Who needs a cookie break? These vegan Cranberry Almond Biscotti are brimming with flavor and are sure to satisfy any sweetie cravings. Crunchy on the outside with an ever so slightly chewy interior, they have a very satisfying bite. The dried cranberries are a burst of tartness in each bite of almond laden biscotti goodness.
I’ve made these almond Italian inspired cookies for years, usually around the holidays. I make a double batch for my dad who loves pairing them with his coffee. When we lived across the country from each other, they kept well even after their week-long shipping trip. He’d then put them in the freezer, pulling one out at a time so they’d last even longer. Turns out my mom loved them as well, just without the coffee accompaniment. Needless to say, I make them a double batch at holiday time now.
The biscotti I’ve tried over the years in many coffee shops have always been very dry with a powdery crumb. I’m not sure if this an authentic characteristic or not, but I prefer a biscotti with a bit more density and chew in the center which is why I like this recipe so much.
Making biscotti is a two-part baking process. First, the dough is formed into wide logs and baked. They cool for a bit and then sliced into biscotti and baked again, turning once. When cutting the biscotti, take care not to crush the logs of dough and to make a clean, quick cut with a sharp knife to get through the almonds and cranberries. I’ve heard a serrated knife is supposed to work well, but I found it just sawed through the dough and cracked the crust making the cookies fragile for flipping. The flipping part is easier with a fork to gently turn each cookie.
If you’re feeling like dressing things up, drizzle each biscotti with a bit of vegan white chocolate.
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (e.g avocado or canola)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend.
In a large bowl with a whisk/electric beater or the bowl of a stand-mixer with paddle attachment, mix together the sugar, oil, non-dairy milk, and extracts. Beat for 1-2 minutes until the mix is well blended and creamy.
Stir in the flour mixture. Add the cranberries and almonds, and mix with a large spoon or your hands until evenly incorporated. On a lightly floured surface, press the dough into a large ball. Cut the ball evenly in half. Some of the cranberries and almonds might fall out, just press them back in. Form each half into a flat log about 9" long, 3" wide and 1" tall.
Gently place the logs onto the baking sheet ensuring there's a few inches between them as they will spread during baking. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board and, pressing down firmly and swiftly with a large, sharp knife, cut each log into 1/2" slices. Place each slice cut side down on the baking tray. They can be close together but not touching as they won't spread at this point. Bake for 10 minutes, then gently flip them and bake for another 5 minutes.
Cool them on a wire rack. These keep really well in an airtight container, and they freeze well, too.
I have found freezing the dough results in a crumbly dough which was hard to work with and a drier biscotti. I recommend baking the biscotti and then freezing them if you're looking to have some for another time.
