If you like a cookie with a little more texture, I’d recommend making some biscotti. Based on the name – bi (two) and cotti (cooked) – these cookies are baked twice, which gives them a nice crunch. I’ve made almond-orange biscotti before that turned out incredible (link here) but today I tried a new recipe. I saw this as a video online but I’ve written out my recipe (I made some changes to the original) so that you can make them too.

The original recipe calls for just chocolate chips but I decided to use half chocolate and half dried cranberries for a little fruitiness. I really liked the taste but they didn’t get super crunchy like a regular biscotti should be. I still quite enjoyed the texture but they just didn’t have the classic biscotti snap. I even baked them longer than the recipe called for, hoping they would get crisper/golden brown, but to no avail. The only reason I can think of is the low oven temperature – 300° – it was hot enough to bake them but not enough to get them browned.

I will probably make these again, but I would definitely cook them at a higher temperature (maybe 350°) and for less time (~20 minutes, then 10 and 10 – see recipe for details). Because like I said, they tasted really good, it was just not a traditional biscotti.

Another change I would consider making is using dried cranberries with chopped/sliced almonds, instead of chocolate. But actually, I think that even using all three of those ingredients together would be delicious here. What are your favourite ingredients for biscotti?

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp butter, softened
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/3 chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, using electric beaters, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs, blending after each one. Add vanilla.
3. In separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.
4. Slowly pour dry mix into wet bowl, and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Mix in lemon juice.
5. Using wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in chocolate and cranberries. Divide dough in half and create two logs, approximately 1 1/2″ tall, 8″ long, each and place on prepared pan.
6. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully cut each log into 3/4″ slices. Lay them on their sides and return to oven. Bake 10 minutes. Flip them oven and bake another 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in airtight container in fridge for 1 week or freezer for 1 month.