Chocolate, Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti

One of my traditional Christmas Season Cookies is this Chocolate, Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti. I have always loved biscotti, and it is a favorite with afternoon coffee in my house.

Not only is this crispy biscotti intense in chocolaty flavor, but it is also studded with delicious and festive green pistachios and red dried cranberries. You get sweet, tart, nutty and rich flavors all in one cookie.

I have also found this to be a really lovely gift. I package it up with a tin of tea and some honey or sugar sticks for a complete package.

I also recently made these, for a little virtual cookie swap over at a lovely site called Love, Feast, Table. Please join me over there to see lots of great cookie recipes!

Chocolate Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti, makes 18 large cookies
-¾ cup minced dark chocolate (I used 72% cocoa), finely chopped
-1 cup brown sugar
-3 eggs
-2 tsp vanilla
-1 ¾ cups flour
-1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-½ tsp salt
-1 cup raw pistachios
-½ cup dried cranberries

1) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan with a sheet of parchment or a silpat.

2) In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped chocolate and the brown sugar.

3) In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the eggs and vanilla until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4) Add the sugar/chocolate mixture and mix on high another 2 minutes.

5) Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

6) Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and combine until you have a wet cookie dough.

7) Add the pistachios and the cranberries and gently mix them in.

8) Using a well floured surface (and hands) form a log out of the dough, at the center it should be about 1” thick, and about 4” across.

9) Put the cookie dough on the sheet pan with a silpat or with parchment paper, and bake the biscotti log for 40 minutes.

10) Let the log cool slightly, and then transfer the log to a cutting board.

11) With a serrated knife, slice the biscotti into ½” thick wide pieces.

12) Lay them on their sides on the same baking sheet.

13) Bake them for 15 minutes, and then flip the cookies and bake an additional 15 minutes on the other side.

14) Let cool and enjoy!