Cherry, Chocolate and Pistachio Muffins – Recipe

I adore cherries and I can’t wait for them to come in here. I suspect it will be another couple of weeks before I’m drowning in pits but it’s always worth it when I can make a cherry pie mid-winter. Last year I think I put up 60 pounds of the little devils; I made cherry jam, cherry jelly, lime cherry jelly and froze all of the rest. They are delicious to eat in a half frozen state.

I made two different recipes using cherries this week – one sweet and one savory. I’m starting with the sweet. The hubby was going to an early meeting up in Kalispell that started at 9AM so he had to leave here at 6:45. Ugh! I offered to bake him and his companions some muffins to eat on the way. A tasty treat on a long ride is always appreciated and muffins are a food that can be breakfast or lunch.

I took a basic muffin recipe I use quite often; it’s a great base for any manner of additions. I can’t even remember where the original recipe came from as I just have it memorized at this point in time I use it so often. I never quite make it the same way as I just toss in whatever I have on hand. This time it was cherries, pistachios and chocolate chips – a delicious combination if I do say so myself.

Cherry, Chocolate and Pistachio Muffins

Makes 15

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cherries pitted and cut into quarters
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 cup pistachios, divided
1/2 cup chocolate chips
sugar in the raw for sprinkling, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°

Prepare a muffin tin with paper muffin cups sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

1. mix together the liquid ingredients; the olive oil, eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir well with a fork to combine.
2. in a separate. larger bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the chocolate chips and the cherries.
3. Make sure the cherries are coated with flour. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
4. Mix in half of the pistachio nuts. Reserve the other half for the topping.
5.  Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.
6. Gently mix until just combined. You don’t want to over mix the batter. It will be thick.

Using a large scoop or spoon add the batter to the prepared muffin tin. Take the reserved pistachio nuts and roughly chop them. Sprinkle the nuts on top off the batter. Add the sugar in the raw if you are using it.

Bake in the preheated oven for 22 – 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown. Remove from the muffin tin. Cool on a wire rack.

I love the combination of cherry and pistachio and the chocolate adds…well it’s chocolate! They are a delicious, filling muffin and yes, the men enjoyed them. There were four of them and I sent along a dozen muffins and only two came home.

Cherry, Chocolate and Pistachio Muffins – Recipe

• Author: Patty@brokenteepee.com
• Yield: 12-15
• Category: Bread

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups cherries pitted and cut into quarters
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup pistachios, divided
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• sugar in the raw for sprinkling, optional

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Prepare a muffin tin with paper muffin cups sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
3. mix together the liquid ingredients; the olive oil, eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir well with a fork to combine.
4. in a separate. larger bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the chocolate chips and the cherries.
5. Make sure the cherries are coated with flour. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
6. Mix in half of the pistachio nuts. Reserve the other half for the topping.
7. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.
8. Gently mix until just combined. You don’t want to over mix the batter. It will be thick.
9. Using a large scoop or spoon add the batter to the prepared muffin tin. Take the reserved pistachio nuts and roughly chop them. Sprinkle the nuts on top off the batter. Add the sugar in the raw if you are using it.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 22 – 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.