White Chocolate Dried Cranberry American Style Biscotti - Let me introduce you to a softer, more forgiving biscotti. Packed with chewy dried cranberries, sweet white chocolate and nuts, they’re made extra delicious by dipping or drizzling them with more white chocolate. If you don’t like white chocolate you can use semi-sweet or dark instead.
These aren’t the dried out, chip-a-tooth type of biscotti. They’re firm, dense and have a moistness to them that traditional Italian biscotti don’t. While dipping them in a cup of coffee is wonderful – it’s not a requirement! You can get away with eating them as is.
The dough comes together easy and is formed into 2 logs for the first baking. For the second baking they’re sliced and stood on end – this is where you can control their crunchiness. Bake them for 15 minutes if you want them on the softer side, up to 30 for a crisper cookie.
I think they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day! So pretty. You can wrap them up in a see-through treat bag with a piece of ribbon and stick them in a coffee cup for gift giving.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are these biscotti crunchy or soft?
They’re right in the middle. Not rock-hard like traditional Italian biscotti, but definitely have a nice crunch that makes them perfect for dunking.
Can I leave out the nuts?
Yes! You can skip the walnuts or replace them with chopped pecans, almonds, or even sunflower seeds if you want a nut-free version.
What if I don’t have white chocolate chips?
You can use chopped white chocolate bars or even leave the drizzle off entirely. The biscotti are still delicious on their own!
How long do these keep?
Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, they’ll keep for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them (without the chocolate drizzle) for longer storage.
Can I use dried cherries or raisins instead of cranberries?
Absolutely! These are super flexible. Just be sure to chop larger dried fruits into smaller pieces.
📖 Recipe
White Chocolate & Dried Cranberry American-Style Biscotti
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white chocolate chips + ½ cup for dunking/drizzling
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line with parchment a large baking sheet.
- In a medium mixing bowl on medium speed beat together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and baking powder until creamy and well combined
- Beat in the eggs and don't worry if the batter looks slightly curdled.
- On low speed beat in the flour. The dough should be sticky.
- Stir in the white chocolate chips, cranberries and walnuts.
- Turn the dough out onto the baking sheet and divide in two equal halves. Shape each half into a log about 10 inches long by 2 inches wide and ¾ to 1-inch tall.
- Wet your hands and smooth out the tops and sides of the dough.
- Bake 25 minutes.
- Spritz the logs all over with a spray bottle filled with room temperature water to make cutting them easier. If you don't have a spray bottle wet your hands and rub the sides and tops.
- After a few minutes use a serrated knife to cut the log into ½ to ¾-inch thick slices being sure to cut straight down. If you like longer biscotti cut them on the diagonal.
- Spread the biscotti out, standing them on edge and bake again 15 - 30 minutes depending on how soft/hard you want them. They should start to turn golden around the edges.
- Place on wire racks to cool.
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 20 second increments until smooth and creamy. Working one at a time dip the edge of each biscotti in the white chocolate, let the excess drip off and place on the rack. Alternately you can drizzle the chocolate over them or make some of both for variety.
- Store tightly covered in a cool, dry place up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
These biscotti are one of my favorite “cozy kitchen” bakes. They’re easy to make, easy to customize, and look so pretty on a cookie plate or wrapped up in cellophane for gifts. The white chocolate and cranberries give them a festive touch, but honestly, I make these all year round.
Let me know if you bake them—I’d love to hear how they turn out or if you try any fun flavor swaps!
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