Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

December 03, 2021

Cranberry pistachio biscotti are the tangy, nutty biscuits of your dreams! Topped off with a delicate white chocolate drizzle, these delicious treats will shine at all of your holiday get-togethers!

Need more tasty baked goods in your life? You should definitely try scones, cannoli, and Linzer cookies! They’re festive and ready for teatime!

Closeup of biscotti, dipped in white chocolate and topped with pistachio and cranberry pieces.

Homemade Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti Recipe

Cookies and biscuits are great year-round, but there’s something about the holidays that brings out the magic in them. These cranberry pistachio biscotti are that and more! They’re fabulously crunchy but also delicate. Traditionally, they’re made with simple ingredients like almonds or raisins and then dipped in chocolate. Today, I’ve decided to take a Christmasy twist on this classic recipe and make them with tart cranberries and crunchy pistachios! Need I say more?

If you’re not already convinced, cranberry pistachio biscotti are super easy to make! Only 20 minutes of prep time and then it’s off to the oven to bake to crumbly perfection! Not to mention, they are absolutely divine alongside hot chocolate, coffee, or tea. They’re perfectly dunkable! Serve them at teatime, as an appetizer, or even on a holiday charcuterie board! They’re so yummy! Trust me, you’re going to love having these tasty treats around. Let’s make some biscotti!

What Does Biscotti Taste Like?

Biscotti is technically considered a biscuit but tastes a lot like a crunchy cookie. It may be on the crunchy side, but don’t think break-your-teeth crunchy! These biscuits actually have a light, airy structure, and biting into them is more like a delicate snap. Their shape also makes them perfect for dunking into hot drinks! Combined with being flavored with tasty vanilla and almond, these sweet, sturdy biscuits are a knockout treat!

Italian Biscotti Ingredients

Good news! These biscuits use a lot of basic ingredients. Just get your pistachios and cranberries! You’ll find the rest of the ingredients in your cabinet. It’s the best! All measurements are in the recipe card below.

All-Purpose Flour: Gives biscotti their airy texture! It’s so good!
Sugar: White sugar is used to sweeten up your biscuits.
Baking Powder: For biscuits that aren’t too dense, you need baking powder!
Salt: Next, for enhancing flavor we need salt!
Large Eggs: For biscuit dough and egg wash.
- Vegetable Oil or Light Olive Oil: Either works great! This is used to add moisture to your biscuit dough.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla makes everything better! You can also use almond extract to flavor your biscuits.
Orange Zest: I love adding orange zest to my cookies for some tang!
Sweetened Dried Cranberries: Used for both the dough and dipping!
Chopped Pistachios: So delicious and crunchy! Like the cranberries, these are added to both
the dough and used for dipping.
White Chocolate: Use for drizzling and dipping! You can swap this for milk or dark chocolate, whatever you like!

Making Biscotti

Making biscotti at home is so easy! Honestly, once you’ve made them from scratch you won’t want to get them from the store again! Don’t be surprised if this cranberry pistachio biscotti becomes a new holiday favorite. It’s just that good!

Preheat Oven, Line Baking Sheet: First, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, set aside.
Mix: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, oil, vanilla and orange zest and mix on low until just combined. Fold in the pistachios and cranberries by hand. You may have to actually use your hands to mix them in.
Form: Turn half of the dough out onto the parchment lined baking sheet, form it into a log that is about 14 inches long and 2 inches wide. Lightly wet your fingers and press down on the top of the log to flatten it just slightly. Leaving several inches between the log, repeat with the second half of the dough.
Add Egg Wash, Bake: Mix the beaten egg with 1 tablespoon of water and then brush across the tops of the logs. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until they are firm on top. Allow to cool completely.
Cut, Bake Again: Once the logs are completely cooled, reheat the oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Transfer the logs to a cutting board and cut each one into 12 pieces using a serrated knife. I cut mine on a slight bias to get longer pieces. Return the slices to the baking sheet, laying them down on the cut side, and bake for 18-20 minutes, until they begin to get crisp.
Dip in Chocolate, Add Toppings: Finally, let the cookies cool completely before dipping the ends in melted white chocolate and sprinkling with the chopped pistachios and cranberries.

Process shots of preparing biscotti dough and baking.

Biscotti Tips and Tricks

Here are a few ways to perfect this yummy Italian treat! They’re so easy to make at home. I know you’re going to love how they turn out!

Switch Nuts: Instead of pistachios, you can switch these out for pecans, almonds, walnuts, or cashews.
Cool After First Bake: I like to let my biscotti cool for 5-10 minutes before I cut them. If you cut them too early, the pieces might break.
Use a Serrated Knife: Opt for a serrated knife when cutting your biscotti pieces. This helps you cut clean, uniform slices!
Make it Chocolate: To make a chocolate version of cranberry pistachio biscotti, add a few tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to your biscuit dough.
Dips and Toppings: The best part about this recipe is that it’s completely customizable! You can swap white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate, as well as use caramel sauce for dipping! For toppings, you can add almond slices, chocolate chips, turbinado sugar, raisins, and more!

Biscotti pieces laid out, sprinkled with cranberry and pistachio topping.

Storing Leftover Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

The best part about cranberry pistachio biscotti is that they last for a long time! It’s the perfect dessert to enjoy throughout the holidays.

At Room Temperature: Store your biscotti in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
In the Freezer: Store in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Your biscotti will keep for up to 3 months. Remove from wrap or container and let thaw at room temperature before serving.

Closeup of cranberry pistachio biscotti.

More Delicious Holiday Treats

Snacks and treats are the best part of the holidays! I love munching on them just as much as my guests do! I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite holiday sweet treats to share with you. They’re so easy and delicious. Bring on the Christmas cheer!

Desserts

Yule Log Cake

Desserts

Italian Christmas Cookies

Bread

Fruit Cake

Desserts

Perfect Gingerbread Cookies