When I was testing the cranberry almond biscotti recipe, my husband, Frank, kept taking slices off the baking sheet before I could bake them a second time. (Biscotti means twice baked).  A darn good testimonial, wouldn’t you say?

This makes a lovely gift from the kitchen, too – pack it with a couple coffee mugs or teacups.

Cranberry almond biscotti

Maybe you’d like to sub in cherries for cranberries, or pistachios for the almonds. How about chopped apricots? Or a few more nuts and no fruit, or vice versa? It’s your recipe now so let your creative juices flow!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

Couple pinches salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped, slivered or sliced almonds, toasted in a 350 degree oven for 7 minutes, or just until fragrant

2 large eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Sugar for sprinkling – optional

Instructions

Line a cookie sheet with parchment, or spray with cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, fruit and nuts together.

Whisk eggs, oil and extracts in another bowl until well beaten.

Add egg mixture to flour mixture and mix until combined, by hand or mixer. Dough will be clumpy. Dump out onto counter and shape into a ball. You may have to flour or wet your hands.

Divide in half. Roll each half into a log about 8” long. Place on cookie sheet and pat down to 1/2”.  Give logs enough room to spread.

If desired, sprinkle with a bit of sugar.

Bake on center rack 20-25 minutes, until pale golden and center of loaf is firm when touched.

When cool enough to handle, slice on diagonal 1/2” thick.

Place back on cookie sheet, cut side down and bake 7-10 minutes, depending upon how crunchy you want biscotti to be. Cookies get harder as they cool. Makes about 24.

Store in airtight container up to 2 weeks.