Cranberry orange biscotti are always good but especially during the festive period when cranberries and warm citrus flavours come into their own. Biscotti are famed for being a dry cookie that you dip into hot drinks. Just the kind of snack you want during the holidays!
This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
Made with dried cranberries and a mouth-watering white chocolate drizzle, these easy homemade biscotti definitely deserve a place on your Christmas bake list.
You will need flour, sugar, butter, orange, eggs, and baking powder to make them, plus brandy, salt and dried cranberries. This orange and cranberry cookie has a white chocolate drizzle and that’s easy to make. You just need white chocolate to make it and you can also add more cranberries.
I bet these cranberry orange biscotti would be great if you add nuts too. Chopped roasted almonds would be good, as would cashews. Walnuts are another appealing option.
How to Make Easy Homemade Biscotti
This orange and cranberry cookie is really easy to make. After mixing the sugar with the butter, orange and brandy, mix in the eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt. Next you need to stir in the cranberries and then chill the dough.
The following step is to shape the chilled dough into loaf shapes. Bake then cool the loaves. After that you can cut them into slices then bake again on good quality parchment sheets. This is how you get the biscotti crisp and crumbly.
The final step is to melt the chocolate to make the white chocolate drizzle. When the drizzle is set, you can enjoy these cranberry orange biscotti with a hot tea, coffee or your preferred drink.
Possible Biscotti Variations
These cookies can be made with dried cranberries or you can sub raisins or another kind of dried fruit. Semi-sweet chocolate would work in place of the white chocolate or you could swap the brandy for whiskey or dark rum. You can also leave out the alcohol if you don’t want to use it or use ‘vin santo’ – a sweetened, fortified red wine popular in Italy.
Curious Biscotti History
While you’re enjoying these cranberry orange biscotti you might be wondering about the history of this treat. Actually these cookies can be traced back to Roman times when they were prepared for travelers since they would not go stale on long journeys.
Easy homemade biscotti was flavoured with almonds in the Roman era, although today there are many flavours including those made with dried cranberries. Biscotti comes from ‘bis’, the Latin word for twice, and ‘coctum’ which means cooked or baked. Biscotti recipes were a real staple of Roman legions!
In Italy, biscotti is the name given to any twice-baked type of cookie regardless of shape or flavour. And Italian bakeries certainly have plenty of types to choose from!
If you love the flavours of cranberries and orange, you’ll also enjoy these Starbucks inspired cranberry bliss bars.
How Do You Store Easy Homemade Biscotti?
Along with being delicious, biscotti is known to last for a long time. That’s why it was so popular with traveling Roman armies! They will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. I find they stay extra crisp in a tin rather than a plastic container. Some wax paper between the layers helps keep the chocolate drizzle in place.
If you’re considering these cranberry orange biscotti this year, why not make extra? Wrapped in cellophane and tied with colourful ribbons, they make a great festive gift for friends and neighbours. It’s just as easy making a double or triple batch as making just the one and they last for weeks anyway.
Can You Freeze Biscotti?
This orange and cranberry cookie is freezer-friendly. Frozen in an airtight container, the cookies will keep for up to 3 months. Another idea is to freeze the baked loaves then thaw, cut into slices and bake for the second time. That way they’ll be oven-fresh and just as good as if you didn’t freeze them halfway through.
Why Did My Biscotti Crack?
Whether you cut your biscotti into rectangles or angles is your choice. But do take care and be gentle while you flip them over so they don’t crumble or crack. I like to use a long-handled tong to turn the cranberry orange biscotti over.
Cranberry Orange Biscotti with White Chocolate Drizzle Recipe
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 orange zest
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp brandy
- 3 eggs
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
Topping
- 4 ounces white chocolate chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries chopped
Instructions
- Combine sugar, butter, orange zest, orange juice and brandy in a large bowl, stirring until smooth.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time and then stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the cranberries, cover dough and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using moistened hands, shape dough into 2 (10 x 4 inch) loaves on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 22 minutes or golden. Transfer loaves to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.
- Cut loaves into 1/2 inch slices. Place slices cut side down on baking sheet; bake 7 to 9 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for 7 to 9 minutes more or until golden. Cool.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth. Use a fork to drizzle chocolate over the biscotti.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
You are going to love these festive snacks – both how easy they are to make and how delicious they taste! Let me know if you try these cranberry orange biscotti. I am sure you will like them as much as I do.
Other Recipes to Try
