One of my favorite things to bake, aside from my scone obsession, is biscotti. They are an Italian twice baked drier cookie meant to be dunked into your coffee or espresso. These Orange Pecan Biscotti have such a wonderful flavor, are easy to make and perfect to add to your holiday cookie platters!
I’ve always got homemade biscotti filling my cookie jar- they last a LONG time! I’ve got a basic recipe that I start with and throw in my variations from and they come out just perfect every time! I absolutely love these Orange Pecan Biscotti for the holidays {they make a great homemade gift too!}. The orange zest adds so much fantastic flavor that just pairs so nicely with the crunch of the pecans.
So biscotti aren’t your typical “cookie”. Biscotti are baked twice, allowing the cookie to dry out making it perfect for a long shelf life and to hold up to a dunk in your coffee or espresso. The dough all comes together so easily in a bowl. The biscotti are baked first in an almost rectangular shape for about 25 minutes. You then remove them from the oven, drop the temperature and allow them to cool a bit. Once cool enough to handle you slice them on an angle and place them back on the cookie sheet.
When the biscotti go in for their second baking you place them on one of the cut sides and halfway through the second bake you will flip them to the other cut side. They will get dried out and just lightly golden. The texture is just perfect in these Orange Pecan Biscotti! Oh ya know what I just thought of.. how fun would a gift basket filled with some of these biscotti, coffee, tea, mugs, etc… be for a friend?!
Some other varieties I’ve made these year are a dried cranberry & chocolate and a chocolate hazelnut. Its really fun to play around with different combinations so feel free to switch the nut type if you’d prefer here or skip the nut and do a chocolate chip and orange.. thats the great thing about these biscotti- easily customizable!
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- zest of 1 large navel orange
- 1 tsp orange extract
- 2 eggs
- ½ stick butter, melted
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, pecans and orange zest.
- In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, butter {not too hot or you'll scramble the eggs} and orange extract.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until mostly combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until the dough all comes together.
- Cut the dough in half and on a lined baking sheet form the two halves into a flattened rectangular log about 1" in thickness, 4" wide & 8" long. {see photo above for a better of the shape & size}.
- Bake for about 25-27 minutes. Remove the pan, allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Lower oven temp to 300 degrees.
- Once cool enough to handle slice the dough on an angle about 1" thick. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet with one of the cut sides down.
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove the pan, flip the biscotti onto the other cut side and bake another 15 mines or so.
- Cool completely on a cooling rack.
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Natalie B
The BEST biscotti ever!
Angela LeMoine
Eek!!!! I am SO happy that you enjoyed them!! I think they are pretty fantastic too!
Leslie
There was a lady who brought in these last week. We had a cookie exchange. They were so tasty!
Angela LeMoine
Its really a great flavor combo!
debi at Life Currents
Perfect with my morning coffee. Thanks for the recipe!
Angela LeMoine
Thank you so much! I just love these biscotti!