Recipe Inspired by Fruitables Pumpkin and Cranberry Treats: Pumpkin-Cranberry Biscotti

 

Human Recipe Inspired by Fruitables Flavor

Recipe Inspired by: Fruitables Baked Pumpkin & Cranberry Treats

Biscotti are the underrated holiday cookie you’ve been looking for! While it’s true that they are twice-baked, most of the time investment is hands off. The dough comes together in two medium bowls without any equipment (hand mixing for the win!), and they stay “fresh” for days (and days!) on end. To give simple biscotti a holiday makeover, flavor them with pumpkin and cranberry — a classic combination! —and dip in white chocolate. Holiday sprinkles never hurt anyone either.

 

Pumpkin & Cranberry Biscotti

Recipe by Stacie Billis for Fruitables

 

Makes about 18 cookies

 

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, plus 1 egg, lightly beaten for brushing

½ cup pumpkin puree

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup toasted pecans, optional

Sparkling sugar, to top, optional

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, hand mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt with a whisk or silicone spatula.

 

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk 3 eggs. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until well blended. Add the wet mixture to the dry. Stir several times to bring the dough together as best you can. Add the cranberries and pecans, if using, then work the batter together with lightly floured hands until a dough starts to form and the mix-ins are well incorporated. Form the dough into a ball and divide into 2 equal halves.

 

3. Place one of the portions of dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape it into a log, and then pat the log into a rounded rectangle that’s about 10” x 2 ½”. The dough will be sticky: using a dough scraper helps, and so does dusting your hands with flour. Repeat with the remaining portion of dough. Place both shaped portions of dough onto the prepped baking sheet and brush with the remaining beaten egg.

 

4. Bake for 30 minutes, until just golden brown, and remove from the oven. Reduce the heat to 325 and allow the cookie “loaves” to cool for at least 5 minutes and no more than 10 minutes. Place the loaves on a cutting board and, using a large serrated knife, cut each into ¾-inch-thick slices on a diagonal. (If the cookies crumble, allow them to cool for a few minutes longer.) Each loaf should yield at least 9 biscotti.

  

5. Place the biscotti slices back on the baking sheet, cut side up, and return to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until crunchy and deep golden brown. (The longer the second bake, the crunchier they will become.) Cool on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes before decorating, eating or storing.  Storing them in a tin, as opposed to a glass or plastic container, helps keep the biscotti crisp; properly stored, biscotti will last for up to a month!