Ever wondered how to make this Italian favorite? Biscotti are the perfect balance of crunch and flavor and are surprisingly easy to make! Whether you’re looking for a dessert idea for a party or just simply want to have a go-to snack to enjoy with your coffee or tea, this Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti has you covered.
I’ve been making this biscotti recipe for years. When I was younger, it became my job to take care of the dessert for our family’s Christmas Eve dinner. I wanted to try something a little different - something elegant and simple. So, I tried to make this Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti for the first time and to my surprise (and relief!) they turned out great and it was a hit! Since then it’s become a holiday tradition, and with every batch I’ve fine-tuned the technique and started experimenting with flavors. From rich dark chocolate chip to zesty lemon pistachio, each variation has its own charm and I can’t wait to share them with you.
What is Biscotti?
If you’ve ever been to Italy, you’ll have seen these biscotti served with a coffee, hot drink or even a dessert wine! Biscotti, (also known as cantucci in Italian), are traditional twice-baked cookies that originated in Tuscany. This baking technique is what gives them their signature crunch, where the dough is shaped into logs and baked, and then sliced and baked again until golden and crispy.
Dating back to Ancient Rome, the original biscotti were made to be long-lasting for soldiers. They soon became a favorite and since then have become a beloved dessert in Tuscany and across Italy. While the classic version is made with almonds, modern biscotti come in endless variations, from chocolate and citrus to dried fruits and spices.
pssst... Did you know?
The word Biscotti comes from the Latin word “Biscoctus” meaning “twice-cooked”!
Why you’ll love this Biscotti Recipe
- Easy to make: Whether you’re a beginner baker or know your way around the kitchen, this recipe is simple to make and doesn’t have too many steps.
- Not too crunchy, not too soft, it’s just right: This recipe strikes the ideal balance of crisp enough for that satisfying crunch, but not so hard that you’ll worry about your teeth! They also hold up well when dipped.
- Versatile: Once you’ve got the base recipe down, the flavor possibilities are endless. You can mix in nuts, dried fruits, chocolate chips, citrus zest - you name it.
- Long-lasting: Thanks to their dry, twice-baked texture, biscotti have a much longer shelf life than softer cookies. Store them in an airtight container, and they’ll stay fresh and crunchy for up to two weeks — if you haven’t already eaten them all!
- Perfect for batch baking: This recipe is easy to double or triple, making it ideal for gifting, holiday baking, or just stocking up your snack jar.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need for this Biscotti:
- Sugar: In this recipe I like using granulated brown sugar, but white granulated sugar or cane sugar will work just as well.
- Oil: I use olive oil to help balance the sweetness from the sugar. Other oils can work too like coconut oil, or canola oil.
- Eggs: You'll need two large eggs, so be sure they are heavier eggs as they help with the creaminess of the biscotti.
- Flour: This recipe uses semi whole wheat flour, I prefer it for its nuttier flavor and extra nutrition. However you can also opt for all-purpose flour, whole wheat or white whole wheat flour.
- Baking powder and salt: Baking powder will help your dough rise so be sure that it’s fresh and not too old. Salt adds balance and a very subtle savory flavor.
- Pistachios: I like to use roasted pistachios as they are more aromatic, but if you can only find raw pistachios, lightly toast them in the oven or a pan. Try adding other nuts or dried fruit to make this recipe your own! Think almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and dried cherries.
- Dried Cranberries: I have only ever tried this recipe with dried cranberries and have never used fresh ones. I like to use dried for the right level of sweetness.
- Extracts and flavors: I use fresh vanilla pods but vanilla extract works! I add a touch of lemon zest in this cookie for added freshness and a subtle citrus flavor. Orange zest is also lovely in this recipe, you can mix it in with the wet ingredients.
Now, ready to make biscotti?
How to make Biscotti:
Below are all the steps you need for this recipe, for the full recipe card please scroll to the bottom of this post.
Preheat the oven to 150C (300F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil until well combined.
Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and beat in the eggs. The mixture should be well combined and uniform.
Next, in a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until well combined and all the flour is integrated. Work into a dough. Depending on the flour you use, the dough should be either quite sticky or less sticky - the beauty in this recipe is that both are ok!
Fold in the cranberries and pistachios into the dough by hand and work the dough into a large ball.
Divide the dough into 2 and form each piece into a log around 25 x 5 cm (10 x 2 inches) and place on the baking tray. If the dough is too sticky, use water on your hands to handle the dough with more ease. Leave enough space between the two logs so they don’t stick together in the oven.
Bake for around 35 minutes until light brown. Remove it from the oven and set aside to cool for around 10 minutes.
Now reduce the oven temperature to 135C (275F). Using a serrated knife, cut the logs diagonally into 2 cm (¾ inch) thick slices. Lay the cookies flat onto the baking tray.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until the biscuits are dry. The center will be slightly soft when taking it out, but will get crisp upon cooling. Set aside to cool.
Serve and enjoy!
Extra tips and variations
- Adjust the amount of oil. I use ¼ cup of oil in this recipe, but for softer biscuits you can use a little more oil, or for drier ones you can reduce the oil. Since I use semi whole wheat flour, the dough is slightly drier as it absorbs liquid more easily - so if you prefer softer biscuits you can adjust the oil accordingly.
- Add almond extract. The traditional cantucci recipe typically uses almond extract for the classic flavor - however I omit it from this recipe, but if you want to add it in you can add around ½ teaspoon of almond extract to this recipe.
- For gluten free. You can substitute the flour for a gluten-free flour alternative.
- The dough should be sticky. Don’t add more flour thinking it is too sticky! Just work the dough with damp hands if the dough is sticky and place it on the baking tray.
- Avoid baking too long. It’s important that for the second baking step you don’t leave the biscotti in too short or too long. If it’s too short, the biscotti will be too soft - but too long then they will be too hard. The balance I found is between 15-20 minutes in the oven. The biscotti will continue to harden when cooling.
How to serve
In Italy these biscotti are typically served with a glass of vin santo (dessert wine), which is why the biscuits themselves aren't overly sweet. You can also serve them with coffee or tea and dip them to soften the crunch.
It can also be enjoyed by kids (and adults alike) with a side of hot chocolate!
FAQs
Actually, cantucci and biscotti are the same thing. Cantucci is used in Italian to refer to the traditional almond biscotti from Tuscany. Biscotti is used as a broader term, which in Italy is used to refer to all types of cookies. So, globally we will refer to these as biscotti while in Italy they will call it Cantucci.
Since these are drier than the typical cookie, these can last up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
These biscotti freeze really well by keeping them in a container in the freezer. When you defrost it, be sure to keep the lid of the box on until fully thawed. Otherwise the condensation will make the biscuits too soft. However if this happens, don’t fret. You can simply put the biscotti in the oven again for 5-10 minutes at 150C.
Let me know if you tried this recipe!
If you tried this delicious biscotti recipe, please let me know or leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your feedback!
Don’t forget to share this recipe with family and friends or on your social media! And tag me @mammasflavors on instagram.
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla beans or 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cup semi whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pistachios roasted
- ½ cup cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150C (300F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil until well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and beat in the eggs. The mixture should be well combined and uniform.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until well combined. Work into a dough.
- Fold in the cranberries and pistachios into the dough by hand and work the dough into a large ball.
- Divide the dough into 2 and form each piece into a log around 25 x 5 cm (10 x 2 inches) and place on the baking tray. If the dough is too sticky, use water on your hands to handle the dough with more ease. Leave enough space between the two logs so they don’t stick together in the oven.
- Bake for around 35 minutes until light brown. Remove it from the oven and set aside to cool for around 10 minutes.
- Now reduce the oven temperature to 135C (275F). Using a serrated knife, cut the logs diagonally into 2 cm (¾ inch) thick slices. Lay the cookies flat onto the baking tray.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the biscuits are dry. The center will be slightly soft when taking it out, but will get crisp upon cooling.
- Set aside to cool and then serve!
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Jheric says
These cantucci were a delish with coffee/tea. My wife and I baked them together, though they turned out so crunchy I nearly broke my teeth! Full disclaimer: enjoy them, but carefully!
Vedanti Shah says
Oh dear, sorry to hear that! Did you leave them for longer than the recommended time?