This allergy-friendly Orange Cranberry Biscotti recipe is packed with flavour and pops of colour while being nut-free and dairy-free and incredibly easy to make.
Did you know that the name Biscotti means twice baked in Italian? This method of baking creates a crunchy cookie (or biscuit) that melts in your mouth and is perfect when dipped in hot coffee or tea.
Why I Made This Recipe
While I have tried biscotti before, I’ve never made my own and in keeping with the holiday theme, I decided to make an orange cranberry nut-free and dairy-free version. And wow, am I glad I did! It’s such a delicious treat to enjoy with a nice cup of tea.
Why You Need to Make This
Biscotti might seem fancy, but it’s actually straightforward to make. The dough is baked twice to get its signature crunchy texture, but it doesn’t require any tricky techniques. Trust me, you’re going to love it!
Ingredients and Substitutions
This dairy-free and nut-free biscotti recipe combines the tartness of cranberries with the bright, citrusy flavour of orange zest, creating a balanced and vibrant taste.
Butter: I am using unsalted plant-based butter. Substitute with regular butter if you are not dairy-free.
Eggs: you can easily make this vegan by substituting the eggs for your preferred egg substitute. I recommend using 2 flax eggs.
Sugar: white sugar adds the sweetness to this recipe. You can substitute with brown sugar or even coconut sugar to change the flavour profile.
Flour: All Purpose Flour – substitute with your preferred gluten-free flour if needed.
Baking powder and Salt: helps with the rise and balance of the flavours.
Flavouring: The combination of orange zest and dried cranberries makes this a wonderful refreshing and festive take on traditional biscotti.
How to Make Dairy Free Biscotti
If you are a fan of biscotti, you will love how easy this recipe is to make. Jump ahead to my video tutorial if you’d like to watch the process in more detail.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and start mixing everything in a stand mixer. You can make this by hand but it is much easier to mix with a stand mixer.
We won’t be adding in the orange and cranberry until the rest of the dough is mixed. Make sure that everything is fully combined before adding the flavoring as this will give you a better consistency for your biscotti.
Add in the orange zest and dried cranberries and mix.
Once everything is combined, scrape down the mixing bowl and attachment.
Next, we’re going to start to shape our dough on our baking tray. I have pre-lined my baking tray with parchment paper. Top Tip: using parchment paper enables you to move the biscotti off the tray more easily throughout the process.
To form the biscotti, when you’re putting it on the parchment paper you want to smooth it into a rough rectangle shape that’s about half an inch thick and approximately four inches wide.
Pop the baking tray in the oven for about 22 to 25 minutes until it’s slightly browned on top. Let it cool for 15 minutes then slice the biscotti into half-inch pieces.
Pick up the parchment paper and slide everything back onto the baking tray. Flip the slices over and then put the tray back in the oven for 8 minutes until they’ve browned again.
Then flip them over again and bake them one last time for another 8minutes. This last bake is to brown them up a little bit more and give them that nice crunchy exterior. Once they’re baked, they will still be slightly soft in the middle and nice and crunchy on the outside.
Serving Suggestions
Biscotti’s crunchy texture is the perfect treat to dunk in a nice hot cup of coffee, tea or even hot chocolate. The cranberry and orange flavours complement many warm beverages and are perfect for cold wintery days.
Flavour Recommendations
This versatile recipe is easily customizable. Add nuts like almonds or pistachios for extra crunch, white chocolate chips for creaminess or drizzle with milk chocolate for added indulgence.
Storage Suggestions
Biscotti is a dry cookie that stores well at room temperature and stays fresh for a long time. I like to keep some in a jar on the counter to grab whenever I’m making a cup of tea.
Common Questions
I don’t recommend using orange juice as it could make the biscotti dough too wet. Orange zest provides a more concentrated citrus flavour without the need for adding extra liquid.
You can add almonds to this recipe but I wanted to make a nut-free version. Feel free to add in 60 grams or 1/2 US cup of slivered almonds if required.
Absolutely! Simply swap the all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten-free alternative.
If the dough is overmixed or too dry, it can cause the top of the biscotti to crack. Not to worry – it’s meant to be a rustic treat and will still taste great. Make sure to weigh your ingredients correctly and don’t mix the dough for too long.
Yes! I recommend swapping the eggs with 2 flax eggs. Check out my detailed post on Egg Substitutes in Baking for more details.
More Classic Recipes
Biscotti is the perfect baked good to include in your holiday treat boxes. Check out these recipes that would also make a great addition to your gift-giving.
- White Chocolate Cranberry Drop Cookies (Vegan)
- Festive Candy Cane Shortbread Wedges (Vegan)
- Orange Spice No Chill Sugar Cookies (Vegan)
- No Bake Cheesecake Truffles (Vegan)
- Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)
If you enjoyed this recipe, please let me know in the comments below. I love hearing your feedback on my recipes. Thanks and Happy Baking!
Nut Free Orange Cranberry Biscotti
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Sharp Cutting Knife
Ingredients
- 112 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted) (Melted)
- 2 Eggs
- 200 grams White Sugar
- 240 grams All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Orange Zest
- 120 grams Dried Cranberries
Instructions
- Gather all of your ingredients, melt the butter, and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C.
- In a stand mixer bowl, mix 112 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted), 2 Eggs, 200 grams White Sugar, 240 grams All Purpose Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder, and 1/2 tsp Salt until fully combined.
- Add in 1 tbsp Orange Zest and 120 grams Dried Cranberries and mix until just combined.
- To form the biscotti, empty the dough onto the prepared baking tray and smooth it into a rough rectangle shape. It should be about half an inch thick and approximately four inches wide.
- Pop the baking tray in the oven for about 22 to 25 minutes until it's slightly browned on top. Let it cool for 15 minutes, lift the parchment paper and biscotti onto a cutting board then cut the biscotti into half-inch slices.
- Pick up the parchment paper and slide everything back onto the baking tray. Flip the slices over and then put the tray back in the oven for 8 minutes until they've browned again.
- Flip the slices over again and bake them one more time for another 8 minutes. This last bake is to brown them up a little bit more and give them that nice crunchy exterior. Once they're baked, they will still be slightly soft in the middle and nice and crunchy on the outside.
Video
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes approximately 12 large biscotti slices.
- Gluten-Free: to make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with your preferred Gluten-Free alternative.
- Vegan: Substitute the eggs with 2 flax eggs. For more info, check out my Eggs in Baking post.
- Serving Suggestions: Biscotti’s crunchy texture is the perfect treat to dunk in a nice hot cup of coffee, tea or even hot chocolate. The cranberry and orange flavours complement many warm beverages and are perfect for cold wintery days.
- Storage: Biscotti is a dry cookie that stores well at room temperature and stays fresh for a long time. I like to keep some in a jar on the counter to grab whenever I’m making a cup of tea.
- Flavour Suggestions: This versatile recipe is easily customizable. Add nuts like almonds or pistachios for extra crunch, white chocolate chips for creaminess or drizzle with milk chocolate for added indulgence.
- Recommended Recipes: Biscotti is the perfect baked good to include in your holiday treat boxes. Check out these recipes that would also make a great addition to your gift-giving: White Chocolate Cranberry Drop Cookies, Festive Candy Cane Shortbread Wedges, No Bake Cheesecake Truffles, Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons
I do love a good biscotti. I will try making these for sure, thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. I hope you enoy them!
This biscotti recipe has become a family favorite. My Mum even takes a couple for her post-workout coffee at the mall.
I’m so happy to hear that Karen. The biscotti is definitely a great post-workout treat!