If you’re looking for the best Biscotti recipe, then you’ve come to the right place! These biscotti are vegan and flavored with pumpkin for a delicious fall treat! They’re topped off with some lemon glaze that makes them the ultimate cookie for fall! They go perfectly with coffee or tea.
Biscotti are traditional Italian cookies that are hardy, crunchy, and often filled with a variety of delicious mix-ins. This recipe is for delicious, vegan pumpkin biscotti that have chewy cranberries in each bite for the perfect festive holiday feel!
What’s best is that they have just the right amount of spice and are finished with a drizzle of sugar lemon glaze that takes them to the next level! They’re truly the perfect cookies for a Christmas cookie exchange or when you’re craving something festive and delicious.
Read on to learn exactly how to make this delicious biscotti recipe today!
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What is a Biscotti?
Biscotti is a traditional Italian cookie recipe that is twice-baked, resulting in a deliciously crunchy texture. They’re often elongated, with a slight curve, and are perfect for dipping into your morning coffee or tea.
These cookies are incredibly versatile, and you can add a bunch of different delicious mix-ins to customize the flavor to your liking. Plus, nothing beats the aroma of freshly baked biscotti filling your kitchen.
These homemade treats taste even better when stored in an airtight container and allowed to rest for a day or two, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. What’s best is that biscotti have an exceptionally good shelf life and can be stored for up to two to three weeks, making them perfect for the holidays!
Why This Is The Best Biscotti Recipe
Versatile: This vegan pumpkin biscotti recipe is incredibly versatile. You can mix and match the dried fruits or even replace or omit the hazelnuts altogether. It is a recipe that you can truly make your own.
Perfectly Spiced: These pumpkin biscotti cookies have just the right amount of spice. The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger creates a warm and comforting flavor profile that's perfect for the fall season.
Deliciously Glazed: What sets these biscotti apart is the liberal drizzle of sugar lemon glaze. It adds a sweet and tangy finish that makes these cookies absolutely irresistible.
Crowd Pleaser: Not only is this biscotti recipe delicious and easy to make, but it also makes a large batch. This makes it perfect for family gatherings or any event where you want to please a crowd. Plus, who can resist the inviting flavors of pumpkin and cranberry, all wrapped up in a crunchy biscotti?
What You Need to Make Biscotti At Home
All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious biscotti recipe at home.
Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.
For the Biscotti Dough:
Hazelnuts: These nuts add a delightful crunch to the biscotti. If you can't find them, walnuts or pecans can serve as a decent alternative.
Canned Pumpkin Puree: This adds a fall flavor to the biscotti, making it a perfect treat for the season. Make sure you’re using canned pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling. If you do end up using the latter, omit the added spices, namely cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Dried Cranberries: They not only bring a tart sweetness to the cookie but also add a pop of color.
Chocolate Chips: Vegan chocolate chips add a nice contrast to the pumpkin and cranberries, creating a balance of flavors. If you're looking for oil-free chocolate chips, Hu Chocolate Chunks are wonderful for baking.
Applesauce: It is an excellent vegan substitute for eggs in baking, providing moisture and sweetness.
All-Purpose Flour: The main dry ingredient that gives structure to the biscotti.
Baking Powder: This is a leavening agent that helps the biscotti rise and get that perfect crunch.
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger: These spices add a warm and comforting flavor to the biscotti, complimenting the pumpkin beautifully.
Cane Sugar: This is a vegan-friendly sweetener that adds a subtle caramel-like flavor. Make sure to use organic cane sugar since regular sugar is processed with a bone char and is not a vegan ingredient. You can read more in my Vegan Grocery List blog post.
Olive Oil: It adds richness and moisture to the biscotti, ensuring they aren't too dry.
For the Lemon Glaze:
Powdered Sugar: This is used for the lemon glaze, giving the biscotti a sweet and tangy finish. Make sure that it is organic to keep the recipe vegan-friendly.
Lemon Juice: The acidity of the lemon juice balances out the sweetness of the powdered sugar in the glaze, adding a refreshing zing.
How to Make Biscotti (Step by Step)
Making this incredible biscotti recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:
- Mix dry ingredients. In a big bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.
- Mix wet ingredients. In another big bowl whisk pumpkin puree, applesauce, organic cane sugar and olive oil.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Add dry ingredient to the bowl with wet ingredients and mix well.
- Add the mix-ins. Stir in hazelnuts, dried cranberries and chocolate chips.
- Mix well. Mix the pumpkin biscotti dough with a spoon until you have a uniform dough.
- Shape the logs. Coat your hands in a light dusting of flour, divide the dough in half and place on parchment lined pans. Form each piece into a 5x8 inches log and flatten with your hands until the logs are about ½ inch thick.
- Bake. Place the pan in the preheated to 360 F oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and slice the biscotti. Reduce the temperature to 300 F. Cut each log into ½-inch thick pieces and place back on baking sheet, cut side up. Bake 10 minutes more then flip each biscotti. Bake another 10 minutes or until golden. Remove vegan pumpkin cranberry from the oven and let them cool completely.
- Make the lemon glaze for biscotti. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until thick but runny. If necessary, add more lemon juice.
- Finish with a glaze. Fill a piping bag with a glaze, cut a small tip of the bag off and drizzle the glaze over the pumpkin cranberry biscotti. Let the glaze harden and enjoy the biscotti.
Your delicious Biscotti are ready to be served!
Tips For Making the Best Biscotti
Choose your ingredients wisely: For a vegan biscotti recipe, it is important to use organic cane sugar as regular cane sugar is processed with bone char, making it unsuitable for vegans. Also, if you can't find hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans are a suitable alternative.
Bake, slice, and bake again: Biscotti means "twice-baked" in Italian. Bake your biscotti logs in a preheated oven, then let them cool before slicing them with a serrated knife. Return the slices to the oven for a second bake until they're golden and crispy.
Patience is a virtue: After the first bake, it is crucial to let the biscotti dough cool for about fifteen to twenty minutes before slicing. This prevents the dough from crumbling and guarantees a clean cut.
Glaze for extra flavor: To add a sweet and tangy twist, drizzle a lemon glaze over the cooled biscotti. Make sure the glaze is thick but runny enough to pipe onto the cookies.
Refresh softened biscotti: If your biscotti has softened over time, you can revive their crunchiness by popping them into the toaster oven or conventional oven for a few minutes. They'll firm right up and taste as good as new!
Serving Suggestions
- For a delightful breakfast, pair your vegan pumpkin biscotti with a hot cup of coffee or tea. The robust flavors of the beverage complement the sweet and nutty taste of the biscotti.
- Looking for a cookie for your Christmas cookie exchange? These vegan pumpkin biscotti are perfect! Since they’re vegan, they are suitable for everyone and the cranberries, pumpkin, and chocolate chips add a delicious festive feel!
- Want a dessert twist? Try serving your biscotti with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream. The creaminess of the ice cream perfectly blends with the crunchy texture of the biscotti.
- Looking for a portable snack? These are great on the go. Just make sure to store them in an airtight container and enjoy their crunch wherever you are.
- For a delicious dessert, dip your vegan pumpkin biscotti in dark chocolate and let them cool. The bitterness of the chocolate adds an extra layer of flavor, balancing out the sweetness of the biscotti.
Recipe Variation Ideas for Biscotti
This delicious biscotti recipe is so flavorful and easy to make you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations! Here are some great ideas:
Try different nuts: If you're a nut-lover, try adding almonds or pistachios to your biscotti dough. Simply replace the hazelnuts in the recipe with equal amounts of either almond or pistachios. These nuts will add a delightful crunch and unique flavors to your biscotti.
Cherry almond: Want to try a different dried fruit? Replace the cranberries with dried cherries and add a teaspoon of almond extract to the wet ingredients. This will give your biscotti a sweet cherry flavor with a hint of almond.
Double the glaze: If you love the tangy sweetness of the lemon glaze, simply double the ingredients for the glaze. This will give your biscotti an extra layer of sweet and tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
While some people enjoy dipping their biscotti in coffee to soften it and add flavor, it is not a requirement. Biscotti cookies are hard and crumbly, making them perfect for dunking, but they're equally delicious on their own. Whether you dip or not is entirely up to your personal preference!
The beauty of biscotti is how versatile it is! You can mix in a variety of ingredients based on what you have in your pantry. For example, this pumpkin biscotti recipe uses hazelnuts and cranberries, but you could also add in slivered almonds, pine nuts, or even finely chopped figs, raisins or orange zest. Experiment with different flavors to find your favorite combination!
If you're finding your biscotti dough to be crumbly, there are a couple of things you can do. Firstly, make sure to let the dough cool after the first bake - even if you're in a rush, give it at least a good fifteen to twenty minutes. Secondly, using a sharp, long-blade knife, like a chef's knife or a slicing knife, can help make clean cuts without causing the dough to crumble.
How to Store Leftover Biscotti
After you've baked your delicious cranberry orange biscotti by following the biscotti recipe, you might find yourself with leftovers. Not to worry, I've got the perfect storage tips to keep your cookies fresh and crunchy!
Biscotti are hard cookies, and in Italy, it is common to store them in a jar on the countertop. And so, you can keep your biscotti fresh in an airtight container at room temperature.
The key is to make sure they're completely cooled before storing to prevent any condensation, which can soften the cookies. This way, your biscotti will last for about two to three weeks.
If your biscotti has softened over time, don't fret! Simply pop them into a preheated oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, and they'll firm right up.
Biscotti freeze well, making them perfect for make-ahead treats! Once they've cooled completely after baking, place them in a freezer-safe airtight container or zip-top bag. They can be frozen for up to three months. To thaw, just remove the amount you want from the freezer and let them come to room temperature on a wire rack.
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Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Biscotti
Ingredients
For the pumpkin biscotti dough
- ⅓ c hazelnuts chopped
- ½ c canned pumpkin puree
- ½ c dried cranberries
- ¼ c vegan chocolate chips
- ½ c applesauce unsweetened
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¾ c coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
- 7 tablespoon olive oil
For the lemon glaze
- ½ c powdered sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Mix dry ingredients
- In a big bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.
Mix wet ingredients
- In another big bowl whisk pumpkin puree, applesauce, organic cane sugar and olive oil.
Combine dry and wet ingredients
- Add dry ingredient to the bowl with wet ingredients and mix well.
Add the mix-ins
- Stir in hazelnuts, dried cranberries and chocolate chips.
Mix well
- Mix the dough with a spoon until you have a uniform dough.
Shape the logs
- Coat your hands in a light dusting of flour, divide the dough in half and place on parchment lined pans. Form each piece into a 5x8 inches log and flatten with your hands until the logs are about ½ inch thick.
Bake the logs
- Place the pans in the preheated to 360 F oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and slice the biscotti
- Reduce the temperature to 300 F. Cut each log into ½-inch thick pieces and place back on baking sheet, cut side up. Bake 10 minutes more then flip each biscotti. Bake another 10 minutes or until golden. Remove vegan pumpkin cranberry from the oven and let them cool completely.
Make the lemon glaze for biscotti
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until thick but runny. If necessary, add more lemon juice.
Finish with a glaze
- Fill a piping bag with a glaze, cut a small tip of the bag off and drizzle the glaze over the pumpkin cranberry biscotti. Let the glaze harden and enjoy the biscotti.
Maggie says
can i use whole cranberries?
Iryna says
Yes, whole cranberries are fine.
Kulia says
Looks amazing! Thank you for the recipe.
anne says
This recipe doesn't include cranberries ! I added the equivalent of the nuts and chips. Seems it was mixed up with another ? Also had to add extra flour as dough surely wouldn't keep log shapes.
Iryna says
Hi Anne! Sorry about that! Looks like I forgot to include cranberries in the ingredients. There should be 1/2 c cranberries. Fixing this now.
Roxie says
I made these today and they turned out wonderful except one big thing is that there was no salt in the recipe and they do need salt