Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This festive Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti dipped in creamy white chocolate is perfect for the holidays, and it has a delicate vanilla cookie flavor you are going to adore.

The dried cranberries and pistachios pair deliciously in this twice-baked cookie recipe. However, three more delicious flavor swaps may better suit your taste: Chocolate Chip Pistachio Biscotti, Orange Pistachio Biscotti, and Cherry Almond Biscotti. 

I made this delicious recipe for the first time a few years back. Since then, it has been so popular with my family that I’ve been making it year after year.

The biscotti dough is easy to prepare and super customizable. Simply swap an ingredient or two to make the recipe to your preference! 

The only downside to this recipe is that the irresistible Italian cookies won’t stay around for that long — they tend to disappear quickly. Well, that’s always the case around my house! But that’s not really a bad thing, now, is it? I don’t think so!

After making homemade biscotti, you’ll likely crave more delicious recipes! Check out my Cherry Biscotti Recipe, Fig and Walnut Biscotti with Dark Chocolate, or this Espresso Chocolate Chip Biscotti recipe. – YUM! 

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti are perfect for holiday gifting. Not only do these Italian cookies look festive and taste delicious, but they also hold up well for shipping.

They will stay fresh for up to a couple of weeks, giving you plenty of time to send them before they become stale. Wrap the biscotti in tissue paper or something similar and place them in a holiday gift box. Tie it with a ribbon and send it off to your loved ones! 

It’s also an excellent treat to give to teachers, friendly neighbors, co-workers, or anyone else you’d like to show appreciation to.

Biscotti is known for being a more advanced baked treat. However, this recipe will show you just how easy it can be to make the perfect homemade biscotti.

Ingredient Notes

• Flour | All-purpose flour gives the biscotti structure, helping combine the rest of the ingredients and hold the seasonal flavors.
• Baking powder | Baking powder gives the final cookie an airy and crunchy texture, helping it to rise while baking. 
• Sugar | Make the recipe sweet by pouring in some granulated sugar.
• Butter | Unsalted butter gives the biscotti recipe a sweet cream flavor. Avoid using salted butter, so you have complete control over the salt content in these Italian cookies.

• Lemon zest | Freshly grated lemon zest helps enhance the recipe’s sugary flavors. For the three flavor variations of this recipe, use orange zest instead of lemon zest.
• Salt | Sprinkle in a pinch of salt to bring out the sweet flavors in the chocolate and dried cranberries.
• Eggs | With a lack of wet ingredients, the eggs help bind the dry ingredients and give the biscotti its distinct texture.

• Pistachios | Bring an extra nutty crunch to your crunchy biscotti by adding coarsely chopped pistachios. Substitute this ingredient for sliced almonds when making the cherry almond biscotti variation.
• Dried cranberries | Dried cranberries bring a fruity flavor to these Italian cookies. Plus, they add a pop of Christmas color! For the variations of this biscotti recipe, you will substitute the dried cranberries for semi-sweet or white chocolate chips.

• White chocolate chips | You will melt the white chocolate chips to dip the biscotti slices into. You may use white chocolate baking chips or a baking bar if preferred. If you want to make one of the flavor-swap recipes, you may need dark chocolate instead of white chocolate.
• Sprinkles or Jimmies | If you’d like, sprinkle the chocolate-dipped biscotti with jimmies or your favorite seasonal sprinkles! 

How to make Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Always follow the recipe instructions for baking, cooling time, slicing, and the second bake cycle to ensure you get dry, crunchy biscotti — the perfect kind for coffee dipping!

STEP 1 | Preheat and prep

To make the perfect holiday biscotti, start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Then, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

STEP 2 | Mix the dry ingredients

Grab a medium mixing bowl and pour in the flour and baking soda. Whisk the ingredients until combined.

STEP 3 | Use a stand mixer to combine other ingredients

Set the flour and baking soda aside and take out your stand mixer. Next, add the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt to the bowl and mix on medium speed until the ingredients are light and fluffy.

STEP 4 | Add the eggs and flour mix

Now, crack open and pour in the eggs just one at a time while scraping down the sides. Then, add the flour mix you had set aside.

Turn the stand mixer on low speed and mix just until incorporated. Be sure not to overmix the biscotti dough!

STEP 5 | Mix in the remaining ingredients

Finally, use a wooden spoon to stir in the yummy pistachios and cranberries. Empty the dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

STEP 6 | Form the dough

Using your hands, firmly press the dough into a 15-inch long, 3-inch wide log. Try to make the surface nice and smooth.

One trick to shaping the perfect biscotti log is to start by drawing an outline on the back side of the parchment paper you use to line the baking sheet. Use the outline as a guide, and you’ll get the perfect size log (based on the dimensions in the recipe).

Biscotti dough is sticky, so you can use wet hands to press the dough into shape or lightly dust your hands with flour. I often use a dough scraper to help even up the sides and ends of the log.

STEP 7 | Bake for the first time

Slip the baking sheet into the oven for 40 minutes or until golden. Then, allow the biscotti to cool on the pan for about 30 minutes.

STEP 8 | Cut the biscotti slices

Next, carefully place the cooled biscotti log onto a cutting board. Cut the log into 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices using a serrated bread knife.

STEP 9 | Bake again

Then, return the slices to the baking sheet and place them back into the oven to bake for about 15 more minutes.

STEP 10 | Remove from the oven and cool

After the second bake, carefully transfer the biscotti to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before dipping the slices in chocolate. Otherwise, the chocolate will melt right off.

STEP 11 | Melt the chocolate

While the biscotti slices are cooling, move on to melting the chocolate chips. The package should have directions on how to melt the chocolate properly. Typically, this is done in the microwave. Then, stir until the chocolate is nice and smooth.

STEP 12 | Dip and sprinkle

Once the biscotti are completely cooled, take one at a time and dip half of the cookie into the melted chocolate (or use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate along the top). Gently shake off the excess and lay the biscotti on wax paper. Next, sprinkle with jimmies or your favorite holiday sprinkles, if desired. 

Finally, refrigerate the cookies until the chocolate is firm. Then, they are ready to serve with a steaming cup of espresso. You may also store them away for later. Just be sure the chocolate has hardened before storing.

Stored in an airtight container, biscotti will stay crisp and last for about two weeks. ENJOY!

Three Flavor Swaps:

1 | Chocolate Chip Pistachio Biscotti

Substitute 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or white chocolate chips) for the dried cranberries and substitute orange zest for the lemon zest. If using dark chocolate chips, dip the baked biscotti in melted dark chocolate.

2 | Orange Pistachio Biscotti

Substitute 2/3 cup candied orange peel for the dried cranberries and substitute orange zest for the lemon zest. Dip in melted dark chocolate chips instead of white chocolate.

3 | Cherry Almond Biscotti

Substitute 2/3 cup of dried cherries for the dried cranberries, sliced almonds for the pistachios, and orange zest for the lemon zest. Dip in melted white chocolate.

If you are a fan of pistachios, next time try making this festive Pistachio Bundt Cake!

Frequently Asked Questions

Toppings

Feel free to dip the biscotti slices in dark, milk, or white melted chocolate. If you’re not a big fan of sprinkles but still want your treat to be nicely decorated, try drizzling dark chocolate over white chocolate or vice-versa. 

You can also sprinkle the biscotti with extra chopped pistachios or another nut

Serving Suggestions

Biscotti is traditionally served with a steaming cup of coffee, like a holiday latte, creamy cappuccino, or rich espresso. Try dipping this Christmas biscotti in my festive Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mocha or this easy Chai Tea Mix.

Biscotti also pairs well with a glass of wine or rich hot chocolate.

Beyond the Recipe

Biscotti translates to “bis,” meaning two, and “coctum,” meaning baked — “twice-baked.” It’s a fitting name for these Italian cookies prepared by baking, slicing, then baking them again to form a crunchy and airy treat to dip into hot coffee or wine.

The first twice-baked cookies originated sometime in the second century in Rome. They were flat, dry, and crunchy wafers that could be stored for long periods without growing mold, like other moist treats. Its long shelf-life made this variation of biscotti ideal for voyages across the sea.

More than ten centuries later was when the first biscotti that looked like the ones we know today were created. A Tuscan baker attempted to make a treat that could be served with wine. Not long after, Christopher Columbus took them to America to feed his crew on the long journey.