Holiday Spiced Pepita Biscotti
lapadia
- Serves
- 36-40 thin biscotti cookies
During the holiday season, I grew up watching and helping my mother and grandmother bake and slice dozens of their special almond cookie, my mother always called them Biscotini.
Over time I developed my own version, changing up flavors, as well as making a thinner, and lighter cookie; a recipe with a serious burst of the Holidays with every bite!
Ingredients
- WET INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons browned butter
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- 1 egg & one egg white
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
- DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1-3/4 cup all purpose flour (plus a little extra on hand if needed)
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- Zest from one large orange
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon clove
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- MISC
- 2/3 cups salted pepitas/ pumpkin seeds (or chopped pecans if you prefer)
- Cooking spray
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Directions
- Step 1
BROWN THE BUTTER: Heat a thick-bottomed saucepan on medium low heat, add butter – melt and cook, check often, giving the pan a shake; the milk solids will rise to the top and start to foam up. Check for browned specks to form at the bottom; the butter will start to turn golden and will be done when it has turned a medium dark and gives off a nutty aroma. Move the saucepan to a cool surface and strain out the solids. Use immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for a future use.
- Step 2
Combine the sugar with the rest of wet ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended.
- Step 3
Combine all the dry ingredients; add to the wet ingredients in thirds, beat well.
- Step 4
NOTE: the last third addition you will need to finish up with a wooden spoon or something similar.
- Step 5
Stir in more flour, if needed, to make a soft dough – but I have never had to.
- Step 6
Stir in the pepitas/pumpkin seeds (or pecans)
- Step 7
SHAPING AND BAKING: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Shape into 2 12-inch rolls; place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Flatten rolls to 1/2 inch thickness. NOTE: both rolls can fit on one large cookie sheet.
- Step 8
Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool for 15-20 minutes. Turn oven down to 300 degrees.
- Step 9
After slightly cooled; slice each roll diagonally into 20 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices back onto the cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes; turn cookies over, bake another 10-15 minutes or until dry.
- Step 10
Cool on wire racks, they will become crispy. *lighter fare cookie adapted from Cooking Light