BAKE the world a better place with these delicious homemade biscotti.
I’ve been on a biscotti kick, heavily craving the Italian confection. Last week, I finally decided to whip-up a batch of homemade chocolate biscotti (filled with hazelnuts, of course). They were sheer perfection: just the right amount of cocoa, a wonderful flavor profile, not too hard but still offered a crunch all thanks to its hazelnut counterparts.
I gobbled them up in no time… and I knew I wanted to make some more.
So out came my Cranberry Almond Biscotti. This time around, I wanted to steer away from the chocolate aspect to the recipe. I thought to myself, “What would make a delicious biscotti flavor?” I came up with the cranberry and almond combination because I wanted something a little festive for the holiday season. I hope you enjoy them! (The recipe’s just down below).
Tips for Making Homemade Biscotti
Should Biscotti Have Butter?
It all depends on your personal taste! I love adding either butter or vegetable oil because it gives my biscotti a softer texture.
However, if you’re up for a crunchier, more traditional biscotti, then I highly suggest you omit that fat content.
What Makes a Biscotti… a Biscotti?
The word “biscotti” actually comes from the Latin word, “biscoctus” which means “baked twice.” This is exactly how a biscotti is made!
Unlike many other confections/cookies, a biscotti must be first baked to set, then cut and finally baked one more time to get it to its final texture.
Why did my Homemade Biscotti Crack?
When it comes to baking, it’s all about temperature! After baking your biscotti for the first round, allow it to cool before cutting. This can help with its texture and avoid any sort of cracking/breakage.
How to Make Cranberry Almond Biscotti
Okay folks, without further ado: here are my oh-so delicious Cranberry Almond Biscotti! This recipe is really simple to follow and uses easily-accessible ingredients. I opted for dried cranberries, as they’re easier to find all throughout the year. Moreover, slivered almonds are just easier to cut/bite into, which is why I decided to use them instead of whole almonds.
Enjoy!
Cranberry Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
- Cream together oil, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and combine thoroughly.
- Add flour and baking powder and mix until dough forms.
- Carefully fold in cranberries and almonds.
- Divide dough into two and shape into logs (each log should be about 3 inches wide, 7 inches long, and 1 inch thick). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Slice diagonally and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes.
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