Crunchy, flavorful Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti dipped in white chocolate. These Italian cantucci are made from a simple dough and twice-baked until perfectly crisp. Enjoy them with coffee, tea, an after-dinner liqueur or rich hot chocolate.
Biscotti (or cantucci) are traditional Italian cookies that are baked twice to achieve their characteristic crunch. While classic cantucci use almonds, these cranberry and pistachio biscotti combine nutty pistachios with tart dried cranberries and a white chocolate finish for a festive twist.
Serve them with coffee, tea, hot chocolate or a favourite liqueur. They also make a lovely homemade gift.
Recipe below includes ingredient notes, step-by-step photos, tips, variations and a video. For the printable recipe, see the recipe card at the bottom.
Ingredients – what you need
Photo below shows the ingredients and useful tips.
- Flour – all-purpose (plain) flour or Italian 00 flour.
- Sugar – caster/superfine sugar. If you only have granulated sugar, pulse briefly in a food processor to refine it.
- Salt – a pinch of fine salt to enhance flavor.
- Eggs – large free-range eggs.
- Honey – use runny (clear) honey—this helps create crisp biscotti.
- Vanilla – vanilla extract or seeds from a vanilla bean; avoid synthetic vanilla essence.
- Pistachios – unsalted, roughly chopped.
- Cranberries – dried cranberries; candied fruit can be used as an alternative.
- White chocolate – baking-quality white chocolate for melting and drizzling.
Step by step photos and recipe instructions
Preparation tips
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Line a large baking tray (about 11×17 inches) or two smaller trays with parchment.
- Roughly chop the pistachios and cranberries.
Step 1 – In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center for the wet ingredients.
Step 2 – In a small bowl whisk 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk with the vanilla and honey.
Step 3 – Pour the wet ingredients into the flour well and use a fork to mix until a rough dough forms. Add the chopped pistachios and cranberries.
Step 4 – Bring the dough together with your hands into a ball, then divide it in half.
Step 5 – Shape each portion into a flat log about 2 cm (3/4 in) thick and 9 cm (3.5 in) wide. If the dough is sticky, dust lightly with flour or wet your hands to shape the logs more easily.
Step 6 – Place the logs on the prepared tray and brush with reserved egg white. Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly golden.
Step 7 – Reduce the oven to 265°F (130°C). Let the logs cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and slice diagonally into 1 cm wide biscotti.
Step 8 – Lay the slices flat on the tray and bake a further 30 minutes until crisp and lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, drizzle one end of each biscotti, and sprinkle with extra chopped pistachios. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Variations to try
Swap pistachios for almonds or hazelnuts, or replace cranberries with raisins, chopped apricots or mixed candied fruit. Use dark or milk chocolate instead of white, or omit chocolate entirely. Add orange or lemon zest to the dry ingredients for a citrus note.
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Shaping – Use a little flour on your hands if the dough is sticky, or wet your hands slightly for easier shaping. Stickiness varies with egg size.
- Cutting – Use a sharp, non-serrated knife to slice the logs cleanly in a single motion to avoid crumbling.
- Cooling – Cool biscotti on a wire rack so they crisp properly as they cool.
- Gifting – Package in cellophane with a ribbon for a simple, attractive foodie gift.
Traditional cantucci are made without butter or oil. Skipping fat keeps the texture light and produces the classic crunchy biscotti.
Store biscotti in a sealed container in a cool, dry place for up to three weeks.
Use honey in the dough, bake the slices a second time at a lower temperature, and cool them on a wire rack to achieve the best crispness.
More Italian cookie recipes to try
- Triple Chocolate Biscotti (Cantucci al Cioccolato)
- Pignoli Cookies (Biscotti ai Pinoli)
- Lady’s Kisses – Baci di Dama
- Italian Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli)
- Chocolate Salami (Salame di Cioccolato)
This post was first published on December 6th 2016 and has been updated for clarity and user experience.
If you’ve tried these Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti, please rate the recipe and share your results in the comments — feedback is always appreciated.
Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti
By Emily
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (250g)
- 3/4 cup sugar (150g)
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon runny honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted pistachios (70g), plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (70g)
- 1/2 cup white chocolate (100g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a large baking tray or two smaller trays with parchment.
- Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the centre.
- Whisk 2 eggs plus 1 yolk with the vanilla and honey, reserving the extra egg white for brushing.
- Pour the wet mix into the flour and stir with a fork until a rough dough forms.
- Add chopped pistachios and cranberries, then knead lightly until the dough forms a ball.
- Divide the dough in half and shape into two logs about 2 cm thick and 9 cm wide. Dust with a little flour or wet your hands if sticky. Bake ~20 minutes until golden.
- Lower oven to 265°F (130°C). When logs are cool enough to handle, slice diagonally into 1 cm biscotti, lay flat and bake another ~30 minutes until crisp. They will firm further as they cool.
- Cool on a wire rack. Melt the white chocolate over simmering water, drizzle one end of each biscotti and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Let set before serving.
Notes
- Shaping: If the dough is sticky, wet your hands or use a little flour to help shape the logs.
- Cutting: Use a sharp knife and cut each slice in one motion to avoid crumbling.
- Storage: Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition
Calories: 147 kcal | Carbs: 25 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 4 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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