BAKE: Spiced Cranberry Nut Biscotti

• Ingredients for Spiced Cranberry Nut Biscotti
• What do I need to Bake these Cranberry Nut Biscotti?
• Related Recipes

These cranberry nut biscotti are studded with crunchy almonds and pepitas, and subtly flavored with sweet warming spices. They make a great light breakfast, afternoon snack, or simple dessert. Pair a piping hot cup of coffee or tea with a couple of these homemade crunchy biscotti cookies, and you’ll forget you’re in your own kitchen instead of a trendy coffee shop.

The long, slender crispy cookies that most of us know as biscotti are derived from cantucci, a traditional Italian almond or hazelnut flavored twice-baked cookie that’s especially popular in Tuscany. Cantucci are equally at home with a glass of Vin Santo or other dessert wine or even a sweet herbal tea, if coffee isn’t your thing (or will keep you up at night). You can also pair these cranberry almond cookies with a steaming cup of hot cocoa or tea, or serve them with a nutty sherry or a glass of nocino for dessert.

The secret to these crunchy, long-lasting (if you don’t eat them all right away) cookies is in the baking. They’re twice baked, first as a flat oblong roughly shaped loaf, then cooled, thinly sliced, and baked again. You don’t have to do it all on the same day, but they’re not that hard, so it’s totally doable, even if you’re a beginner at baking!

Once you see how easy they are to make, you’ll want to have some in your cookie jar all the time. They last a really long time, too, so you can bake a few different kinds and enjoy them whenever you feel like it. They also make fantastic homemade gifts! As long as you store them in an airtight container and away from moisture, they stay fresh for a month or more.

Ingredients for Spiced Cranberry Nut Biscotti

Flour:

All-purpose white flour, preferably unbleached, or a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour.

Sugar:

We use granulated white sugar in these cookies. You could substitute turbinado (Sugar in the Raw) sugar, but don’t use brown sugar, as the added moisture will keep your cookies from getting crisp.

Eggs:

Use large fresh whole eggs. Eggs provide the moisture and are the binder that holds this dough together. They’re also a good source of protein, which makes this a healthy, balanced breakfast, right? I mean, if you’re having cookies for breakfast, you could do far worse than these!

Nuts:

Whole or chopped fresh almonds, and hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas). You can lightly toast the almonds if you like, but since this cookie is twice-baked, it isn’t really necessary. They add flavor, protein, and healthy unsaturated fats! You could also omit either the almonds or the pepitas and increase the number of the other, or the cranberries.

Cranberries:

Dried cranberries are tart, tangy and full of antioxidants.

Baking Powder:

Double acting baking powder makes bubbles when it gets wet, and rises again in the heat of the oven. I prefer to use aluminum-free baking powder in all my baking if I can get it.

Spices:

Ground ginger and coriander go well with the cranberries and are nice whether you’re pairing your cookies with coffee or dessert wine. You can adjust the amount or even skip it, but it adds a nice flavor, so I recommend adding at least a half teaspoon of each.

If you can get it, add a hint of mahleb, a sweet spice ground from the seeds of a Mediterranean cherry, that has a distinct cherry-almond flavor, usually found in Greek and Middle Eastern pastries and holiday egg breads. I like to add about a half teaspoon of mahleb, which adds a subtle cherry-almond spicy flavor, but if you don’t have it, no worries! Try adding a 1/4 tsp of almond extract, or just add a little more ginger or coriander. You can find this in well-stocked groceries with a Greek or Middle Eastern food section, or online.

Vanilla:

Use a good quality real vanilla extract for best results.

Salt:

Baked goods without salt taste flat. There’s a small amount in this recipe, but it’s important. I use kosher salt, sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt.

What do I need to Bake these Cranberry Nut Biscotti?

Mixing bowl and spoon:

Medium to large mixing bowl and a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula. You don’t need a mixer for this quick and simple dough- it’s easy to mix by hand and comes together quickly.

Baking sheet and liner:

I prefer baking on plain, uncoated half sheet pans, lined with parchment or silicone nonstick baking sheets. You can use nonstick baking or cookie sheets if you prefer. These cookies are baked twice, and I use the same pans for the second baking. If you use nonstick liners or parchment, you don’t even need to wash them between the first and second bake.

You form the dough into two roughly shaped rectangles by patting it out directly on the cookie sheets, then bake them. Then, let them cool on wire racks and next slice them into the familiar biscotti shape.  You can re-bake them right away, or let them sit overnight if you need to split the baking project up into shorter chunks.

Serrated bread knife:

It’s easiest to slice the loaves into individual cookie slices with a long, thin, sharp serrated bread knife. Use long sawing strokes to slice the half-baked slabs of cookie dough, without crumbling. If some of your cookies crumble a little, well, bake them anyway… they’ll still taste good!

Try to make the slices an even thickness. This will help them bake evenly. You can make them thicker or thinner, but I aim for about a half inch in thickness. Thicker slices will take longer to bake to crispness, and thinner ones will bake faster, so adjust baking time as needed. You may want to reduce the heat in your oven slightly if you made very thick slices… I wouldn’t go thicker than an inch.

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