Christmas Biscotti

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!

4.34 from 3 votes

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

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
1¾ cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup candied cherries red and green, cut in half
1½ 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, (12x2 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.

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