While some people will be finishing their Thanksgiving dinner this year with a piece of pumpkin pie, many more will be making sure that they have a cup of coffee with their chosen dessert. Why not cater to our love of coffee with a special batch of pumpkin biscotti? These crunchy cookies are spiced and sweet and the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee that's been touched with cinnamon.
Biscotti are twice baked cookies that are made for dipping in a beverage of your choice -- most often coffee since the dessert has its origins in the espresso-soaked region of Italy. These hard cookies are one of my very favorite desserts and I enjoy them with both coffee and tea. While they do take a while to make, most of the time involved is either baking or cooling, so they are perfect for making while you'll be taking care of other things in the kitchen like, say, all the trimmings for a Thanksgiving dinner!
What's really wonderful about these cookies is that they have the flavor of pumpkin pie, but they store better and bring fewer calories to the table -- something most people will appreciate after a traditional Thanksgiving dinner! With a heavy dose of spices and a touch of walnuts and dried fruit, these cookies might just become your favorite accompaniment to a good cup of coffee!
As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments in the discussion board using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!
Pumpkin Biscotti
- 2 eggs
- 1 c. sugar
- 3/4 c. canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1/4 tsp. ginger
- 2 c. whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 c. raisins or dried cranberries -- a great choice for Thanksgiving
- 1/4 c. chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger in a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder; add to the pumpkin mixture. Mix well. Stir in the raisins and nuts.
Form one long, flat loaf (about 4-inches by 14-inches) on a baking sheet, coated with nonstick baking spray (or place on a silicon baking sheet). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool the loaf on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Slice the loaf (like bread) into 16 pieces. Arrange slices on their sides on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until crisp and lightly golden. Cool thoroughly; store covered.
- Yields: 8-16 servings
- Preparation Time: 90 minutes