During the winter months, we begin baking early for Christmas in our Italian family, and this is one cookie always on the cookie tray.
If you love Italian biscotti, you came to the right place today.
We make Grandma's anise biscotti which are a must-make every year, and we often dabble in other unique flavors like pistachio almond or pumpkin pistachio or another delicious choice. She would add cherries to even give them a more festive look to the batter!
Then we move on to several other cookies like the famous Italian fudge roll cookies and then stick to some traditional ones that the kids love like snickerdoodles.
The cookies all have to have a fall and holiday flair and this year we added new cookie to the mix, banana oatmeal, they're perfect for getting rid of overripe bananas.
Everyone has a favorite and we certainly can't go without our popular sesame seed Italian Cookies, those are always a big hit.
These cranberry biscotti cookies are loaded with fresh cranberry, almond, and chocolate and are just the perfect addition to our cookie-baking days.
When it comes to Christmas, we love to decorate our cookies with the holiday theme.
I usually take some plain recipes and transform them into a festive look using frosting, fruits, and spices.
The cranberries and flavors in this cookie are just the perfect inspiration to get that Holiday spirit of baking going.
These cookies are easy to make just scroll down to print off the recipe.
Baking Biscotti
Growing up in East Utica New York, my Grandmother ( dad's mom) lived with us.
I learned to make her Rome Italy style biscotti at the very young age of 11.
Of course, helping her and watching intently, I picked up the differences in how folks like to bake their cookies.
There are a few tips I have for making and baking biscotti.
The longer you cook them, the harder they get and toasted was the way grandma made them, twice baked.
To me that is a preference, we grew up with what we refer to as dunkers. or dunking cookies, because they are so hard.
Dad dunked the cookies in his coffee to soften them every morning, the kids liked the ends they would cut off because they were softer and not toasted.
Those ends were fabulous and we gobbled them up hot as they were cut and set aside while the large cut ones were placed on the cookie sheet to be toasted.
Biscotti traditionally are twice baked, but you have to like the style and texture, so adapt them to how you prefer your cookies, if you don't like hard cookies, baked them until lightly browned to stay soft.
You can also make the lemon polenta style biscotti which stays somewhat softer and a totally different version.
They certainly are delicious just baked once or twice!
Great for the Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday.
A Great Combination of Flavors!
I love using fresh cranberries plus they are so pretty to decorate and bake with.
Their flavor just brings out the holiday colors with the season.
The tart and sweet flavors with the chocolate make these cookies have the perfect balance of flavors and so decadent and delicious.
Cranberries, almonds, and chocolate are a winner together.
Tips on this Cookie Batter
The batter is very thick but sticky.
Refrigerate the batter or let it sit for at least 1 hour to absorb the flour mixture.
It will be easier to work with.
I also like to cool the cookies slightly before cutting, they really get hot and you can get burned on the fresh berries.
The cookies are easier to cut on a cutting board and baked on parchment paper.
Use floured hands to mold into logs before baking.
Ingredients You Will Need to Make Cranberry Almond Biscotti
- light olive oil or butter
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- flour
- salt
- baking powder
- freshly chopped cranberries or use dried cranberries
- mini white chocolate chips
- slivered almonds
- grated orange peel
Here are more favorite cookies!
Jam filled bow ties
Almond Paste dipped crescent cookies
Macadamia chip
Cherry Almond
Italian Cookies
These biscotti are not usual.
There are many flavor combinations to make these twice-baked cookies.
The family all love every flavor of biscotti, we are used to the original flavor of anisette which is the traditional flavor.
We love lemon, maple, orange, cinnamon sugar and so many more options you can create!
More Cookies We Love
Grandma's Biscotti Recipe
All Souls Day Cookies
Authentic Amaretti Cookies
Soft Cutout Italian Cookies
pumpkin biscotti
Cranberry Almond Biscotti Pin for later
Fall Cookies!
These cranberry almond biscotti have a little cinnamon on top for a little fall spiced up flavor.
I just love these cookies and they go great with espresso coffee.
If you love fall flavors, this cookie has them all and so much more.
It's sure is a pretty cookie to add to your cookie tray and bursting with fresh homemade festive colors.
Be sure to bake them twice so you get the full benefits of a true Italian biscotti.
These will win the hearts of many!
Cranberry Almond Biscotti
Yield: 30
prep time: 15 Mcook time: 33 Mtotal time: 48 M
This is a holiday Italian cookie that just shouts fall. It has fresh cranberry, almonds, and orange with a hint of cinnamon sugar on top. Perfect for any holiday cookie trays.
ingredients:
- 1/4 cup light olive oil or melted butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, almond or anisette
- 2 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup freshly chopped cranberries, rinsed and blotted dry or use dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chocolate or chopped white chocolate chips or both!
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
- Topping Optional Garnish: granulated sugar mixed with cinnamon or allspice or drizzle with a thin icing made with powdered sugar and water over the top
instructions:
How to cook Cranberry Almond Biscotti
- Preheat oven to 300, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or oil spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together oil( or butter) and sugar until well combined. Add vanilla, then beat in the
- eggs.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder Stir gradually into the egg mixture.
- Fold in cranberries, peel, chocolate, (or other mix-ins you prefer), and nuts.
- The batter will be heavy and sticky. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes
- Mold dough into 4 or 5 logs (6 x 2 inches app.). Place on cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle the tops with a cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- Bake for 35 minutes or more until brown on top.
- Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 275 degrees.
- Then cut with a sharp serrated-edged knife on the diagonal into 3/4-inch slices. Lay slices on the side back on to the cookie sheets and
- bake until browned on both sides flipping once.
Calories
79
79
Fat (grams)
19
19
Sat. Fat (grams)
9
9
Carbs (grams)
22
22
Net carbs
11
11
Sugar (grams)
20
20
Cranberry Almond Biscotti Pin for later
Other Italian Delicious Cookie Recipes You May Enjoy!
Biscotti
Almond Paste
Rainbow Cookies
S Shaped Cookies
My Cookie Roundup of 24 cookies!
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2011. It was edited and re-published in 2019.