Cherry Biscotti – Culinary Hill

Taking a cue from the sweetness of almond extract, these Cherry Biscotti are made with plenty of maraschino cherries and crunchy, salty almonds. Finish off these classic Italian cookies with a white chocolate drench on one end. It’s elegant, fun, and absolutely delicious.

Meggan’s notes

As a classically-trained chef with plenty baking experience under my belt, I find cookie inspiration everywhere, even within specific ingredients. I’ve always loved the sweet smell of almond extract, so similar to maraschino cherries, that pairing them in a cookie felt natural.

The secret to pulling off the cherry-almond combo in biscotti, though, is to drain and press the cherries to extract their liquid. You can do this with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Biscotti are supposed to be crunchy (biscotti means “twice baked” in Italian), so removing the excess maraschino cherry liquid is paramount.

I developed this recipe with standard bright-red, ice-cream-sundae-topping maraschino cherries. The other option, Luxardo cherries, are dark, packed in syrup, and untested here. I suggest saving Luxardo cherries for your next Manhattan cocktail.

Cherry Biscotti Ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

• Sugar
• Butter: Cold butter generally softens up in about 30 minutes when left out at room temperature. To soften butter in the microwave, cut each stick of butter in half, unwrap, and place on a microwave-safe plate. Heat the butter at 10% power for 1 minute. Afterward, gently press on the butter with your finger. If it’s still too firm, cook for another 40 seconds at 10% power.
• Almond and vanilla extracts
• Eggs
• Almonds: To amplify the rich nutty essence of the slivered almonds and make them even crunchier, I recommend toasting them first. To toast the almonds, in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, heat almonds until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Maraschino cherries: To combat the excess moisture in jarred maraschino cherries and ensure the quintessential biscotti crunch, drain the cherries well and press out as much liquid as possible before folding them in.
• White chocolate chips: I prefer white chocolate with the cherries and almonds, but you could certainly substitute a different chocolate, or drizzle with a glaze, or leave them undecorated (they are pretty on their own!).

How to Make Cherry Biscotti

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl by hand, beat sugar, butter, almond extract, vanilla extract, and eggs until uniformly combined.

2. Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda and mix well. Stir in almonds and cherries. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 2 to 3 minutes or until dough holds together. Divide dough in half. Shape each half of dough into a rectangle about 10” x 3”, rounding the corners, and place each rectangle on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake about 25 minutes or until the center of the dough is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool on cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Remove to a cutting board. Cut each rectangle into ½” slices using a serrated knife.

4. Place slices, cut side down, on the ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes longer or until crisp and lightly browned. Immediately remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

5. Use a microwave-safe bowl and heat the chocolate in the microwave in 15 to 20-second intervals, stirring with a rubber spatula between each interval. Make sure you stir each time, or the chocolate could scorch. Once completely melted, carefully dip one end of each biscotti.

6. Set on a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet to dry.

Cherry Biscotti Tips and Variations

• Yield: This biscotti recipe makes 24 (3-inch x 1/2-inch) cookies.
• No cherries: Craving a classic almond biscotti? Omit the maraschino cherries and follow the recipe as written. The ingredient amounts, instructions, and baking times are the same.
• Hazelnut biscotti: Omit the cherries and substitute 1 cup coarsely chopped, toasted hazelnuts for the almonds.
• Anise biscotti: Omit the almonds, almond extract, vanilla extract, and cherries. Add 2 teaspoons ground anise seed and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest to the butter mixture in step 1.
• Orange biscotti: Omit the almonds, almond extract, vanilla extract, and cherries. Add 1 tablespoon grated orange zest to the butter mixture in step 1.

How to Store Cherry Biscotti

Store biscotti in an airtight container or a zip-top bag in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Avoid the refrigerator which will cause the cookies to dry out and become stale.

Freezer: To freeze biscotti, arrange in a single layer (not touching) on a baking sheet or plate and freeze solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.