Are you a dunker?  I not asking if you put people under water when you’re swimming, or if you can put a basketball through the hoops; I’m asking if you like to take a crisp cookie and dunk it in coffee, tea or milk?  If the answer is “yes!”  then you will love this recipe today!

Biscotti means – Twice baked.  This is a simple rolled out type of cookie that gets baked two times.  Let me give you a visual of how to make them, then I’ll share the recipe.

First the dough is mixed together.  It is dry and crumbly!  Press forward.  “Mush” it together.  That’s my not-so-technical word for “do whatever you need to do to make it into a ball of dough.  Then press it into two logs on a baking sheet.  Press down to make one-inch high rolls.

Bake those rolls for 30 minutes.  Let them cool for ten minutes.

Slice the rolls into 1/2 inch pieces and lay on a baking sheet, flat side down.

Put them in a lowered temp oven for 10 minutes.  Flip them over and brown the other side for 10 more minutes.

Cool on baking rack.  They will harden up as they cool.  The crunchiness makes them perfect for dunking in that cup of coffee, because little pieces don’t fall into the cup!

I’ve made all sorts of different kinds of biscotti and I love them all!  I hope you’ll try making a batch.  They make great gifts! Take some to your hostess, or make some for a coffee-loving friend for Christmas.  Fill a tin with the cookies or fill a cellophane bag and tie it with a ribbon, and you’ll have the perfect gift for the coffee drinkers on your list!

Here’s the recipe:

Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour and the next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Combine oil, extracts, and eggs; add to flour mixture, stirring until well-blended (dough will be dry and crumbly). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 7 to 8 times. Divide the dough in half. Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 15 (1/2-inch) slices. Place the slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325°, and bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

 

Enjoy!

With love from my country kitchen,