Recipe Girl®

Holiday Biscotti

November 26, 2018

Holiday Biscotti is a delicious and pretty biscotti recipe to add to your holiday baking list.

What is Holiday Biscotti?

Traditional biscotti is an almond flavored, oblong-shaped crunchy biscuit.  Holiday biscotti is biscotti that is festively adorned with goodies to be worthy of holiday treat platters.  These biscotti are dotted with dried apricots, dried cranberries and pistachios.  All of those things added in turn this into a pretty and delicious biscotti recipe.

There are plenty of festive Christmas cookie recipes out there, but it’s fun to make something rather unique.  No one really expects to see biscotti on a holiday cookie platter.  These Holiday Biscotti will catch everyone’s eye, and they’ll be quite the hit.

Holiday Biscotti

What’s the best way to eat biscotti?

If you don’t wish to add Holiday Biscotti to your Christmas cookie platters, they’re certainly nice to have around during the holidays.  Biscotti are perfect to dunk into coffee or tea.  And since so many people are usually around during the holidays drinking coffee and tea, you’ll get to offer them the sweet treat of Holiday Biscotti too!

Biscotti for Holiday Gifting:

Wrap some of this Holiday Biscotti in a clear bag and tie with a pretty ribbon.  You can buy clear bags at craft stores such as Michaels.  Bring them to neighbors or your child’s teacher (and add a coffee shop gift card!)  If you’re going to a holiday party, gift the hostess with a bag of your homemade Holiday Biscotti.  Homemade gifts are always appreciated!

Holiday Biscotti

How are Biscotti made?

Biscotti dough is shaped into flat “loaves” and baked as whole loaves.  The loaves are cooled, and then they’re cut into 1-inch slices.  Those slices are baked again.  Yes, they’re baked twice!  This is how the crunchy, dry texture is achieved for these Holiday Biscotti.

Holiday Biscotti in a jar

Are Biscotti hard or soft?

Biscotti are made in a way that results in a crisp texture.  They aren’t meant to be a soft-textured cookie.  Their dry, crisp nature makes them a perfect pairing to have with your morning coffee.  Dunking in hot liquid obviously softens it up, and then it becomes tender, and it’s easier to eat!

Holiday Biscotti in a jar

Can Biscotti be frozen?

Yes, if you have more Holiday Biscotti than you can eat then you can freeze it to eat later.  Lie the biscotti snuggly, side-by-side on a piece of plastic wrap.  Wrap them tightly, and then put them in a sealed container to store in the freezer.  You can freeze the biscotti up to 3 months.  Let it defrost at room temperature before eating or serving.

If you are looking for more treats that might be good with coffee or tea, you might like to try my Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Scones or these Crunchy Nutmeg Sugar Cookies.  Spotted Dog Scones and Mocha Swirl Cookies are delicious choices too.

Holiday Biscotti

This biscotti is full of pretty pieces of dried fruit, which makes it a beautiful holiday biscotti.

BISCOTTI:

  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, (at room temperature)
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons anise seed
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

EGG WASH:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water

  1. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter in a large bowl- medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat until combined. Beat in the 3 eggs, vanilla and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Stir in the anise and fennel seeds, cranberries, pistachios and apricots. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until the dough is easy to handle.

  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a 12-inch long log about 1 1/2-inches thick. Place the logs 3 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Flatten each log to a 3/4-inch-thick loaf. Whisk together the egg wash ingredients. Brush over the loaves.

  3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool loaves on cookie sheet for 1 hour or until completely cool.

  4. When the loaves are cool, preheat the oven to 325°F. Transfer the loaves to a cutting board. Cut each loaf diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lay the slices, cut sides down, on a cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Turn the slices over; bake 5 minutes more or until the biscotti are dry and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack; cool.

  • HOW TO STORE THIS BISCOTTI: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

The post Holiday Biscotti appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

  • Share:

You Might Also Like

0 comments