It’s holiday baking time, oh my! Today, I’ll share one of my favorite biscotti recipes that’s nut-free, and a little bit brighter than the other varieties I like to make.
If you like the flavor of cranberry and orange together, you’ll dig this cookie. It’s even better with a drizzle or dip of white chocolate, but you do you. You can even use milk or dark chocolate, if you’re feeling like one of those chocolate oranges you had to hit with a hammer (remember those?). I’m sure it’d be delightful.
As with any biscotti, these keep beautifully both in the freezer and in an airtight container on the countertop, since they’re baked twice to remove moisture. Enjoy best with a nice mug of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.
Oh, and if you’re feeling the biscotti urge but not the baking one, fear not – you can also order these beauties from me this season by shooting me an email or going to the Order page. I won’t tell.
Ready to twice-bake? Let’s go!
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
You can keep these plain or drizzle them with white chocolate.
you will need:
- 2 c all-purpose flour (you may sub up to 1 c whole wheat flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 c sugar
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- zest of 1 large orange (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
- 3/4 c dried cranberries
- Optional: 8oz milk, dark, or white chocolate (I prefer white chocolate here, but you do you)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, beat sugar and butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then add orange zest, vanilla liqueur or extract. Beat until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients using a sifter or whisk: flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until just combined (do not mix this forever, in other words). Stir in dried cranberries.
- Clean and lightly flour a level surface, such as a countertop. Turn dough onto the countertop and divide the dough in half. Mold each dough piece into a flat loaf, each about 1 inch high, 3-4 inches wide, and 6-8 inches long, making sure to flatten evenly and smooth the tops so they bake evenly.
- Place the loaves a few inches apart on the baking sheet, and bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes until golden and small cracks form on top. They will not rise or change shape much. Cool the loaves on the baking sheet on a wire rack for a few minutes until cool enough to handle, but still quite warm. Lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees F.
- Using a serrated knife and a cutting board, slice each loaf on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices, being careful not to break or crack the loaves (if you do, no worries – just keep going!). Place the sliced cookies back on the baking sheet, cut side down, and bake at 250 for another 15-20 minutes until they dry out, turning the cookies halfway through baking. How do you tell if they’ve dried out? Watch and test the middles – if the middle is still darker/moister looking than the edges, they need more time.
- Allow to cool briefly on the cookie sheet, then place cookies on a wire rack and cool completely.
- If drizzling with chocolate: Wait until the biscotti is completely cooled. Melt your chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, then in 10 second intervals, stirring between each interval to prevent scorching. You can also do this in a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring frequently until melted – just be careful not to get any water in your chocolate! Drizzle melted chocolate in a streaming motion over the biscotti on a baking sheet, or place melted chocolate in a shallow dish and dip individual cookies. Allow to set completely at room temperature before storing in an airtight container for about a month.
The Crunchy Baker 