by Paula Atwell
One of the best cookies to make for any holiday is biscotti because they last up to 4 weeks without any refrigeration or freezing, and up to 6 months in the freezer. Biscotti make terrific desserts with ice cream, fruit, or a cup of coffee or tea, and they won’t fill you up after a large holiday dinner.
To Make Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti Even More Festive, Add Pistachios for a Hint of Red and Green
These Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti are perfect for Christmas because they are tart and sweet, and have festive red and green colors with the addition of pistachio nuts. While these Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti can be frosted for decoration, they do not need any extra flavor to taste delicious.
It is extremely important that you use the best quality vanilla, and cranberries that you can get for these cookies. These are what really add the most flavor, and they need to be good. Do not for any reason use imitation vanilla extract. You will not like the result.
Nuts for this recipe
See my instructions on baking raw nuts here.
Using Fresh Ingredients
Organic and healthy alternatives
If you want to get the best results, then you should use the freshest ingredients. I recommend buying all of your baking ingredients in batches that are just enough to complete the recipes that you are making at that time. This will give you the best tasting biscotti and any bakery items, so that your desserts will taste fresh and delicious.
Organic ingredients will also make your desserts healthier, but if you cannot get organic foods, you can also buy ingredients from local farmers, and grocers to make sure that your foods are fresh and haven’t traveled far. The best place to get organic spices and extract is Frontier Natural Products Co-op. They carry a large variety of organic, natural baking ingredients at very affordable prices, and in a range of sizes for home baking or commercial baking. You can search Amazon for their healthy spices, and extracts.
Frontier Organic Vanilla Flavoring, 4 Ounce
Vanilla Double Strength by Penzeys Spices 4 fl oz2 Lb. Raw Pistachio Kernels
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Using real vanilla extract tastes the best and double-strength vanilla is a baker’s secret ingredient. Click through to find various types of vanilla extract.
When you make biscotti, you need to have a very good hand mixer – I recommend this KitchenAid hand mixer
KitchenAid KHM9PWH 9-Speed Professional Hand Mixer
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Biscotti dough is tough to mix, so make sure your hand mixer is very strong or you will break it from mixing the dough.
Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti Print Recipe
These Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti are perfect for Christmas because they are tart and sweet, and have festive red and green colors with the addition of pistachio nuts. While these Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti can be frosted for decoration, they do not need any extra flavor to taste delicious.
- CourseDessert
- CuisineItalian
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 40 Biscotti | 25 Minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 45 Minutes |
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| Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti Print Recipe These Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti are perfect for Christmas because they are tart and sweet, and have festive red and green colors with the addition of pistachio nuts. While these Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti can be frosted for decoration, they do not need any extra flavor to taste delicious.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter use real butter--it is worth it
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract use real vanilla
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt or if your butter is salted, just a pinch
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp vodka
- 1 cup raw pistachio nuts optional
Servings: Biscotti
Instructions
Take the raw pistachios if you are using them, and toast them in the oven at 350 for 6 minutes. Do not use salted nuts. They should be cool before you mix them in. Depending on your preference, you can chop them in your food processor or by hand or leave them whole.
Soak the dried cranberries in the vodka while you prepare the dough, to add moisture and flavor. The alcohol will cook out during baking.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until well blended. Fold in nuts and fruit. (I am a vanilla fanatic, and I always put in a little bit more than the recipe calls for. If you love vanilla, you can do the same.)
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Create a loaf (in a baquette or hot dog shape) on the parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven between 25 and 40 minutes. In my old oven it took 25. In my new one it takes at least 35. The surface of the loaf should be lightly browned when you take it out. Let cool for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Slice crossways to create individual biscotti. Stand the biscotti up on the bottom edge (as if they were still in the loaf) with some space between them. Then bake again at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool. If you like them drier or harder bake longer the second time.
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Slicing Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti
Biscotti are baked in a loaf, then sliced and baked again. Before you slice the biscotti, make sure that they have cooled for at least 10 to 15 minutes so that they will slice cleanly.
You can control the size of your biscotti by how you slice them. Besides the thickness of the biscotti, you can also make them longer or shorter by the slant or angle that you cut on. If you want a longer biscotti, then cut at a bigger angle. If you want a shorter biscotti, cut right across the width of the loaf. You can also make your loaf narrower or wider to control the size.
Serving Biscotti During Christmas
While Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti make a good addition to any Christmas cookie tray, you can also serve the biscotti by themselves on a decorative plate, with just some fresh fruit or chocolate squares. The Vanilla Cranberry Biscotti can be dipped in coffee, tea, or milk for a refreshing, delicious dessert after any hearty Christmas meal.
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