Reviewed: Jan. 6, 2009

This biscotti has a great flavor. I used almonds instead of pistachios because it's what I had on hand and it turned out great.

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kcdavis

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Reviewed: Jan. 1, 2009

This is one of the best tasting biscotti I have ever eaten! Even my husband couldn't keep his hands off of it and he's not a fan of cranberries. I followed the recipe exactly, except I used half regular Craisins and half orange flavored. It came out very nice with a just hint of orange taste. I made this as a gift and will definitely make again for myself next time!

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sarahmarinara

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Reviewed: Dec. 31, 2008

These are simply delicious and very festive with the red/green for the holidays. Dough was very easy to work with. I drizzled melted white chocolate over one side to bring them to the next level. Received many compliments and requests for the recipe.

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lmcgeoch

Cooking Level: Expert

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Reviewed: Dec. 29, 2008

YUM~!! i used craisins soaked in orange liqueur + pecans + orange zest and later drizzled with milk chocolate once cooled. i made a batch of these for the holidays and they shipped very well and got GREAT reviews. the recipe created very 'tender' biscotti- a million times better than those sold elsewhere.

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Squeezible

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Living In: Washington, D.C., USA

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Reviewed: Dec. 28, 2008

very good! I used almonds instead of pistachios and then left out the cranberry's and it came out very good.

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DisneyKrayzie

Cooking Level: Beginning

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Reviewed: Dec. 24, 2008

5 Star Plus - Some of the reviewers mentioned that they chop up the pistachios in order to avoid the problem of the biscotti crumbling when being cut after the first bake. In my opinion what makes this recipe a 5 Star Plus is that it not only tastes delicious, it is also beautiful and festive with big chunks of green pistachios accented by bright red cranberries. I've tried this recipe with both raw and roasted pistachios and this is what I've found. The best way to avoid crumbly biscotti is to use raw pistachios. I find mine at Whole Foods Market. The raw nuts have the needed moisture in them so when you bake them the first time they don't completely dry out and you can easily cut them with a sharp knife (no need to use a serrated knife) for a super clean edge beautiful biscotti. The second bake will finish "roasting" the nuts. Hope this helps.

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Wendy

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Reviewed: Dec. 24, 2008

Wow! Another recipe that is sure to become a tradition. I followed the recipe exactly and it was so amazingly good! Great for gift giving. The cold water for the hands works great (I tired it without and it was a mess). The only problem I had was that it was a bit crumbly when I cut it but I didn't have a serated knife so that could be why. This is one of few recipes that I print off as I know it will be requested! MANY MANY THANKS! It is perfect as is.

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newagegurl

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Reviewed: Dec. 24, 2008

I wish I can give you 10 stars or more, we love this Biscotti. Thank you for posting.

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kumhui55

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Reviewed: Dec. 23, 2008

This was my first time making biscotti and they were such a success! I actually made them for an Italian Christmas party (my husband thought I was crazy to make it and take it before ever trying it) I got absolute raves for this biscotti from all our Italian relatives. I followed the recipe almost exactly except I used grapeseed oil instead of olive oil and I added candied ginger to the mix. I also played with different flavorings. I used orange extract instead of almond in some of the cookies, also adding orange zest and sometimes walnuts instead of almonds. Keeping your hands wet is absolutely necessary in shaping this as it is sticky but dont add more flour, just work fast and get it in the oven right away. Covering the cookies with a clean dish towel for 10 minutes right after the first baking worked great too. I used a bread knife to cut the cookies. I also dipped one end in melted chocolate bark and put them in the freezer for a few minutes to harden the chocolate. YUM! I have probably made 10 batches of these cookies already this Christmas season for gifts and everyone raves over them. Also I used this recipe to make savory biscotti. Omitting the sugar, using good extra virgin olive oil and the almond extract, cranberries and walnuts. The dough is dryer to work with and I coated my hands with olive oil to shape them. After the final baking I put them flat on a cookie sheet and drizzled olive oil on top, spread some minced garlic on each biscotti and shredded i

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Karen

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Reviewed: Dec. 23, 2008

This recipe is Fantastic and easy to make.I omitted the salt due to having pistacchio nuts with salt.Also to add festive touch dipped them halfway in white chocolate.YUM!!!!

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dumpling

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Brooklyn, New York, USA

Living In: Orlando, Florida, USA

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Reviewed: Dec. 23, 2008

Best Holiday Recipe EVER! I make this every year and I always get rave reviews. Make sure to wet your hands well when shaping the sticky dough. I use about 1/2 cup less of pistachios and 1/4 cup more of cranberries. I also make sure to chop the pistachios roughly before they go into the dough. Love this recipe!

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Janet C

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Reviewed: Dec. 22, 2008

This was my first attempt at biscotti and it was a cinch! It was easy to make and delicious! You definitely need to wet your hands when handling the dough and you must use parchment paper. I used a lot less pistachio than the recipe called for and chopped them coarsely. It was so good I'm going to make a second batch before Christmas!

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ErikaAoi

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Reviewed: Dec. 22, 2008

This was really delicious and easy, thank you! I added some orange zest and followed the advice of placing a dish towel over the loaves when they came out of the oven. They were very easy to cut - just put the bread knife right through. Definitely use wet hands to shape.

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VALENE

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Reviewed: Dec. 20, 2008

this was so good. i soaked the dried cranberries in the 1/4 c olive oil to plump them up a bit, then used the flavored olive oil in the recipe. i also used all vanilla extract instead of almond. i also dipped in white chocolate. thanks so much for the recipe. i'd love to try variations.

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J-Shep

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Columbus, Georgia, USA

Living In: Tallahassee, Florida, USA

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Reviewed: Dec. 20, 2008

I made both the Spring Biscotti and the Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti from this site. I was worried about using olive oil instead of butter. To make a direct comparison I used the same amount of craisins (3/4 cup) and pistachios (3/4 cup) in each recipe. I also eliminated any flavorings other than almond and vanilla (ie: omitted orange flavoring). Honestly there was little difference between the oil and the butter. The Spring Biscotti with the butter was a little crunchier and a little easier to work with/cut. The Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti with the oil stuck to the parchment paper a little and was a little more delicate to cut without crumbling. However, the end result was a little softer than the spring biscotti. Either recipe is 5 star. I can't decide which one I will make again as they were so similar but I don't think I can go wrong!

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Sarah

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Reviewed: Dec. 20, 2008

First time to make biscotti. This is a real tasty and easy recipe. The pistachio with cranberry are so good together. Make it for yourself or for gifts. It ships well, too.

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Norma M.

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

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Reviewed: Dec. 19, 2008

i use this a base and put whatever fruit and nut combination I am in the mood for. My house and neighbors love when I make this. I do always chocolate coat the bottom for some added goodness!

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sue

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Chicago, Illinois, USA

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Reviewed: Dec. 17, 2008

I took these biscotti to work and they went like hot cakes. Everyone loved them! The batter is super sticky. To help this, I put the batter in a fridge for a few minutes before I tried to handle it. I also wet my hands with water before I molded the loaves. I sliced my first loaf while it was too warm and it crumbled a bit.Make sure you wait at least 15 minutes before you try to slice the loaves. Use a very sharp knife and push... don't saw! MOST IMPORTANT.... double or even triple the recipe! These little guys go fast and they freeze well. I loved this recipe and will be making again real soon!

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COinNY

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Reviewed: Dec. 17, 2008

I made these for a cookie exchange last year and they were a big hit! This year I'm making them for another cookie exchange except I've decided to use dried cherries in place of cranberries and I added white chocolate chips. Very pretty and festive looking cookies! And they're delicious!!

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KIMBERMARIE

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Reviewed: Dec. 16, 2008

So tasty! I used macadamia nuts since I had them in the fridge. I also used about 1/4 cup more flour and a pich more baking powder. Think I cut them big as they took longer the second bake but they were worth it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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