Enjoy the rich, nutty flavor of pistachio pudding in every bite of these moist and delicious cupcakes.

Indulge in delightful and easy pistachio cupcakes made from a cake mix. These cupcakes are a breeze to whip up, yet they look and taste like a bakery treat!

Perfect for any occasion, these pistachio pudding cupcakes are sure to be a hit!

close-up view of a pistachio cupcake, topped with pistachio frosting and garnished with chopped pistachio nuts.

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Cupcakes are such a delightful treat, aren’t they?

They’re one of the like a little bundle of joy, perfectly portioned and ready to enjoy without needing a plate or fork.

I love how they’re a complete dessert experience in a convenient package.

And when it comes to flavors, pistachios are a personal favorite of mine.

They have a rich, buttery flavor with a slightly sweet undertone that complements a wide range of dessert recipes.

Their unique taste adds such a wonderful depth to any dish.

From pistachio bread to pistachio puppy chow, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to incorporate this delightful flavor into fantastic pistachio pudding desserts.

One of the things I adore about pistachios is their lovely green hue. It’s such a vibrant color that instantly adds a touch of elegance to any dessert.

That’s why making these easy pistachio cupcakes from a cake mix, with their classic green tint, means you have the perfect dessert for celebrating so many holidays!

Whether it’s St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, or Christmas, these cupcakes are a delightful treat that’s sure to impress.

But more importantly, using a boxed cake mix and pudding mix makes it SO easy to make these pistachio pudding cupcakes.

You get bakery quality results all while saving time and having less mess in the kitchen.

More Pistachio Recipes You’ll Love:

overhead view of several homemade pistachio cupcakes scattered on a wooden table.

Bakery Style Pistachio Flavored Cupcakes

Frosted pistachio cupcakes made with pudding mix are easy to whip up and have incredible visual appeal.

Making cupcakes that cupcakes look like they came from a high-end bakery isn’t difficult thanks to a few of my favorite tips.

Use a cookie scoop to ensure that the cupcake batter is evenly distributed among the liners, resulting in cupcakes that are uniform in size.
Use a pastry bag fitted with a large closed-star tip to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. This technique can create beautiful swirls and designs that give the cupcakes a more professional appearance.
Carefully sprinkle chopped pistachios on top of the frosting for a little extra pizazz and a hint of crunch.

close-up view of a pistachio cupcake that's been cut in half, showing the moist interior and the creamy pistachio buttercream frosting.

How to Make Pistachio Pudding Cupcakes

It’s really easy to make pistachio flavored cupcakes in under an hour.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

White Cake Mix (or Yellow Cake Mix)
Vegetable Oil
Warm Water
Eggs
Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix
Almond Extract
Chopped Pistachios

FOR THE FROSTING

Milk
Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix
Unsalted Butter, Softened
Powdered Sugar
Chopped Pistachios

overhead view of a cake mix pistachio cupcake on a white plate, with a bite taken out of it by a fork that's resting next to it.

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Make the cake batter. First, you’ll combine cake mix, oil, water, eggs, pudding mix, and almond extract in a stand mixer and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 more minutes.

a mixing bowl containing cake mix, oil, water, eggs, pudding mix, and almond extract.

Add fresh pistachios. Next, you’ll add pistachio pieces to the batter and mix on low speed just until combined.

chopped pistachios added to cake batter in mixing bowl.

Bake the cupcakes. Divide the batter among 24 prepared cupcake liners, filling each no more than 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

pistachio cake batter added to cupcake liners in a muffin pan, prior to baking.

Prepare the frosting. Next, you’ll whisk together milk and pudding mix in a small bowl, until pudding mix is dissolved and mixture is smooth.

Combine pudding mixture and softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together until smooth.

two photos; one shows milk and pistachio pudding mix combined in a small bowl; the other shows the pudding mixture and a stick of butter in a mixing bowl for preparing frosting.

Sweeten the frosting. Next you’ll add in one cup of powdered sugar, beating on medium-low speed until incorporated.

Then add in the remaining powdered sugar.

Once incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and fluffy.

two photos; one shows powdered sugar added to mixing bowl for frosting, the other shows the mixture whipped into a fluffy pistachio buttercream.

Frost the cupcakes. Last, you’ll spread or pipe frosting over the top of cooled cupcakes, then sprinkle with more pistachio pieces for garnish if desired.

pistachio cupcakes topped with pistachio buttercream and chopped pistachios, displayed on a wire rack.

Notes and Adaptations:

Leftover cupcakes are best stored covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
Feel free to omit the chopped pistachios if you prefer.

pale green pistachio cupcake made from cake mix, topped with pistachio pudding buttercream and garnished with chopped nuts.

Recommended Equipment:

Jumbo piping tip–I love to use the Ateco 847 tip from this set of tips, but you can use any tip you like.
Piping bag–you can use this reusable plastic coated bag or opt for disposable bags.
Muffin pans
Optional: My favorite way to store and transport cupcakes is with this Prepworks by Progressive collapsible cupcake storage container

Yield: Approx. 24 Cupcakes

Pistachio Cupcakes

Name: Pistachio Cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 box white cake mix (or yellow cake mix); 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil; 1 cup warm water; 3 eggs; 1 (3.4-oz) package dry instant pistachio pudding mix; 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; Optional: 1⁄2 c chopped pistachios; 1⁄2 cup milk; 3 Tablespoons dry instant pistachio pudding mix; 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar; Optional: Additional chopped pistachios, for garnish

These delightful pistachio cupcakes are as lovely as they are delicious! And since they start with a cake mix, they're super easy to make.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix (or yellow cake mix)
1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
3 eggs
1 (3.4-oz) package dry instant pistachio pudding mix
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Optional: 1⁄2 c chopped pistachios

For the Frosting

1⁄2 cup milk
3 Tablespoons dry instant pistachio pudding mix
1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
Optional: Additional chopped pistachios, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer), combine cake mix, oil, water, eggs, pudding mix, and almond extract.

Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 more minutes.

If using, add pistachio pieces to the batter and mix on low speed just until combined.

Divide batter among 24 prepared cupcake liners, filling each no more than 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

To prepare frosting, whisk together milk and pudding mix in a small bowl, until pudding mix is dissolved and mixture is smooth.

Combine pudding mixture and softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together until smooth.

Add in one cup of powdered sugar, beating on medium-low speed until incorporated. Then add in the remaining powdered sugar. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and fluffy.

Spread or pipe frosting over the top of cooled cupcakes, then sprinkle with more pistachio pieces for garnish if desired.