Crispy and delicious Orange Cranberry Biscotti are bursting with citrus flavor and studded with sweet dried cranberries.
It’s easier than you might think to make these classic Italian twice-baked cookies!
What Are Biscotti?
I’m so glad you asked! Biscotti are a classic Italian cookie and a coffee shop staple. Biscotti means “twice baked” in Italian, and that’s exactly how these sliced cookies are made.
Biscotti are a favorite around the world for their crisp texture that makes them perfect for dipping into a hot beverage.
Light, crisp biscotti are generally wonderful with a hot cup of coffee, but I like these citrusy Orange Cranberry Biscotti best with a cup of English breakfast tea or green tea in the morning or with herbal tea in the afternoon.
Want to try a different flavor? Check out my Chocolate Biscotti and Almond Biscotti recipes too!
Join our Facebook Cookie Group! It’s a community of people who LOVE baking cookies! Join us to find new recipes, share recipes, or to ask cookie questions! 💕
Orange Cranberry Biscotti Recipe Highlights
- Easy to Make – No Chilling Required! I’ve tested this recipe and adjusted some things so that you won’t need to chill this cookie dough before baking it. There is already some waiting involved in making biscotti, there’s no reason to add any extra downtime!
- Bold, Sweet, and Tangy Flavor – I love the combination of Orange juice, orange zest, and sweet, tangy cranberries. It’s a classic flavor combo that I know well – try my Cranberry Orange Scones, Cranberry Orange Muffins, and Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies next!
- White Chocolate Coating – Orange cranberry biscotti are good plain, but they’re even better with a smooth, creamy white chocolate coating! You can dip the ends of the cookies, or just drizzle it on.
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour gives these crunchy cookies the perfect amount of structure.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: To give the cookies some lift in the oven.
- Sugar: To lightly sweeten the biscotti and balance the zesty orange flavor.
- Oranges: Use the zest and juice from fresh, juicy oranges. You’ll need approximately 2 whole oranges for this recipe.
- Cranberries: Sweetened dried cranberries add a delicious chewy bite.
- Eggs: Allow your eggs to sit out so that they are at room temperature before mixing them into the dough.
- Butter: Fresh unsalted butter makes these cookies taste amazing! Be sure to let it come to room temperature as well.
- White Chocolate: To add creamy sweetness to the biscotti after they’re baked.
How To Make Orange Cranberry Biscotti
Top Tips
- Allow time for cooling. Don’t try to slice the biscotti loaves while they’re hot, or even slightly warm. You’ll get clean, beautiful slices when you wait until they are completely cooled down.
- Adjust the baking time if necessary. On the second bake, the cookies should end up dry and crunchy. If they need an extra minute or two in the oven, that’s totally normal, just don’t burn the biscotti!
- Make them thinner. More delicate cranberry orange biscotti can be created by cutting the logs into thinner slices before the second bake. You’ll want to bake thin biscotti for only 5-10 minutes per side.
- Coconut oil mixed with the chocolate is key to keeping the coating soft. You only need a little bit. Add extra if the chocolate seems too thick to drizzle.
- Customize this recipe! Swap out the orange juice and zest for lemon, and use any dried fruit that you enjoy, such as dried cherries or dried dates. Instead of white chocolate, use dark chocolate or orange chocolate, and sprinkle on any kind of chopped nuts.
How to Store Biscotti
- First, it’s extremely important that you allow the biscotti to cool down completely before sealing them in a container. Any moisture left in the cookies will cause them to soften.
- Once they are completely cool, you can store the biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Biscotti coated with white chocolate should be stored in a single layer, or you can put parchment paper or wax paper in between layers.
- You can also freeze homemade biscotti for up to 3 months. This recipe will freeze best without the white chocolate coating. Let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Other Desserts You Should Try
If you enjoy this Orange Cranberry Biscotti recipe, you’ll love all of my other citrusy sweet and fruity cookie recipes!
- Blueberry Cookies
- Easy Lemon Bars
- Raspberry White Chocolate Cookies
- Apple Pie Cookies
- Orange Creamsicle Cookies
- Zesty Lime Cookies
Recipe FAQs
How hard should homemade Orange Cranberry biscotti be?
They should be very hard, firm, dry, and crunchy. This makes them perfect for dunking into milk, tea, or coffee!
Does biscotti dough need to be chilled?
I designed this recipe so that it specifically does not need to be chilled! If your ingredients start at room temperature, the dough will be the perfect temperature and consistency once you’re done mixing it. Only chill the dough if it’s especially hot in your kitchen and things start to get melty.
The dough in this biscotti recipe is supposed to be sticky. Spray your hands with some cooking spray to make it easy to handle.
My biscotti are crumbling when I slice them!
If this is happening, it’s probably because you baked the biscotti for too long during the first bake. You can test for doneness the same way that you would test a cake, with a toothpick.
The slices will also crumble if you try to cut the biscotti logs when they are still warm. Be patient, and wait for them to cool down fully.
These easy-to-make Orange Cranberry Biscotti are my favorite to dunk into a warm mug of tea! Don’t forget to Pin this recipe, and share it with all of your friends who love to bake fun cookie recipes.
Orange Cranberry Biscotti
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest from 2-3 medium oranges
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice from ½ medium orange
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 4 oz. white chocolate chopped
- ½ – 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C (130°C fan oven). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and orange zest until combined. Add the eggs, orange juice and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Dough will be thick and sticky. Fold in the dried cranberries until evenly distributed.
- Spoon the dough into two logs about 2’x12” and use greased fingers to smooth.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm to the touch
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, about 30-40 minutes.
- Slice on the bias about 1” thick, return to the baking sheet, cut side down, and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Allow to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring after each. Stir in the coconut oil, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Dip or drizzle white chocolate on each piece of biscotti. Garnish with chopped nuts or extra orange zest if desired.
Notes
- Allow time for cooling. Don’t try to slice the biscotti loaves while they’re hot, or even slightly warm. You’ll get clean, beautiful slices when you wait until they are completely cooled down.
- Adjust the baking time if necessary. On the second bake, the cookies should end up dry and crunchy. If they need an extra minute or two in the oven, that’s totally normal, just don’t burn the biscotti!
- Coconut oil mixed with the chocolate is key to keeping the coating soft. You only need a little bit. Add extra if the chocolate seems too thick to drizzle.
- Customize this recipe! Swap out the orange juice and zest for lemon, and use any dried fruit that you enjoy, such as dried cherries or dried dates. Instead of white chocolate, use dark chocolate or orange chocolate, and sprinkle on any kind of chopped nuts.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to follow on Pinterest @funcookierecipes and on Instagram @funcookierecipes
Leave a Review!