Yazdi muffins/cakes are traditional cakes from the Persian province of Yazd, renowned for its confectioneries. These delicious treats are exquisitely flavored with cardamom, rose essence and pistachios and are not very sweet, unlike traditional muffins. Whenever we’ve had friends over, we’ve found that the flavor of these muffins have appealed to a wide variety of taste-buds. You can pair them with tea (like scones), have them as an après dîner sweet treat (like rose-water/cardamom flavored gulab jamun), or just munch on them as a snack at any time. They are one of our top favorites, also because they are very easy to make. My daughter makes a batch at the drop of a hat, and so can you. Let’s dive in.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Ingredients
Note: 1 cup = 235 ml
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour (2 cups if you choose all-purpose flour)
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups white sugar
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 cup plain yogurt at room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp. cardamom powder
- 2 Tbsp. rose water
- 1 ½ Tbsp. pistachio nuts for topping (chopped)
Note: The secret behind the soft texture is to plan ahead and use all ingredients at room temperature for best results
Substitute eggs with commercial egg replacers for an egg-less version
Yazdi muffins get their unique flavor from cardamom and rose water. If it is difficult to find these ingredients where you live, you may substitute rose-water with plain water, but do not skip the cardamom
Kitchen Tools
- Muffin tray
- Cutting board & knife
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl or stand mixer
- Whisk (electric or regular)
- Spatula
- Ice cream scoop or a large spoon
- Cupcake liners – optional
- Cooling rack
PREPARATION (with step-by-step photos)
Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
Step 2 – Line 1 regular cupcake / muffin pan (that holds 12 muffins) or 1 mini-cupcake pan (that holds 24 mini-muffins). If you don’t have cupcake liners, you may grease each mold in the pan with butter (using your fingers) or spray cooking oil
Step 3 – Roughly chop the pistachios with a knife and set it aside. I have used a Mezzaluna blade (typically used for chopping herbs)
Step 4 – Mix together 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour and 1 tsp. baking powder with a whisk in a medium bowl and set it aside
Step 5 – In a large mixing bowl, combine the 4 eggs and 1 ¼ cups sugar in a large bowl and beat constantly with a whisk until thick and pale. This will take about 8-10 minutes
Step 6 – Add 1 cup butter, 1 cup yogurt, 1 ½ tsp.cardamom powder and 2 Tbsp. rose water, and continue to whisk gently until well combined. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled – the combination of butter and yogurt will do that
Step 7 – Gently fold in the flour mixture with a spatula
Step 8 – Fill the greased / lined cupcake molds with a large spoon / ice cream scoop and ensure it is only ¾ of the way filled to allow it to rise during the baking process
Step 9 – Take 1 ½ Tbsp. chopped pistachios and sprinkle them on top
Step 10 – Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown
Step 11 – Allow the baked muffins to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before you move them to a cooling rack
Step 12 – Enjoy these sublime Yazdi muffins warm or at room temperature
The city of Hyderabad in India, where I grew up, is a hub for Islamic cuisine. Tea stalls and bakeries, especially those owned by Indians of Iranian origin, can be found in every neighborhood around the city. The tea, known as Irani chai, is very popular and although I am not much of a chai person, I loved all the baked cookies and cakes found in these Irani cafés. Their not-so-sweet cookies and cakes pair wonderfully with “ek cutting chai” (local lingo for a really small serving of tea). Think coffee and donuts or a double-double with Timbits (my Canadian friends will know what I am talking about here). My craving for these Iranian baked goods were fulfilled a year after we moved to the US. No, I did not go looking for a Persian bakery, but had the good fortune of meeting a fantastic person, Rebeka, through kids’ school. Our friendship started with kids’ play-dates. Rebeka is the perfect playdate host that every child would dream of. Her house would be filled with the aroma of freshly baked goodies and the living room center table would welcome you with a variety of mouth-watering snacks – muffins, cookies, fruits, juice, fun treats for kids, and tea (she’d go the extra mile of making Indian tea for me)! As the kids played, Rebeka and I would chat to our hearts’ content. During these conversations, she was ever willing to share authentic recipes from her family (in case you haven’t guessed, she’s originally from Iran). Thank you, Rebeka, for introducing me to the world of baking through your sublime Yazdi muffins 😊
Yazdi Muffin
Course: DessertCuisine: PersianDifficulty: Easy12
servings20
minutes30
minutes55
minutesYazdi muffins are traditional cakes from Yazd in Persia, renowned for its confectioneries. They are exquisitely flavored with cardamom & rose water
Note: 1 Cup = 235 ml
What You Will Need
- Ingredients
1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour (2 cups if you choose all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups white sugar
1 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup plain yogurt at room temperature
1 ½ tsp. cardamom powder
2 Tbsp. rose water
1 ½ Tbsp. pistachio nuts for topping (chopped)
Note: The secret behind the soft texture is to plan ahead and use all ingredients at room temperature for best results
Substitute eggs with commercial egg replacers for an egg-less version
Yazdi muffins get their unique flavor from cardamom and rose water. If it is difficult to find these ingredients where you live, you may substitute rose-water with plain water, but do not skip the cardamom- Kitchen Tools
Muffin tray
Cutting board & knife
Large mixing bowl or a stand mixer
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk (electric or regular)
Spatula
Ice cream scoop or a large spoon
Cupcake liners – optional
Cooling rack
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
- Line 1 regular cupcake / muffin pan (that holds 12 muffins) or 1 mini-cupcake pan (that holds 24 mini-muffins). If you don’t have cupcake liners, you may grease each mold in the pan with butter (using your fingers) or spray cooking oil
- Roughly chop the pistachios with a knife and set it aside. I have used a Mezzaluna blade (typically used for chopping herbs)
- Mix together 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour and 1 tsp. baking powder with a whisk in a medium bowl and set it aside
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the 4 eggs and 1 ¼ cups sugar in a large bowl and beat constantly with a whisk until thick and pale. This will take about 8-10 minutes
- Add 1 cup butter, 1 cup yogurt, 1 ½ tsp.cardamom powder and 2 Tbsp. rose water, and continue to whisk gently until well combined. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled – the combination of butter and yogurt will do that
- Gently fold in the flour mixture with a spatula
- Fill the greased / lined cupcake molds with a large spoon / ice cream scoop and ensure it is only ¾ of the way filled to allow it to rise during the baking process
- Take 1 ½ Tbsp. chopped pistachios and sprinkle them on top
- Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown
- Allow the baked muffins to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before you move them to a cooling rack
- Enjoy these sublime Yazdi muffins warm or at room temperature
Thank you for stopping by. If you’ve tried this recipe, I would love to hear from you. Please add your comments below and / or rate this recipe. Your feedback will help me improve and share better recipes with you.
Anything with pistachios and I am all in!
Cheers to the love of pistachios🥂
One of my favorites! Love the combination of cardamom paired with rose water. Yours look so good!
So glad to hear back!
I am intrigued by the cardamom in these, it’s not a spice I use too often! Love the step by step photos! They are so helpful when making a new recipe!
Thank you so much Suzy!
Wow, these muffins are calling my name!! I am literally drooling over them. Bookmarked to make later, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
Thanks Cathleen! Let me know how they turn out.
I really love pistachios and I know with the addition of cardamon this must have the best flavors
Thanks Claudia!
Yummy muffins
Glad you loved them!
These muffins are so delicious! I could eat a whole batch in one go!😍
Tried your recipe for an office party! Everyone loved it — They loved the subtle flavors! Thank you.
That’s awesome! It is so good to hear that sublime recipes is reaching out.