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These jeweled biscotti are a wonderful treat. You will love that they aren’t overly sweet; a low-guilt cookie! This recipe makes enough to share with friends, family and neighbors; making it the perfect Holiday cookie!
One of the gals in church, Tanya of Chaff & Grain Blog, shared this recipe with me. She is well known on this blog for her Russian tea cakes, Parsley Rice(don’t judge my terrible pictures – it’s actually very tasty!),and Raspberry Pretzel jello – and these all happen to be major reader favorites by the way!
Tanya, thank you so much for sharing this recipe with me. My entire familyenjoyed them and my parents were particularly smitten ?.
Ingredients for the Best Biscotti:
1 cup shelled almonds
1 cup shelled pistachios
1/3 cup candied pineapple,diced
1/3 cup dried apricots,diced
1/3 cup candied cherries (I used dried craisins)
1/3 cup dried papaya
1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temp
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour *measured correctly
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
How to Make Biscotti:
Preheat Oven to 350˚F.
1. Place almonds and pistachios on an un-greased baking sheet and bake at 350˚F for 8-10 min. Remove from oven to cool to room temp then coarsely chop and transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Chop your dried/candied fruit into pieces about the size of raisins. Add dried fruit to the bowl with nuts and stir to combine. This would make one fine trail mix; I tell ya what!
3. In the bowl of your electric stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat together: 1 stick butter, 1 cup sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla on high speed (3 min). Add 3 eggs and beat until well combined (1 min).
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 1/4 cupsflour, 2 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Add to the butter mixture andmix (with the paddle attachment)until combined. Stir in nuts and fruitwith a spatula, mixing until dispersed.
5. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and shape each piece into a 12″long by 2″ wide by 3/4″ thick. You can make them longer and wider but be sure you stay under 1″ in thickness for even baking. Arrange on a large greased baking sheet, at least 1″ apart.Bake at 350˚F for 25-28 min or until starting to turn golden(they shouldn’t be fully cooked at this point).
6. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to carefully slice each log into individual biscotti (mine were about 1″ wide). Add a little more grease to the same baking pan(s), arrange cookies evenly over the top and bake 15-18 min or until golden and firm. Biscotti cookieswill harden more as they cool.
Jeweled Biscotti Recipe
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Ingredients
Servings: 40 cookies
- 1 cup shelled almonds
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 1/3 cup candied pineapple, chopped
- 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1/3 cup candied cherries, I used dried craisins
- 1/3 cup dried papaya
- 1 stick, 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp real vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
How to Make Biscotti: Preheat Oven to 350˚F.
Place almonds and pistachios on an un-greased baking sheet and bake at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool to room temp then coarsely chop and transfer to a medium bowl.
Chop your dried/candied fruit into pieces about the size of raisins. Add dried fruit to the bowl with nuts and stir to combine. This would make one fine trail mix; I tell ya what!
In the bowl of your electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat together: 1 stick butter, 1 cup sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla on high speed (3 min). Add 3 eggs and beat until well combined (1 min).
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 1/4 cups flour, 2 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix (with the paddle attachment) until combined. Stir in nuts and fruit with a spatula, mixing until dispersed.
Divide the dough into three equal pieces and shape each piece into a 12"long by 2" wide by 3/4" thick. They can be longer or wider but be sure you stay under 1" in thickness for even baking. Arrange on a large greased baking sheet, at least 1" apart. Bake at 350˚F for 25-28 min or until starting to turn golden (they shouldn't be fully cooked at this point).
Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to carefully slice each log into individual biscotti about 1" wide. Add a little more grease to the same baking pan(s), arrange cookies evenly over the top and bake 15-18 min or until golden and firm. Biscotti cookies will harden more as they cool.
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Biscotti
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $$
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
12 Tips For Making The Absolute Best Biscotti
- Use room-temperature ingredients. ...
- Boost the flavor with spices, extracts, and zest. ...
- Toss in some add-ins for flavor and texture. ...
- Let the dough chill before shaping. ...
- Use floured or greased hands to shape the dough. ...
- Shape the dough into a smaller loaf than you want.
Biscotti can be either the traditional Italian type which is very crunchy and intended for dunking in coffee, tea, or wine. Or they can be the softer American type, eaten like any cookie. The Italian type keeps longer and has no butter, so they are much lower calorie and very low fat.
Is biscotti better with oil or butter? ›
Despite their centuries-old heritage, there is no one perfect way to make biscotti. Some recipes call for eggs only, which is the traditional method, while others swear by butter or oil. The choice is yours; just keep in mind that those made with butter or oil will have both a softer texture and a shorter shelf life.
What's the difference between biscotti and cantucci? ›
The main difference between Cantucci and Biscotti is their origin, Cantucci is from Tuscany, and Biscotti is from the region of Emilia-Romagna. Cantucci is typically made with almonds, while Biscotti are made with all-purpose flour and a variety of nuts and chocolate or nothing.
Should you refrigerate biscotti dough before baking? ›
You guessed it, add the dry ingredients to the large bowl with the wet ingredients. Fold in the pistachios, cardamom, and vanilla extract. Because the dough can be sticky and hard to form, it's important to chill the batter for a good 30 minutes before baking the first time.
What does baking soda do in biscotti? ›
Baking soda – baking soda helps the biscotti rise and spread. Make sure that your baking soda isn't expired. Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.
Are biscotti healthier than cookies? ›
Unlike many traditional cookies, biscotti are often lower in fat and sugar. Add some heart healthy nuts and you have a satisfying and relatively light treat! This delicious cookie can easily be made vegan & vegetarian friendly.
What liquor do Italians dip biscotti in? ›
The Vino Dunk – Purists would say the only liquid to dip your biscotti in is wine. As they do in Tuscany, you can dip your biscotti into rich red wines, especially those on the sweeter side. Marsala wine and Vin Santo are the wines of choices for dipping.
What is the difference between biscotti and biscotto? ›
The answer requires a bit of context: in Italy, all cookies are called "biscotti" - it's the direct translation of the word "cookies". In a world where every single cookie is called a biscotto (the singular form of the word) there needs to be a word for what we know to be biscotti.
How long will homemade biscotti last? ›
How Long Does Biscotti Last? Your homemade biscotti will last for up to one month in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to keep the biscotti longer, you can freeze it for up to three months.
A: Overbaking the logs of dough during the first baking can make the slices crumble as you are cutting them. Also, even if the logs of dough are perfectly baked, they will crumble if they are sliced while still warm, so be patient. The logs crumble when you use a dull knife, too.
What do Italians call biscotti? ›
Italians use the word biscotti when referring to products that Americans call cookies. The word cantucci is used by Italians when referring to the product Americans call biscotti.
What is the difference between biscotti and amaretti? ›
Amaretti comes from the word amaro, which means bitter. These biscotti are not bitter, though some recipes do add a small amount of bitter almonds (or essence of bitter almonds), or lemon zest or cinnamon or even a tablespoon of brandy.
What is the English name for biscotti? ›
The word biscotto, used in modern Italian to refer to a biscuit (or cookie) of any kind, originates from the Medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning 'twice-cooked'. It characterised oven-baked goods that were baked twice, so they became very dry and could be stored for long periods of time.
Why does biscotti taste like licorice? ›
The original biscotti recipe called for just a few simple ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, almonds, and anise seeds. Anise is a type of licorice-flavored herb that is popular in many Italian desserts.
Why do my biscotti crumble when I cut them? ›
A: Overbaking the logs of dough during the first baking can make the slices crumble as you are cutting them. Also, even if the logs of dough are perfectly baked, they will crumble if they are sliced while still warm, so be patient. The logs crumble when you use a dull knife, too.
How do you keep homemade biscotti crispy? ›
How to Store Biscotti: Maximize Crunch & Prevent Soft Biscotti. To store biscotti, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature. Lining the container with a paper towel will help soak up any excess moisture that finds its way in.
What makes biscotti unique? ›
The traditional recipe uses no form of yeast or fat (butter, oil, milk). The barely wet dough is then cooked twice: once in slab form, and again after cutting in sliced form, with the second baking defining how hard the biscotti are.
