Orange and Cranberry Biscotti
This vegan orange and cranberry biscotti is sweet, crunchy and tastes just like the traditional kind. Eat it as is or dip it in some dairy-free white chocolate for an extra special festive snack.
Have you ever visited a new place and got sad that you couldn’t try the local delicacies because they weren’t vegan friendly? On a trip to Italy a few years ago, that’s exactly what happened to me.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved my trip there. Italy is so beautiful! But I have to admit, I was secretly a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to find vegan-friendly biscotti. So I decided that I would make some of my own one day. And that day has finally come!
Seeing as it’s the festive season, I added some cranberries and orange zest to the mix to give it a Christmassy touch. The sweet, citrus smell that fills your house as it bakes is incredible! I’ve also made an almond biscotti recipe, so make sure to check that out too!
What Is Biscotti?
If you don’t know what biscotti is, it’s an Italian cookie that is baked twice for a super crunchy texture. It’s traditionally made for dipping into a sweet Italian wine, Vin Santo, but it tastes nice dipped in tea, coffee and hot chocolate too!
The traditional recipe contains eggs and dairy, however, I was easily able to make it vegan by using dairy-free margarine and soy milk instead. It replicated the taste and texture perfectly.
More vegan Christmas cookies
- Lebkuchen
- Chai spiced cookies
- Cranberry shortbread
- Sugar cookies
- Chocolate crinkle cookies
- See all vegan Christmas desserts
How To Make Vegan Orange and Cranberry Biscotti
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, mix together 110g caster sugar, 90g of vegan butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Use a blocky style of ‘butter’, not the spreadable kind, for best results.
Step 3:
Add 3 tablespoons of soy milk and mix it in as best as you can.
Step 4:
Next, add in 200g of plain flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Mix it into the wet mixture until it starts to stick together then use your hands to press it into a ball of dough.
Step 5:
Add in 50g of dried cranberries (1/3 cup) and around 3 tablespoons of candied orange peel or orange zest. Then gently knead them into your biscotti dough.
Step 6:
Split the dough into two equal pieces and shape each one into a log shape. Each log should be approximately 2-inches wide and 1-inch deep.
Place the logs onto your lined baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool for 20 minutes.
Step 7:
When the dough has semi-cooled, use a bread knife to cut the logs into 1-inch slices. Use a sawing motion with your knife, rather than pressing down, to minimise crumbling.
Lay the slices on your baking tray and return them to the oven for 5-8 more minutes on each side, until they’re dry in the middle. Allow them to cool completely.
Step 8:
When they’re cooled, you can enjoy them as they are or you can go a step further and dip or drizzle them in chocolate.
I used some vegan white chocolate but feel free to use ‘milk’, dark or anything else that you like. You’ll need around 100 grams of chocolate (3.5oz) for dipping the biscotti in.
FAQ:
Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature and it’ll last for around 10 days.
Yes! Biscotti lasts quite a while at room temperature but if you want to freeze them to keep them even longer, you absolutely can. Place the slices into a large airtight container lined with a sheet of baking paper and freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure they’re not too close together otherwise they’ll stick when freezing.
You can also freeze the dough if you want to prepare in advance but still have freshly baked biscotti. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film or place it into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake it, thaw it at room temperature and bake as per the instructions.
I hope you enjoy my festive take on eggless cranberry orange biscotti! If you make it at home, please let me know how it goes by leaving a comment or review below. Happy baking! xo
Vegan Orange And Cranberry Biscotti
Crunchy Italian biscotti without the eggs. Flavoured with festive cranberries and orange zest.
Ingredients
- 90 g Vegan block butter (⅜ cup)
- 110 g Caster sugar (½ cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons Soy milk
- 200 g Plain flour (~1+½ cups)
- 1 Teaspoon Baking powder
- 3 Tablespoons Candied orange peel or orange zest
- 50 g Dried cranberries (⅓ cup)
- 100 g Vegan white chocolate (3.5oz)
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 180°C/ 350°F (or 160°C/325°F if you're using a fan or convection oven). Line a large tray with baking paper.
-
In a large bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the soy milk and mix it in as best as you can.
-
Next, add in all of the flour and the baking powder. Mix until it starts to stick together, then use your hands to press it into a ball of dough.
-
Gently knead in the cranberries and orange zest.
-
Divide the dough into two equal pieces and shape each piece into a log. Each log should be approximately 2-inches wide and 1-inch deep.
-
Bake for 30 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack for 20 minutes to cool.
-
When the logs are semi-cool, use a bread knife to gently cut them into 1-inch slices. Lay the slices flat on your baking tray and return them to the oven for a further 5-8 minutes on each side, until dry in the middle.
-
Allow the biscotti to cool completely.
-
Melt the white chocolate and dip one half of each biscotti slice into it. Place them on a wire rack and let them sit until the chocolate has hardened.
Recipe Notes
*Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Tina
Monday 11th of November 2019
Saw this recipe on your Facebook page and had to try it! Didn't have any cranberries or orange zest so used raisins instead and it worked brilliantly. I like that it's not too crunchy to the point that it hurts your teeth (like others I have tried)