Sourdough Cranberry Orange Biscotti
There’s something so cozy about a crisp biscotti and a warm cup of coffee this time of year, and this recipe will certainly meet your cravings. These Sourdough Cranberry Orange Biscotti are bright, citrusy, lightly sweet, and dipped in white chocolate for the prettiest finish. They feel so festive but are so simple to make, the kind of cookie you'll want to tuck into every cookie box for gifting (and keep a few for yourself!).
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl - for mixing your cookie dough.
- Electric mixer (stand or hand-held) - for combining dough.
- Microplane or zester - for zesting oranges. I love this zester linked here.
- Parchment paper or silicone mats - to line cookie sheet to avoid burning. I love these silicone mats linked here.
- Baking sheets - to bake cookies. USA Bakeware has the best baking sheets, I've linked them here.
- Cutting board - for chopping cranberries and slicing the biscotti.
- Serrated Knife - to slice biscotti. I love this knife linked here that is inexpensive and works beautifully!
- Wire cooling rack - for allowing cookies to rest properly.
- Microwave-safe bowl - for melting the white chocolate.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ (300g) cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ (100g) cup dried cranberries, chopped
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 (200g) cup granulated white sugar
- 1 orange, zested
- 1/2 tsp orange extract optional for more orange flavor
- 2 large eggs
- ½ (120g) cup sourdough discard
- ⅓ (75g) cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange juice only if needed
White Chocolate Dip:
- 6 (170g) oz white chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil only if needed
Egg Wash:
- 1 egg
- 2 tsps water
Instructions
Step 1: Mix the cookie dough
- Wash your orange and dry very well. Zest the orange into the bowl for your cookie dough. Add the white sugar to the bowl, and rub the orange zest and white sugar together with your fingers until combined and fragrant. This step helps bring out the oil in the orange peel giving the biscotti a more elevated citrus flavor.1 orange, zested, 1 (200g) cup granulated white sugar
- Add the eggs, sourdough discard, melted butter, vanilla, and orange extract (if using) to the bowl and whisk to combine.1/2 tsp orange extract, 2 large eggs, ½ (120g) cup sourdough discard, ⅓ (75g) cup unsalted butter, melted, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.2 ½ (300g) cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Chop your cranberries to the desired pieces you want (I just roughly chopped them), and add to the dry ingredients. Mix the cranberries into the dry ingredients to coat.¾ (100g) cup dried cranberries, chopped
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix with a stand mixer or hand held beaters on low. This is a stiff cookie dough, but it will come together! Don't overmix at this stage or the cookies will be tough. If the dough is very crumbly, add 1 Tablespoon of orange juice to help bring it together.1 tablespoon orange juice
- Once the dough has come together, cover the bowl with plastic and chill for 30 minutes to make shaping easier.
Step 2: Shape the Biscotti
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Flour a clean work surface, and turn out the cookie dough onto the floured surface. The flour will help shape the cookie dough and keep it from sticking.
- Divide your dough into two equal portions. Roll each section into a log, about 10–12 inches long and 2–2.5 inches wide.
- Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet, laying them diagonally. Using your hands, shape the logs into a flattened rectangle about ten inches long and 4 inches wide. Make sure to give the cookies plenty of space because they will spread as they bake.
- Overnight Fermentation: if you'd like to let this dough rest for optimal fermentation, cover the the baking sheet with the shaped cookies with plastic and refrigerate overnight to let the sourdough discard work it's magic!
Step 3: Bake, Slice, and Bake Again!
- Beat an egg with a few teaspoons of water, and brush the tops of the cookies with the egg wash with a pastry brush or a paper towel to give the cookies a golden finish.1 egg, 2 tsps water
- Transfer the cookies to the preheated oven, and bake for 25–30 minutes (or 28–35 minutes if refrigerated overnight), until firm and lightly golden.
- Cool the cookies on the pan for 10–15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 295° F for the second bake.
- Once the cookies have cooled slightly, slice each rectangle into ½–¾ inch pieces using a serrated knife. If you want to have longer biscotti, you can cut the rectangles diagonally which will give you longer and thinner cookies. Arrange the cookies cut-side up on the baking sheet for the second bake.
- Return the cookies to the oven (make sure you dropped the temperature!). Bake the cookies 15 minutes, then flip them over, and bake 10–12 more minutes on the next side. They should feel dry to the touch. They will crisp fully as they cool.
Step 4: Dip in White Chocolate
- While the cookies cool, melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe dish in 30 second intervals. Heat chocolate and stir until the chocolate is smooth and dippable. If needed, add a little coconut oil to thin the chocolate if the texture is too thick.6 (170g) oz white chocolate, 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Dip the fully dried biscotti in the white chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off before transferring back to a cooling rack lined with parchment top side up for drying. Add orange zest on top of the white chocolate if desired.
- If you'd like less white chocolate, you can also drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti.
- Allow the chocolate to fully cool and harden on the biscotti before enjoying.
Notes
How to Store:
Room temperature- Keep in an airtight container for up to 14 days. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!