This Christmas Biscotti recipe is perfect for festive baking. They're packed with fruit, nuts and festive flavours, and baked twice for that classic crunch. These Italian biscuits keep beautifully for weeks, making them ideal for homemade Christmas gifts, cookie platters and holiday entertaining.
And aren't they just so easy on the eye, too? You will need to plan ahead as these biscuits are, by definition, baked twice. The baking happens a few days apart. But provided you plan ahead, the rest is a cinch!
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Ingredients
Pistachio kernels (raw and unsalted) and dried cranberries add the festive flavours. You'll also need plain flour, caster sugar and egg whites.
If you want to get extra festive, you'll also need a little milk and white chocolate along with cachous for decorating. I picked up some gorgeous gold cachous of various sizes – you can find usually these or similar at Spotlight, online or at specialty cake decorating stores.
See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.
How to make Christmas Biscotti
The method is fairly straightforward. But just remember that this is a twice-baked bread and the baking happens a few days apart.
The first stage involves beating egg whites until soft peaks form and then adding the sugar gradually – beating after each addition. Next, fold in the flour (see image 1) and then the pistachios and cranberries (see image 2).
Pour the mixture into tin (see image 3) and bake for 30 minutes or until a light golden colour. Allow to cool completely in the tin and then wrap in foil and place in fridge for 2-3 days.
Fast forward a few days and it's baking day again! Unwrap the loaf and cut into thin slices with a serrated bread knife. Aim for slices about ½cm thick (see image 4).
Lay out slices on baking trays and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool on the trays.
Serving and storage
Serve your festive biscotti with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, dessert wine or on your Christmas dessert platters.
Store in an airtight container. It'll last for ages (well, at least 4 weeks). You can freeze after the first bake or once made. Wrap well before freezing for up to 2 months.
More festive treats
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)
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Christmas Biscotti Recipe
Equipment
- loaf tin (22 x 12 x 7cm approx)
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 125 grams caster/superfine sugar (½ cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 125 grams plain/all purpose flour (1 cup)
- 80 grams pistachios (raw, unsalted kernels)
- 80 grams dried cranberries
- milk and white chocolate (optional, to decorate)
- festive cachous
Instructions
Day 1
- Pre-heat oven to moderate (180 degrees celsius/355 degrees fahrenheit).
- Grease loaf tin and line with baking paper.
- Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Add sugar gradually, beating after each addition. Beat for 2 minutes once all sugar has been added (or until sugar has dissolved).
- Fold in sifted flour.
- Fold in pistachios and cranberries.
- Pour mixture into tin and bake for 30 minutes or until a light golden colour.
- Allow to cool completely in the tin.
- Wrap loaf in foil and place in fridge for 2-3 days.
Day 3 or 4
- Pre-heat oven to slow (150 degrees celsius/300 degrees fahrenheit).
- Unwrap loaf and cut into thin slices with a serrated bread knife. Aim for slices about ½cm thick.
- Lay out slices on baking trays and bake for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool on trays and, once cool, store in an airtight container.
Decorating
- If decorating, dip ends of some pieces in melted chocolate and sprinkle cachous over melted chocolate.
Libby says
A lovely festive treat!