Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti

Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti – crunchy and amazing biscotti loaded with cranberry and pistachio. Easy recipe that you can make at home this holiday season.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 g) all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 large egg (about 70g), at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (70 g) fine sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 60 g (1/2 cup) pistachios
• 1/4 cup (50 g) dried cranberries
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, more or less (optional)
• 1 medium grated orange zest

Instructions

1. Rehydrate cranberries – put in a plastic bag, pour water inside and immediately pour it out retaining some. Leave at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. Before using, remove cranberries from the bag and pat dry with kitchen towel. (I placed dry cranberries together with ¼ cup of water in a mug, microwaved for 30 seconds, drained and pat dry, set aside)
2. Rinse pistachios lightly. Pat dry with kitchen towel. (This step is optional) Roast pistachios in a preheated oven for 2-3 minutes at 160°C (320°F). Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder and sieve. Add in orange zest and mix well. Use finger tips to break the lumps if any.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg lightly with a hand whisk or electrical mixer. Then add in sugar and salt. Beat until the mixture is fluffy and pale. Add in vanilla extract (if used) and mix.
5. Add in flour and baking powder. Use a plastic scraper to mix all the ingredients until well combined. You can use technique such as cut, press and scrape to mix.
6. Then add in the pistachios and cranberries. Mix until well combined and form a dough. At this stage, the dough is quite sticky. So, dust your hands and counter top with more flours before proceeding to the next step.
7. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions, roll into log shapes (20cm length x 5cm width x 2cm thickness) and then flatten slightly.
8. Place the logs on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. Transfer the tray to oven, place at the lower rack and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 30 minutes or until well risen and firm.
9. If your logs show uneven color, rotate them at 180 degree towards the last 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
10. When the logs are cooled, use serrated knife to cut it diagonally into thin slices (0.8cm thickness or lesser). Arrange slices on the lined baking tray, transfer to oven, place at the lowest rack and bake for a further 150°C (302°F) for 12 minutes (6 minutes for each side) or until slightly golden brown.
11. Cool on rack and keep in an air-tight container for several weeks.

Notes

1. Dried cranberries can substituted with dried cherries. 2. You can substitute pistachios with other nuts (such almonds) or dried cranberries. 3. After keeping the biscotti for some time, they may turn soft. To crisp them, bake in a preheated oven at 150°c for 5-10 minutes.

Cari has been using this recipe for a few years now 

https://rasamalaysia.com/cranberry-pistachio-biscotti/

Pecan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chris and Astrid made these -

By Amanda Mack, courtesy of Bon Appétit magazine.

"Meet the Holiday Triple Threat Cookie," says baker Amanda Mack, the owner of Crust by Mack in Baltimore. A chocolate chip cookie spiked with homemade pumpkin spice, crunchy pecans, and gooey pumpkin puree. This recipe makes big cookies. To make 40–48 smaller cookies, use a No. 60 cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp.) and bake about 10 minutes. 

   
Makes 20-24

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
¾ tsp. ground cloves
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened until just slightly firm
1½ cups (packed; 300 g) light brown sugar
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
¼ cup canned pumpkin purée
1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
4 oz. (112 g) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1½ cups (9 oz./255 g) dark chocolate chips
1½ cups (174 g) coarsely chopped pecans

Preparation:

Step 1: Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Mix cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl to make pumpkin spice. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and 1 Tbsp. pumpkin spice in a medium bowl; set remaining pumpkin spice aside for making pies, quick breads, or another batch of cookies.

Step 2: Combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed, scraping sides of bowl as needed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and with motor running, add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition before adding the next. Beat in pumpkin purée and vanilla paste. Gradually add dry ingredients and beat just until combined (be careful not to overmix). Set aside a handful or so of each of the chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, and pecans. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold remaining chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, and pecans into dough.

Step 3: Using a No. 20 cookie scoop (about 3 Tbsp.), drop balls of dough onto two parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing at least 4" apart. (If using a half-sheet pan, bake 2 cookies per sheet. For a full sheet, you can fit about 4.) Gently press reserved chocolate and nuts into tops of dough balls.

Step 4: Bake cookies, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, 11–13 minutes (subsequent batches may take 2–3 minutes longer). Let cookies cool on baking sheets 5 minutes.

Step 5: Using a thin metal spatula, carefully transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.

Step 6: Do ahead: Dough can be made and formed into balls 3 months ahead; freeze on baking sheets until solid, then transfer to resealable freezer bags or an airtight container. Cookies can be baked 3 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.

JeanMarie Brownson's Chocolate Cherry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Prep: 25 minutes   Cook: 12 minutes  Oven: 350^oF

Makes: about 90 cookies

These chocolate cherry peanut butter oatmeal cookies have it all going on: oats, nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate. The scent of them baking will warm your house, through and through. These cookies are made without flour. For the best crunch, be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats, not the finer-textured quick-cooking varieties. I like natural peanut butter for its deep peanut flavor. Store the cookies in a covered container up to several days or freeze up to 2 months.

Ingredients:

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup each: granulated sugar, packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup extra-crunchy natural peanut butter, at room temperature
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (can make with Gluten Free)
½ cup salted, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), roasted hulled sunflower seeds or roasted peanuts
½ cup dried cherries (chopped if large), dried currants or small dark raisins
8 ounces milk or semisweet chocolate bars, roughly broken into ¼-inch pieces

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and sugars in large bowl of electric mixer.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth and creamy. Beat in baking soda and vanilla. Beat in peanut butter until incorporated. Use a wooden spoon to stir in oats, pumpkin seeds, cherries and chocolate pieces.

2. Use a teaspoon to make balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with a spoon. Bake until set and bottoms are slightly golden, about 12 minutes.

3. Cool cookies on pan, 5 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. (You can reuse the paper-lined baking sheets to bake the remaining cookies.) Nutrition information per serving: 67 calories, 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 34 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

https://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2015/12/03/jeanmarie-brownsons-everything-cookie-can-slake-a-stoners-hunger

 2022 - made batch as bars, using standard baking sheet, lined with parchment.  it is difficult to bake center without overbaking edges. Try dropping to 325F next time?

Results 2020

2020 Results: Definitely a different year. 

Results:

1. Almond Brittle - Cathy I

2. Almond Galettes - Boug

3. Apple Butter Cookies - Lori S

4. Benne Cakes - Boug

5. Biscotti, pistachio cranberry  - Cari

6. Bread, white cob with black olives and rosemary - Ose

7. Butter Balls - Lori S 

8. Butter Cookie, Jaimie's - Vicki

9. Caramel Corn, Maple Pecan - Sarah

10. Cashew Butter-nut Crunch - Vicki

11. Cherry Christmas Slices - Boug.

12. Chip and Dip - Emily

13. Chocolate Blossoms, Hershey Kisses - Vicki

14. Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies - Boug

15. Chocolate Cherry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies - Boug

16. Chocolate Chip, David's famous - Vicki 

17. Chocolate Chip, Double  - Vicki

18. Cinnamon Rolls - Sarah

19. Ginger Molasses - Chris W

20. Ginger Molasses - Lori S 

21. Gingerbread - Dark Chocolate - Lori S

22. Gingerbread - Men - Pixie 

23. Ginger Snap - Vicki 

24. Ginger Snap - Jorie

25. Granola - Chris W 

26. Hershey Blossom - Vicki

27. Italian Christmas Cookies - Boug

28. Keto Bacon cookie - Michael

29. Keto Chocolate Chip - Michael

30. Keto Spice Cookie - Michael 

31. Kiefle - Martin

32. Lemon Lace Cookies - Boug

33. Matterhorn Meringue - Cathy I 

34. Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies - Vicki

35. Nut Cups, Deb's - Cari

36. Oatmeal - Iced - Lori S

37. Oatmeal crisp - Vicki

38. Oreo Truffle - Cari

39. Pecan Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies - Chris W

40. Rugelah - Martin

41. Salted Carmel Truffle - Jorie

42. Shortbread, coffee  - Cari

43. Shortbread, Raspberry Almond - Vicki

44. Shortbread, Salted Caramel - Cari

45. Speculoos Buttons - Boug

46. Springerle - Cari 

47. Spritz, Anderson family - Vicki

48. Spritz, DiCosola family - Deb

49. Sugar Cookie, Martha Stewart’s Chewy - Vicki

50. Sugar Cookie - Pretty Pink (Piggy) Bats - Emily

51. Sugar Cookie, Unfussy - Kathy M

Instead of getting together at Connie's house as we have for the last 10 years or so - we went virtual.

Date was chosen on a weekend Connie and Samantha were not working - unfortunately they were unable to attend.

Boug created a Facebook group for Cookie day  - Private - drop a line and we can send an invite - a few weeks in advance. Zoom would only give us a 40 minute or so window. FB allowed us to be on unlimited. I counted about 15 people stopping in and chatting or staying on with the camera pointed toward their cooking areas. 

Many others posted recipes, discussed ideas, shared links. 

Some baked cookies, others bread or candy, some just said hello!  It was early for many to do holiday baking. And many may not have an outlet for lots of baked items.  All in all - it was a sharing of a simple family tradition. Our own family holiday.

Friday night, I tested out the Room link and good thing too as I had to download a different browser. Vicki and I were doing various refrigerator recipes from our own homes.

I think the overall opinion was - there is something so helpful about working from your own kitchen - especially for those of us who love cooking. Us with small galley kitchens, well, we are used to them. Just made us use other rooms of the house. The virtual aspect helped a lot! Kept all of us feeling we were with others. Helped when we had questions - a shout out to other bakers always brought an answer of some sort. Being able to pop in and out - kept it lively.

Special shout out to Cari and her quiz questions! I did not know we needed to study for this - but we all learned some history. Heck - I didn't even realize 2017 was our biggest year ever at 44 varieties.

I'll end up updating this blog post as I receive info from the bakers on what was made and the recipes.  Thanks for playing this year - I hope all your yummies turn out great!

Lemon Lace Cookies

REFRIGERATE 9-11 min 350F

2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon extract - SUGGEST either go to 1 tablespoon, or add lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
Confectioner’s sugar

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and extracts. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place about 2 inches apart on an UNGREASED baking sheet. Flatten balls with bottom of glass dipped in confectioner’s sugar. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies on baking sheet 1 minute; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 8 dozen cookies

NOTE: Add more lemon (very light flavor, would enjoy more)
Spread quite a bit - keep the balls small!

2024 suggestion:

Make dough in advance, roll into 1.25" logs

use as slice and bake type.