You are going to love these cranberry almond biscotti. They are a classic Italian cookie boasting fruit and nut flavors and they’re perfect for dunking!
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I love making this easy recipe during the holidays, but honestly, biscotti are wonderful any time of year, especially this delicious homemade version.
Originally from Prato in Italy’s Tuscany region, biscotti are crunchy and dry, making them ideal for dunking in anything from cappuccino to espresso or even a glass of milk. The Italians like to dip theirs in a fortified wine called vin santo!
These little cookies look elegant and dainty, but don’t be fooled, the recipe is really straightforward. Anyone can make them and get great results.
The interesting thing about them is they are twice-baked, once as logs, and then again after slicing. This gets them super-crisp. There are no other cookies quite like biscotti! They are very unique. Treat yourself to a taste of Tuscany by making your own.
Lemon biscotti and this mango panna cotta are two other favorites of mine whenever I'm in the mood for some delicious Italian desserts.
Main Ingredients
Curious about what goes into these delicious Italian cookies? Let’s have a look at some of the key ingredients you will need to make them:
- Almonds: For a nutty taste. Use whole raw almonds for the most authentic result, not the salted kind you eat as a snack. You will see the recipe also calls for almond extract, which is to intensify the almond taste! Want to experiment with other nuts? Try walnuts, pistachios, or pecans. You might also want to try a different extract. Vanilla or even anise are popular choices.
- Dried cranberries: To add sweetness to cranberry almond biscotti. Cranberries offer both sweet and tart elements, making them perfect for these sweet biscotti. These recipes do vary of course and you might prefer to switch the cranberries for another type of dried fruit such as chopped dried cherries.
- Eggs: For the texture. Along with the flour, oil, and baking powder, the eggs help achieve the perfect biscotti consistency.
- Lemon zest: To give a citrusy touch. I love using either lemon or orange zest in my biscotti. Fruit features in many Italian cookie recipes and is optional, but great in biscotti.
- Nutmeg: Gives a rich, warm flavor. Again, this ingredient is interchangeable with ginger, cinnamon, or any other spice you want to try. One of the reasons biscotti are so much fun to make is you can try different flavors every time you make them.
- Baking powder: Helps with the texture. Biscotti need a little baking powder in order for the dough to rise properly, or else they would be too dense.
Instructions Overview
How do you make biscotti that tastes like those from an Italian bakery? Well, the first thing to do is combine the sugar with the oil, egg, lemon, and almond extract. Next, stir in the cranberries and almonds.
Mix the flour with the baking powder, nutmeg, and salt, and then combine this with the egg mixture gradually. Shape the resulting dough into 2 log shapes. Arrange them on a parchment paper-lined tray and brush with beaten egg.
Bake the cranberry almond biscotti logs for about half an hour and then let them cool slightly. Slice them into cookies and bake for about 20 minutes or until dry.
Common Questions
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at which point, you will see the loaves are firm yet lightly browned. These should not be hard to the touch. You’ll want them to cool to the touch so you can cut them into the right sizes and then bake again.
Assuming you don’t eat them all at once, you can keep these homemade cookies in an airtight container or tin for up to 2 weeks. In my opinion, tins work best, especially with parchment or wax paper keeping the layers between the cookies.
Like all biscotti, these cookies are dry. The reason for this is that they are traditionally dunked in a drink. The Italians dunk it in Vin Santo, a fortified wine, though you can also dunk it in black tea, coffee, lattes, or cappuccinos.
Yes, you can freeze biscotti. These cookies will keep for up to 3 months in cold storage if you store them correctly in an airtight container. You can also freeze half-baked biscotti and biscotti dough if you want to shorten the baking and preparation time of these cookies.
When slicing the logs prior to the second baking, you should keep them around ½-inch thick. You can choose to make them thicker or thinner, though it will affect how many pieces you have overall.
I typically choose to use oil when making these, but some recipes call for butter. It really doesn’t seem to make much difference so you can swap the oil for melted butter if that’s your preference.
The dough gets tough and hard if you leave them to sit for too long after the first baking. As soon as they’re cool enough to handle, that’s when you should slice the logs and bake them for the second time. Don’t wait until they’re completely cool.
The most common reason for this is not baking the cookies long enough during the second baking. Slice them between ¼-inch and ½-inch thick and they will need about 20 minutes in order to dry out and become crispy. If they still seem soft when you check them, give them a few more minutes and then check again.
Chopnotch Tips
- Slice the cooked dough logs when they are just cool enough to handle. If you wait too long, they may turn into hard, tough biscotti.
- Change the nuts, extract, dried fruit, and spices for anything you like. As long as you stick with the other ingredients and prep instructions, they should come out great.
- Keep these cookies in an airtight container for up to a week or two. I promise you that every time you brew tea or coffee, you’ll want to treat yourself to at least one!
- Want to make mini biscotti? Simply shape the dough into 3 or 4 logs instead of making 2. Keep in mind they will cook slightly faster because they’re smaller, so check your oven sooner and keep an eye on them to ensure you don't over-bake them.
Cranberry almond biscotti are elegant little Italian treats that are designed for dunking in your favorite drink. They’re both quick and simple to make.
Related Recipes
Let us know what you think! Give this recipe a rating in the comments section below.
Recipe
How to Make
Cranberry Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup whole raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix sugar, oil, egg, lemon zest, and almond extract in a bowl. Add almonds and dried cranberries.
- Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Slowly add to the wet mixture and stir until incorporated.
- Shape the dough into 2 logs about 12-inches long, place on the baking tray, and pat down to flatten. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool for a bit.
- Slice the logs into cookies. Place them back on the baking tray, return to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Slice the cooked dough logs when they are just cool enough to handle. If you wait too long, they may turn into hard, tough biscotti.
- Change the nuts, extract, dried fruit, and spices for anything you like. As long as you stick with the other ingredients and prep instructions, they should come out great.
- Keep these cookies in an airtight container for up to a week or two. I promise you that every time you brew tea or coffee, you’ll want to treat yourself to at least one!
- Want to make mini biscotti? Simply shape the dough into 3 or 4 logs instead of making 2. Keep in mind they will cook slightly faster because they’re smaller, so check your oven sooner and keep an eye on them to ensure you don't over-bake them.
Love these so much! Delicious, easy and perfect for holidays. Thanks for sharing 🙂
My husband is going to love this recipe! I can't wait to give this a try! So excited to make this!
These cookies are so delicious! I love the crunchy, chewiness and almond flavor! Made these for the holidays and they are almost gone!
These were so much easier than I thought to do the flavors and the combination is just the perfect bite and great for this holiday season! thanks
Fancy yet so easy to make! Thank you for this!
I love almond biscotti! I usually serve it with coffee in the morning! 🙂
I haven't made/had biscotti since I left working in patisserie. We would make so many variations but adding cranberry makes it more festive. Good job!
These look delicious, I've been looking for some good baking recipes to give as gifts so this looks perfect. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
I've never made biscotti before but this recipe looks so easy so I'm going to try it thanks.