Chocolate Cranberry Almond Biscotti

An American-style biscotti that’s slightly sweet, soft , chewy, and full of flavor. These chocolate cranberry almond biscotti are the perfect pairing with your hot coffee!

Aaaaah, Biscotti. So often misunderstood. I would venture to say that a lot of us tend to think that biscotti is a rock-hard cookie that you may or may not break your teeth on. And that’s not always a wrong assumption. Emphasis on the word “always.” You see, biscotti also has the potential to be a super flavorful & delicious cookie with just the right balance of crunch, softness, and chewiness that goes great with the hot beverage of your choice. I personally like that version of biscotti much, much better. Which is why I want to share these chocolate cranberry almond biscotti with you today!

So what exactly is biscotti? Biscotti is a crunchy, oblong-shaped Italian cookie that’s often served with hot coffee. The word “biscotti” means “twice baked” because of the way that they are prepared (hint: you bake them twice). First, the biscotti dough is shaped into logs & baked, then cut into long slices & baked again. The second bake draws moisture out of the cookie, which gives biscotti their crunchy, dunkable texture.

Traditional biscotti are made with eggs only. The addition of oil and/or butter is more of an American take on biscotti, making them a bit softer. That’s what you’ll find in these chocolate cranberry almond biscotti, and that’s why I love them. These biscotti still have that classic crunch that makes them perfect for dunking in coffee, but they also maintain a slightly chewy & softer texture that’s more reminiscent of a cookie. It’s a best-of-both-worlds situation here, folks. Having your biscotti and eating it, too.

So now let’s talk about biscotti flavors. You can make these plain & simple or dress them up a bit. That’s what I love about biscotti- there are endless variations! You can keep it simple with just some almond and vanilla extract or add a variety of mix-ins including dried fruit, nuts, or chips. Dip or drizzle them with melted chocolate, sprinkle on some chopped nuts, or leave them plain. Whatever floats your biscotti boat. I personally go for these chocolate cranberry almond biscotti. They seem to pack it all into one delicious, dunkable cookie.

Now hurry up & get to baking! Your coffee (and tastebuds) will thank you.

What you’ll need to bake these biscotti:

Butter: For flavor & a bit of moisture.

Sugar: For sweetness & tenderization of the dough. Sugar also makes these biscotti beautifully golden brown.

Kosher salt: For balance of flavor. TIP: While I recommend kosher salt, if you don’t have it on hand, use ½ the amount of table salt.

Baking powder: For a bit of leavening power.

Vanilla & almond extract: For added flavor. The almond extract especially adds a great depth of flavor!

Eggs: For structure & binding.

Flour: For structure.

Dried cranberries & almonds: Dried cranberries add tartness & chewiness, while the almonds add nuttiness & a great crunch. Be sure to use unsalted almonds so as not to add any additional salt to the recipe.

Semisweet chocolate for dipping.

FAQs:

Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!

Can I use different mix-ins? Yes! That’s what I love about biscotti. You can totally switch up the mix-ins to suit your taste. I don’t recommend using fresh fruit, as this will produce too much liquid in the batter. Stick with equal amounts of dried fruits, nuts, or even some chocolate chips!

Can I use a different kind of chocolate for dipping? Sure thing! I also tried this with dark chocolate, & it was delicious. You could also use white chocolate or leave the chocolate off entirely!

A few notes before you bake:

This biscotti dough is very sticky. Here are a few tips on how to make shaping the dough a bit easier:

• Secure your parchment paper to the baking sheet with binder clips. This will keep the parchment from slipping & sliding as you shape the dough. Just be sure to remove the binder clips before placing the baking sheet in the oven!
• Lightly flour your hands while shaping the dough. This will keep the dough from sticking too much.

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