Ina Garten Cherry Pistachio Biscotti

Ina Garten cherry pistachio biscotti turns almond meal, dried cherries and salty pistachios into a crisp, twice-baked cookie in 3 hours 15 minutes. Try this make-ahead Christmas cookie for holiday gifting or coffee dates, since it's an easy batch recipe that keeps for a full week.

Slice the cooled logs at a full 45-degree angle with a serrated knife, because that is what gives you long, elegant biscotti. Cut them straight across and the slices come out short and chunky, and they crumble more easily.

Ina Garten got this recipe from Kathleen Weber, the owner of Della Fattoria bakery in Sonoma County, after a friend brought her some and she fell for them. Almond meal mixed into the dough makes them more tender than most biscotti, and the sweet-tart cherries and savory pistachios balance each other.

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Cherry Pistachio Biscotti

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

28

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

20

minutes

Calories

150

kcal

A buttery cinnamon dough studded with pistachios and dried cherries is baked as soft logs, then sliced and baked again until crisp. Brushing the slices with egg white and turbinado sugar gives them a shiny, sparkly crunch.

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  

• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  

• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature, one separated
  

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
  

• 1 1/3 cups almond meal or almond flour, such as Bob's Red Mill
  

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
  

• 1/2 cup whole dried cherries
  

• Turbinado sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw
  

Directions

• Preheat and line: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. That way the pan is ready as soon as the dough is shaped.
• Cream the butter: Cream 12 tablespoons butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a mixer with the paddle on medium speed. After 3 minutes it should look light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs: With the mixer on low, gradually add 2 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and keep the egg white for later. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula so everything blends evenly.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/3 cups almond meal, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl. Add it slowly to the mixer on low, mixing only until combined, then stir in 1/2 cup pistachios and 1/2 cup dried cherries.
• Shape the logs: Roll the dough into a ball on a well-floured board and cut it in half. With floured hands, roll each half into a cylinder about 11 inches long and 2 inches wide, then set them 3 inches apart on the pan.
• Bake the logs: Beat the reserved egg white with a whisk for 15 seconds, brush it over the logs and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar. Bake for 45 minutes until lightly browned, though the logs will still feel soft, then cool them for 30 minutes.
• Slice the biscotti: Turn the oven down to 275 degrees and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Slice the cooled logs 1/2 inch thick at a full 45-degree angle with a serrated knife, and place the slices cut side up on the pans.
• Bake until crisp: Brush the slices with egg white and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, turning each slice once, until browned and fully baked, then move them to a baking rack to cool.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Sugar In The Raw turbinado sugar, 2 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How long do cherry pistachio biscotti keep?

Once they're totally cool, pack them into a tightly sealed container and leave it on the counter, where they stay crisp for up to a week. Boxing them up while still warm traps steam and softens the crunch.

Can I use a different nut or dried fruit?

Whole almonds or hazelnuts work in place of the pistachios, and dried cranberries can stand in for the cherries. You lose the mix of savory and sweet-tart that makes this version special, but the dough handles the swap well.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

The easiest way to get ahead is to bake the logs the day before and keep them wrapped at room temperature. Then slice and bake the second time when you want fresh biscotti, since the slices need time to crisp in the oven anyway.

Do I need a stand mixer for this recipe?

A hand mixer works fine for creaming the butter and sugar, so use it if that's what you have. Once the flour goes in, mix by hand with a sturdy spatula, because the dough gets thick.

What's the most common mistake with biscotti?

Slicing the logs while they're still warm is the usual problem, because the soft dough tears and crumbles. Waiting the full 30 minutes gives you clean slices that hold their shape in the second bake.