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Our traditional, Italian-style cranberry pistachio biscotti (made without butter) are perfect for dunking in coffee, espresso, or dessert wine. Their festive red and green colors make them a great addition to holiday cookie platters, and since they can be made ahead, they’re ideal for gifting too.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Biscotti (Italian for biscuits) are a twice-baked Italian cookie and we love them because once you master the technique for making them, it’s easy to vary the flavors and mix-ins. We usually make two batches during the holidays, this classic Italian version and an American-style orange biscotti made with butter.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- DRIED CRANBERRIES: Any brand of dried cranberries will do for this recipe, just be sure to plump them up in hot water and pat them dry before adding them to the biscotti dough. This extra step makes for better texture and more cranberry flavor in your biscotti.
- PISTACHIOS: Look for dry-roasted, unsalted pistachios for this recipe. You may be able to find them already shelled, but if not, be sure to measure them after shelling and allow a few extra minutes of prep time for the recipe.
How to Make Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour.
SOFTEN THE CRANBERRIES: Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Soak until plump and softened, then drain thoroughly and pat dry gently with paper towels.
MAKE THE BISCOTTI DOUGH: Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and combine just long enough to form a dough. Mix in the cranberries and pistachios until well blended.
KNEAD, FORM, AND BAKE THE DOUGH: Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface. Knead it several times, then form it into a ball and cut it in half. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet using well-floured hands and form each into a slightly flattened log. Brush them with egg wash and bake until golden.
SLICE THE BISCOTTI: Cool the logs on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut them diagonally into slices.
BAKE THE BISCOTTI: Arrange the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake until golden and crisp, flipping each cookie over once about midway through baking.
How to Store Biscotti
Because these biscotti aren’t made with butter, they have a relatively long shelf life. Here’s how to store them:
- Cool biscotti completely and store them at room temperature in airtight containers. They should stay fresh for about two weeks. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to three months.
A WORD ABOUT THIS RECIPE: We’ve been making these biscotti during the holidays since long before we started the blog and quite honestly had no recollection of where it originated until a reader pointed out that it was from Gourmet Magazine in 1992. Many thanks to those editors for such a great, reliable recipe.
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cups dried cranberries
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pistachios, dry-roasted and shelled
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour.
- Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Soak until plump and softened, about 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat dry gently with paper towels.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and mix just long enough to form a dough. Mix in the cranberries and pistachios until well blended.Note: If desired, you can use an electric mixer.
- Turn the dough onto a well-floured, flat surface. Knead it several times, then form it into a ball and cut it in half. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet using well-floured hands and form each into a slightly flattened log.
- Space the logs about 3" apart and brush them with egg wash. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool the logs on the baking sheet, on a rack for at least 10 minutes before handling. Once cooled, transfer them to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut them diagonally into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices.
- Arrange the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet (cut side down). You don't need much space between them as they won't spread during baking. Bake until golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes total, turning once about midway through baking. Cool completely before storing.
Notes
How to Store Biscotti
Because these biscotti aren’t made with butter, they have a relatively long shelf life. Here’s how to store them: Cool biscotti completely and store them at room temperature in airtight containers. They should stay fresh for about two weeks. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to three months.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the exact recipe from Gourmet Magazine December 1992. It’s excellent as are the Biscotti Di Prato from the same issue.
Hi Pam,
Thanks for sharing this info. This recipe was among a few Italian cookie recipes passed on to my mom by a friend years ago. I never knew the original source, but I’ve added a credit in the recipe notes.
The logs were quite dry. I noticed that most biscotti recipes have butter as an ingredient. Is this an error?
So instead, I will bake them for a shorter time and then cool, cut and rebake the slices.
Hi Tobi,
Traditional Italian biscotti recipes do not include butter. The cookies are supposed to be quite dry and crisp as they’re generally served with coffee or dessert wine for dunking. Versions made with butter are more Americanized. They do have a more tender texture, but also have a shorter shelf life and may crumble when dunked. If that’s what you’re looking for, try our Orange Rosemary Biscotti instead.
Hi,
I made this recipe this evening exactly as written.
Absolutely delicious and beautiful. I’ll be mailing a batch tomorrow to my friend for her birthday. Of course, I’ll be making another batch tomorrow because I ate 4 pieces of my stash to mailing tomorrow! Lol. Great
with a big cup of coffee tonight. Who needs “dinner”with a divine treat like this treat anyway? This was my “dinner!” Easy and fun to make and my kitchen smells wonderful. I might just need another biscotti for a MN snack, right? Thank you for this lovely, delicious, easy fun to make recipe. This biscotti tastes Iike I slaved in the kitchen!
I have never made biscotti but I love to eat it!
I so love biscotti! I haven’t made much this holiday season though…but I think before my break is over I must try the cranberry pistachio!
How pretty. The colors are great for the holidays and I love cranberries and pistachios, though I’ve never tried them together. It looks tasty!