Pumpkin Spice Biscotti {with White Chocolate Icing}

Pumpkin Spice Biscotti

So the first time I ever had biscotti, I had no idea what it was. I remember picking it up because it looked so pretty, but I took one bite and thought, “Whoever overbaked this thing??” and threw the rest of it away!

I had to learn a bit about biscotti:

Biscotti is meant to be very crisp, and dunked in coffee to soften it.
Let me just tell you, it’s some pretty amazing goodness!

I made this Chocolate Chip Biscotti some time ago, and have made it so often. I’ve heard that some cafes and coffee shops make my recipe and sell the biscotti, so that tells you it’s not just me thinking it’s good. :)

Well, this fall I am so craving anything pumpkin. Pumpkin Lattes, Pumpkin Scones, Pumpkin Pound Cake, Pumpkin Pie ~ just a few of the pumpkin things I’ve made in the past few weeks.

So, one day I had a light-bulb moment, PUMPKIN SPICE BISCOTTI!! And ta-da, it just came together so wonderfully it was just meant to be. Can we just say, come to mama!


The Recipe
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Sift dry ingredients together.

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar

Cream butter & sugar together, then add:

  • 3 eggs, beating well after each addition
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in:

  • 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped & toasted, if desired

Divide dough in half. Using heavily-floured hands, make a log shape out of each half on a greased jellyroll pan, forming an approximately 5″ X 11″ log. Bake at 300 degrees until top is firm, approximately 30 minutes.

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Remove from oven, and cut each log into 1-inch pieces. Return to oven and bake again at 200 overnight, until completely dry. This is my favorite and best way to do it, because it becomes dried out without darkening the edges, and the flavor is preserved wonderfully.

Edit: I had some people ask me about higher, short baking temperature, and it is possible to bake at 300 or 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour, turning over every 15 minutes to prevent burning. However, the edges WILL become dark, and while it works, my personal opinion is that it loses a lot of flavor, or that the flavor is covered by a bit of a “burnt” taste.

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{also, if you turn your back, your husband or small children will snitch the ends}

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Cool completely, then place on wax paper and frost with white chocolate:

  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon oil

Mix together, and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring well after each interval until completely melted. Pour into a ziplock bag and make a small cut in one corner, or pour into a condiment bottle, and drizzle over the biscotti as a frosting.

Yield: 2 dozen biscotti

p.s. make a double batch because you will give away all of the first or devour it yourself too quickly.

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Now, you’re all ready for a morning deliciousness, or for friends to come over for coffee, or for a little “glad-you’re-my-friend” gift. :)

 

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60 Replies to “Pumpkin Spice Biscotti {with White Chocolate Icing}”

  1. I think this is one that I’ll have to try! And I would enjoy seeing your chocolate chip recipe sometime too.

  2. Looks so yummy! I am going to have to try it. One huge disappointment I have every time I come to your site is I can’t see your pictures! :-) And blogs are so much better if you can see pictures! :-) What am I doing wrong?

  3. Mmm. mmm. I was just thinking about baking a batch of biscotti this morning, and now it’s definitely going to have to be this. Thanks for sharing the goodness!

  4. Your biscotti and Ruth hold a special place in my heart. Who shall I bake this recipe with this year?? And I love the way recipes and food in general have a way of “tying” my memories to friends. The past few weeks of the Starbucks pumpkin pound and the Chicken Taco salad, and the quiche . . . make me think of you and the good times together every.single.time. Always makes me smile. :) Love the pictures you have here too. Happy Autumn again . . . and again . . . and again! :)

    1. I so agree with you! Food and recipes can be so tied with special memories, and I LOVE that too! Certain smells or dishes can take me back in time, and I love it! I’m so glad you’ve been able to enjoy a few of MY recipes – for a change. :) I’m the one so inspired by YOUR cooking! xo

  5. The perfect thing for right this moment!!! I don’t even have to try it to know this is as delightful as it looks! My mom and I used to have a very special Cranberry White Choc biscotti that we’d make every Christmas and I’ve gotten out of the habit the last few years. It’s time to change that and add this one too! =)

  6. Thank you for sharing with me! You really blessed me that day! I had to eat the biscotti fast so that Shane didn’t eat it all, =) I loved how pumpkiny it was.

  7. Oh!!! Pumpkin biscotti! Why did I never think of this. I love pumpkin…it’s one of my favorites!
    These will be baked in my kitchen sometime in the next week!

    Being Italian, my entire life we have had biscotti and pazzelle cookies. When I was little I didn’t appreciate them…they weren’t a kid friendly cookie! and canolli was always my dessert of choice, not a boring big person cookie!
    Haha It wasn’t until I was older that I fell in love. ;) I always just use my grandma’s recipe….I think it’s time to branch out.
    Thanks for sharing!

    1. I thought of you when I was making these, wondering what REAL Italians would say or how they would perfect my recipe! :) And goodness, all those amazing desserts growing up?? That just sounds like something out of a high-end bakery! I kinda wish I’d be Italian. :) xo

  8. I sat here looking at this thinking I need to make some sometime but the longer I looked at those mouth watering pictures the more I wanted some NOW. I called my sister who I knew had an open can of pumpkin that needed used up…..best way to spend our day for sure! And just for the record they are even better in real life then they look on pictures (if that’s possible)

  9. i’m like you.. biscotto has always tasted like stale cookies to me, but i’m thinking i’d like your recipe. they’re served here lots – along w/ scones. it’s the english influence, i guess. since we do have the queen on our money and all. ;))

    i must admit what struck me most in this post though was putting the icing in a squeeze bottle that way – genius!

    happy thursday dearie!

    1. That English influence you’re talking about sure sounds fun! Tea & Scones? I mean, seriously? Who in America does that? Canada sounds quite appealing, when you speak of it in that way. :) Happy Tuesday! xo

  10. You have such a beautiful blog, I’ve read it for years! I’m Kellie’s (Are They All Yours) daughter, I’m not much of a commenter but I wanted to let you know what an lovely place your site is. I’ve made your biscotti recipe a couple of times but haven’t been able to bake it for the proper amount of time because it always gets eaten too soon. So good!

    Have a beautiful day!

    1. Abigail! I feel like I know you through reading your mom’s blog! :) So nice to “meet” you! And I got to visit your lovely site for the first time. I so admire your family, and love the closeness that is so evident in you all! That is what I hope for my own family one day! And your comment about the biscotti made me laugh! :) I’m glad you all enjoy it! Happy day!

  11. Mmmm… your recipes have changed my views on biscotti! I always thought they were hard stale cookies — but these, THESE are delicious!! Thanks for sharing :)

  12. Clarita….I found out while having your page open for a very LONG time as I was making biscotti……that the pictures do eventually come up! Yeah for slow internet connections. :-) I am just happy that I can now see your pictures.

  13. Those look sooooo yummy! I’m thinking it’s the perfect thing for our upcoming weekend with friends …and maybe even a trial batch before. ;) Now if only the grocery store weren’t a million miles away I could make them tomorrow! Because after seeing those pictures, my patience is non-existent. :)

  14. PS: I was copying the recipe and noticed the duplicate ginger. Is it just a duplicate or is one of them supposed to be another ingredient?

  15. I absolutely LOVE this recipe! It turned out great! And i even accidentally put in ground cumin instead of ground cloves!!:/ thanks so much for sharing!:)

  16. Thanks for the recipe! I made biscotti with your recipe for the very first time. Now I’m trying the chocolate chip recipe of yours. Thanks for the wax paper tip. That helped ease my clumsy hands. I think I will too need to keep some on hand especially for a quick, handy gift.

  17. Mmmm! I have never had biscotti before but it looks and sounds absolutely delicious! I may just have to try my hand at this someday….soon. :) thanks for sharing Clarita!

  18. Hi, Clarita!
    First off, I have been following your blog for quite a while, and rather love it! Always excited to see a new post is up! :) It’s so inspiring. Secondly, this amazing recipe is in my oven right now, making my house smell amazing!! I just had to laugh though..my husband came home on lunch break, smelled the delightful aromas, opened the oven door, and stole an end piece. I mean, really…it’s that good, that you can’t even let it finish drying. :) Thanks for sharing!

    1. That is too funny about your husband eating the end pieces too! :) I’m so glad you liked the biscotti – and I do love how it makes the whole kitchen smell wonderful while baking! Thanks for stopping by. :)

  19. My friend shared these yummy delights with me over coffee and conversation. I will make these now and take them to our daughters house for the Thanksgiving week-end. We are coffee drinkers and this will just fill the bill for the Sunday after thanksgiving meal on Sat. Have a Blessed Thanlsgiving.

  20. Making these right now for a thanksgiving family reunion! I am Italian too, so anxious to see how they turn out. So far they are looking wonderful and a taste of the first baked batch are awesome!! Letting them dry out in the warm oven now. Can’t wait to get the white chocolate on them. Happy Thanksgiving!

  21. So glad I found your blog!.i enjoy so much reading about your family and looking at the pictures you post. I also love your house. I too live in the Deep South and am married to a farm boy! So glad I stumbled across your site.

  22. Just tried this out. They taste really good for the first bake. I’ve decided to make a Maple Pecan glaze instead of the chocolate drizzle. I have a cheesecake with a similar glaze and wanted to create a variation for biscotti. I’ve never baked biscotti overnight but I’m going to give it a try. I suspect these will NOT last long in my household.

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