CHRISTMAS BISCOTTI: This is one way I make Christmas Biscotti using red and green candied cherries and pistachio nuts which are green. They look so festive! Another way is I use dried cranberries and pistachios. Or a combo of dried cranberries with the cherries! The possibilities are endless!

You can leave the biscotti plain. You can drizzle a glaze on top. Or you can dip an end in any chocolate and add sprinkles and/or nuts.

A lot of people love these biscotti!

I love biscotti with any mixed fruit and nuts! (My favorite nut to use in biscotti is pistachios).
Also, I like them to be a little softer instead of the typical hard biscotti.  For the second bake time I keep the time short and do not twice bake each side.  Instead, I put the biscotti back in the oven with the flat side down and only do one side for a short twice bake.

This gives me a semi-soft or semi-hard biscotti, whichever way you want to say it!

See my recipes for Mixed Fruit Biscotti and Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti in the search box.

In the SLIDESHOW BELOW I am making CRANBERRY PISTACHIO BISCOTTI. But the steps are the SAME for any biscotti I make!

Enjoy!

Christmas Biscotti

angiesopenrecipebox.com
Red and Green Candied Cherries make this Christmas Biscotti a hit! Add nuts if you'd like. My favorite nut is pistachio for Christmas. This is a semi-soft, or semi-hard biscotti, however you want to say it! Loved by many people! Really, really good!
3 from 1 vote
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 24
Calories: 144

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup oil
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • cup flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ cup candied cherries red and green, cut in half
  • cup pistachio nuts chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300º.
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, combine the oil and sugar well, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts and eggs. Set aside.
  • With a mixer on lowest speed, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder.
  • Add in the oil mixture, and mix on lowest speed to form a dough.
  • Add in the candied red and green cherries and pistachio nuts and beat for only 2 or 3 seconds to incorporate. You don't want to mix too long or the cherry colors will bleed into the dough.
  • Wet your hands and form the dough into 2 logs, (12×2 inches each) on the parchment paper.
  • Bake the logs at 300° for 35-40 minutes or just until the logs are a light golden color on top.
  • Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the pan cool for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, reduce the oven to 275º.
  • Remove the logs to a cutting board. Using a sharp straight-edged knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into ¾ inch slices.
  • Lay the slices back onto the parchment paper flat side down, separating the biscotti an inch apart.
  • Bake for another 5 minutes. They will still be soft to the touch.
  • Immediately transfer the biscotti from the pan to a wire rack to cool. They will harden a bit more as they cool. Leave them plain, or decorate as you wish when they are cooled. See suggested decorations in the tips below.
  • Store the biscotti in a covered tin or pan on top of the counter.

EXTRA TIP:

SUBSTITUTE:   You can use maraschino cherries instead of candied cherries. Slice them in half first, then dry them really well with paper towels.
GLAZE: Drizzle a glaze on top with 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar and 3 teaspoons water.    CHOCOLATE: Melt chocolate chips or chocolate discs in the microwave in short bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between until just a few pieces are left.  Then stir by hand until all the chocolate is melted. Dip one end of the biscotti in the melted chocolate.  You can add nuts or Christmas sprinkles on top of the melted chocolate or leave it just the chocolate.  
MAKE AHEAD!:  Biscotti will keep for a month covered in a tin or pan at room temperature!
FREEZE:   You can freeze biscotti in wrapped in freezer containers or freezer bags for up to three months.
 
Nutrition
Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 52IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

2 Comments

  1. Sherylann L Alia December 19, 2021 at 12:32 pm

    I never made biscotti before. I substituted walnuts and fruit and peel. These were absolutely delicious. I was so happy. Thank you.

    Reply
    1. Angie February 5, 2022 at 8:19 pm

      Oh, I am SO glad you liked them as much as we do, and happy to pass along to others!! You are very welcome!

      Reply

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