Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
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And just like that, December is upon us and cookie season is officially here! There’s nothing I adore more than a platter piled high with Christmas cookies for sharing and indulging. We began with snickerdoodles, and now we’ll move to a festive batch of biscotti. Golden and lightly crisped, these twice-baked cranberry pistachio biscotti are perfect for Christmas.
Studded with jeweled flecks of sweet-tart dried cranberries and roasted pistachios, each bite is flavored with the essence of brown butter and brandy. Finished with an artful white chocolate drizzle, these cookies are the epitome of holiday cheer!
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
- Yield: 30 biscotti
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
- 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, about 6 minutes. Pour brown butter in a large mixing bowl and let cool to room temperature. Whisk in sugar and brandy; whisk in eggs one at a time until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until incorporated; fold in cranberries and pistachios. Cover dough and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough in half and use moistened hands to shape dough into 2 (10-by-4-inch) loaves on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 24 to 25 minutes, until pale golden. Carefully transfer loaves to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.
- Using a serrated knife, cut loaves into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices cut side down on baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Turn slices over and bake for 10 minutes more or until golden. Cool completely on wire racks.
- Place chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until glossy and smooth. Transfer chocolate to a small piping bag and drizzle over biscotti; let set before serving. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Calories: 145
- Carbohydrates: 21
Keywords: Brown Butter, Cranberry, Pistachio, Biscotti
I’m glad to see it, I am collecting Christmas recipes and I like this one 😀
Holiday cheer, indeed! I love that you added 1/4 cup of brandy to the dough, Laura. So festive! Each year, I make a similar version of cranberry and pistachio biscotti with a splash of Grand Marnier or Cointreau and orange zest. The recipe is based on Kristine Kidd’s recipe for Pistachio-Orange Biscotti found in the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library series of cookbooks, Cookies & Biscotti, going back over 20 years ago. Thanks for sharing, my friend. I can’t wait to try your recipe! 🙂
Can you substitute water or some other liquid for the brandy?
Hi April, you can just omit the brandy. For flavor, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. I believe the dough will still be moist enough to come together, but if it seems dry (before you mix in the cranberries and pistachios), you could add an extra tablespoon of melted butter. Hope that helps!
Thank you!
I used to make cranberry white chocolate biscotti from a boxed muffin mix. They were SO good, but I have a feeling yours trump them (by a lot!). Pinning these beauties!
The cranberry and pistachios in the biscotti make it so festive with the white chocolate! Your pictures always make me want to grab a couple from the screen 🙂
I love making biscotti, they go so well with a coffee. These flavour combinations are a classic and they look delicious.
Why have i never made BISCOTTI? This looks awesome and I have to try it!
Laura these are so delightfully festive!! I can’t believe how fast this year has gone!
Biscotti is a fabulous holiday cookie! It ships well and of course is perfect with coffee or tea!
I adore the season of cookies too.
These make such good gifts, I love the festive colors in these Laura! Gotta love that drizzle, too 🙂
Absolutely perfect for holiday gift giving Laura! My favorite flavors too!
My favourite flavours! I could eat a bucketload of these xx