tip. If you’re new to cupcake decorating, here’s my piping tips tutorial with a video tutorial and lots of visuals.
You can instead, of course, spread it on with an icing spatula or knife. Delicious any which way you top them with this colorful frosting!
Exciting Cupcake Flavors
- Margarita Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Hi-Hat Cupcakes
- S’mores Cupcakes
- Chai Latte Cupcakes
- Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Pistachio Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 15 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These light and fluffy pistachio cupcakes topped with creamy strawberry frosting are bursting with sweet, nutty, and fresh flavor in every bite! See recipe Notes for tips on the best pistachios to use, and how to turn the batter into a 6-inch cake.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup (130g) unsalted pistachios (out of shell)
- 1 and 3/4 cups (207g) cake flour* (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
- optional: 1 tiny drop green gel food coloring
Strawberry Buttercream
- 1 cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional, to taste: pinch of salt
- optional, for garnish: fresh strawberry slices; pistachio crumbs
Instructions
- Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until ground into fine crumbs. See photo above for a visual. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 3 liners—this recipe makes about 15 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Make the cupcakes: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 cup of pistachio crumbs together. Reserve the rest of the pistachio crumbs for garnish.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg whites, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the sour cream. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients and then, with the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the milk (and the food coloring, if using). Beat until just combined—do not over-mix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners, filling only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides.
- Bake for 19–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For about 36 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11–13 minutes, same oven temperature. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You should have about 1/2 cup. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, cream, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if desired.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and decorate with remaining pistachio crumbs (and strawberry slices, if desired). I used the Ateco #849 piping tip.
- Cover leftover cupcakes tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cupcakes can be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then make the frosting and decorate.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Freeze-Dried Strawberries (like these or these) | Piping Bags (Disposable or Reusable) | Ateco #849 Piping Tip | Cupcake Carrier (for storage)
- Cake Flour: If you can’t find cake flour, you can make this homemade cake flour substitute. I suggest doing this twice, mixing it all up in 1 bowl, and then removing 1/4 cup since you need 1 and 3/4 cups in this recipe.
- Whole Milk & Sour Cream: Whole milk and sour cream are strongly recommended for the best taste and texture. A full-fat plain yogurt would work instead, though the cupcakes may not be as light. Same goes with a lower-fat milk. Nondairy milk works in a pinch. You can replace both the whole milk and sour cream with buttermilk (1 cup; 240ml) if needed.
- Amount of Batter: This recipe yields between 3–4 cups of batter, which is helpful if you’re reviewing the Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions page.
- Leftover Egg Yolks? I have some recipe ideas for you!
- Food Coloring: The pictured cupcake batter did not include green food coloring, which is why it’s a bit yellow. If you want a more vibrant shade of green, add a small drop of green gel food coloring.
- Pistachio Cake: Here is my pistachio cake recipe. For a smaller 6-inch cake, use the same batter as these cupcakes and follow my instructions for a 6-inch cake.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I have natural pistachio flavoring by Beanilla. It smells a lot like almond extract. What do you think if I use 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla and 1 1/2 tsp of pistachio flavoring? I ordered freeze dried strawberry powder for the frosting. These are beautiful and pistachio is one of my favorite flavors!
We haven’t tested these cupcakes with that product, but you could try using 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/2 teaspoon pistachio extract. Let us know how it turns out for you!
Hi Sally, I am looking to make these this weekend. Are the pistachios supposed to be roasted or unroasted? Thank you!
You can use either one, Zack!
I made these for my mom’s birthday today, and I can’t believe how amazingly perfect they are. They may be my new favorite cupcake. I never even thought of using pistachio in cupcakes before but oh my goodness what an incredible flavor… and combined with the strawberry frosting- it’s truly something special. I followed your recipe exactly, and they turned out perfect (as all your recipes do). I definitely recommend that drop of green food coloring. I think it really adds to the aesthetic! The only thing I did different, was made an Italian meringue buttercream, as I am not a huge fan of confectioner sugar based frostings. But I used the freeze dried strawberry trick in my Italian meringue and it worked beautifully! (I also made your lemon cupcakes, but with a blackberry Swiss meringue cream cheese buttercream and a blackberry compote sauce to drizzle on top and they were divine too!) Thank you once again for such amazing recipes! They really made my mom’s birthday one to remember!
I’ve made these cupcakes twice for my family – they love it! Instead of the strawberry frosting, I followed your recipe for cream cheese frosting and topped with some more pistachio crumbs.
Hi Sally! Will the frosting work with freeze dried blueberries (for blue frosting), instead of strawberries? Thank you!
Hi Catherine, you sure can. Happy baking!
HI Sally! I am looking forward to making this. I only have lightly salted pistachios will that work?
Hi Tiffany, You can certainly try them. Feel free to leave out the added 1/4 tsp of salt if you wish. Enjoy!
Hi sally,
I love all of your recipes! Do you think full fat yogurt would be a good substitute for the sour cream?
Thanks
Alex
Absolutely! A 1:1 substitution.
Hi Sally,
I read this recipe three times to make sure you are actually grinding shelled pistachios. I tried 6 inch cake using shelled pistachios wondering how they are going to be soft once baked. And my fear came true, entire cake is full of shells. Tastes amazing but because of this I’ve to throw this away.
Did I miss something here??
Hi Neelima, shelled pistachios mean they have been shelled, meaning removed from their shell. If you try the recipe again, you only need to grind the shelled nut.
This recipe is delicious! My husband loves pistachio desserts and I made these for his birthday. I was a little hesitant with the strawberry frosting but it was a great combination! I will definitely make these again 🙂
Made this recipe as a 6in cake for My father in law for Father’s Day. It was a huge hit. I couldn’t find freeze dried strawberries, so I did have to use a different buttercream recipe using fresh strawberries, but it was still perfect! Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Hi Sally,
I don’t have sour cream or whole milk on hand… I do however have buttermilk. Can I sub the 1/2 cup of whole milk and 1/3 cup sour cream with 1 cup of buttermilk?
Thanks!
Hi Sinthu, you can use 1 cup (240ml) of buttermilk to replace the 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of sour cream.
Hey Sally,
Your’s is the only blog I follow for all my baking. Now I’m planning to make this but I don’t have Almond extract handy and I dont think I will be able to buy. So is it ok if I just avoid almond extract???
Hi Sabana, you can skip the almond extract but you will lose that flavor. No need to replace with anything unless you want a stronger vanilla flavor or use another extract you have/love.
Hi Sally! Wanted to make this for mothers day! Could it be made into a 6 inch layer cake?
Yes! See my post on 6 Inch Cakes for baking instructions.
I love all things pistachio and these were absolutely amazing! I only had oatmilk on hand and it still tasted great and was incredibly moist. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
When I read over this recipe, I had no idea that shelled, unsalted pistachios would be so difficult to find on the coast of Georgia. Finally after 4 groceries, I found a bag of unsalted, but I spent an hour shelling them. The cupcakes were well worth all the trouble. Super delicious.
My next issue was the strawberry icing. I had just ordered an icing kit from Wilton, but the instructions were not made for this wimp. I finally pulled up a U tube video done by Wilton to help me with the icing. I still had trouble finding the couplet, (still not sure if I even used it)screwing it on, and finding the right tip. Needless to say, my cupcakes DO NOT look like yours. How about a tutorial on using a decorating kit! I need lots of help!
Hi Sally, would using a pistachio extract be better than an almond extract for this? I was planning on filling the cupcakes with a pistachio pudding and topping with simple whipped cream frosting. I want to make sure the pistachio flavour comes through.
I’ve never tried pistachio extract! (Nor seen it anywhere!) You can certainly try it here though.
Oh Sally, I just ant to bake these right now, but all I have are salted pistachios!! If I leave out additional salt might that work? Thank you for always inspiring !
Yes, you can try it that way. I hope you love them!
love love love this recipe!
was looking at using a new different flavour to add to a 3 tiered engagement cake I made over the weekend.
I used this recipe for my 6′ top tier, included the strawberry buttercream to fill in between my 2 layers.
this was by far the most popular flavour out of the 3 on Saturday.
My soon to be bride has said that this flavour MUST be part of the wedding cake!
I am so thankful that you are providing such delicious and easy to use recipes.
This recipe will be added to my cake recipe repertoire x
Hi Sally-
My 11-year old daughter and I made these cupcakes today with your strawberry icing recipe, and they are fantastic–the whole family loves them. Hands down the best strawberry icing recipe I’ve ever had. I will definitely be making this strawberry icing recipe again in the future.
Hi Sally, I absolutely loved loved this recipe! I’ve tried other Pistachio Cake recipes and by far this one is a keeper I did alter the recipe a bit, instead of almond extract I used rose water and instead of milk I used buttermilk (made it at home). I also used the cake flour recipe and made my own, sifted twice just like you said. Also, I made a Rose water glaze instead of frosting.. Rose water, Confectioners Sugar and a bit of milk. Then garnished with the remaining pistachio crumbs! The cake was amazing!!!!
Hi Sally!! I am obsessed with all your recipes, especially the pistachio flavored ones (the secret weapon is truly the almond extract) Just looking for some advice, would this recipe go weel with a white chocolate buttercream? Or, do you think that may be to sweet?
Thank you, Brittney! I think they would go well together. Enjoy!
I made these as a six inch cake and it was perfect! The amount of batter was perfect for three pans and there was enough frosting as well, but not too much. I’m always a bit wary with almond extract as it can be overpowering, but this amount complimented the pistachio flavor really well. I decorated the cake with chopped pistachios and pieces of freeze dried strawberries for even more color and it looked AND tasted amazing!
Oh my! I just made these for Mother’s Day. My mom, aunt, and grown sons LOVED them. I made w your blackberry cream cheese icing and the combo w complex and divine. Wonderful thanks so much!
Wish I could post a pic..
These turned out awesome! Used your blackberry cream cheese frosting instead, delicious! Thanks for your awesome recipes and help!
Hey Sally, I have a pistachio paste, made of 100% pistachio, no sugar added. Any idea how much I would have to use instead of the fresh nuts? I would love to bake more with pistachio.
Hi Tina! I haven’t tested this recipe with that product, so this is all just what I would try first– maybe 3-4 Tbsp? Please let me know how the pistachio cupcakes turn out. I’m curious!
Hey Sally, so I made the cupcakes with the pistachio paste and while I can’t compare it to the original, I think it worked well. I used about 80g of the paste (maybe three tablespoons) and the cupcakes taste subtly like pistachio. They are maybe slightly more dense than what you’ve described but they are still fluffy.
Are these raw or roasted pistachios? I can’t wait to make these but my stores don’t carry Diamond and I’m not sure what to purchase.
You can use either one, Kim!
HI sally
I made these pistachio cupcakes and got raves from my fellow work colleagues. The smell from the ground pistachios was fabulous it like a strong almond flavor but better. I did enhanced my cup cake with a bit of green coloring food gel, it gave a lovely color balance. Where I am from we do not have freeze dried strawberry so I made cream cheese frosting that blended well with the cupcakes. Another well tested recipes
Hi Sally!
Do the the pistachios have to be shelled or can I just buy the nut meats?
Thanks!
By shelled I mean already de-shelled 🙂
Hi Sally,
I just made these this weekend and the cupcakes were absolutely delish! The frosting on the other hand was super sweet and it kind of tasted like I was eating strawberry flavored confectioner’s sugar. Do you think that if next time I put less confectioner’s sugar in, the recipe will turn out ok just less sweet? I really want to try this again because the cupcake itself was really just so good.Thanks so much!
You can use less sugar next time, yes! Or more strawberry dust, less sugar.
Hi Sally,
New reader and baker! I made these cupcakes for my fiance on Valentine’s Day and they turned out beautifully! I’m in shock that my first turn at baking from-scratch cupcakes was a success! It’s a testament to your recipes, I’m sure. My fiance (and I) loved them so much, I am planning on making these (or some variation) for a groom’s cake for our rehearsal dinner in September. I’ll be keeping an eye out on the blog for other ideas along the way!
Thanks for sharing !