Gingerbread Biscotti

For this week's cookie, it's the perfect cookie for dunking into your morning coffee or hot chocolate. Biscotti can get a bad rap sometimes, either being too dry or too crunchy. This recipe is neither of those. It has just the right amount of spice and is so tasty with chocolate chunks & walnuts added in.

Biscotti is one of the easiest cookies to make, in my opinion. You don't even need a mixer. The only downside is the double baking time. Biscotti makes the perfect gift because you can make it a few days ahead, and who doesn't love a delicious cookie to go with their favorite winter drink?

This Biscotti comes from one of my favorite's Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen

Gingerbread Biscotti

Makes 30 to 34 Time: About 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients: 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (265 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring hands 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves A few grinds of black pepper 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1/2 cup (95 grams) dark brown sugar 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar 7 tablespoons (100 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract 1 1/3 cups toasted, chopped nuts or white or dark chocolate chunks (optional, I kept mine plain) 1 large egg white

Cinnamon-sugar (optional) 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar 1 tablespoon (6 grams) ground cinnamon

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line one large or two small baking sheets (if yours are small you’ll probably prefer using two, as the logs will spread a lot) with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients — 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, baking powder, spices, pepper and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugars, butter, 2 large eggs and vanilla. Add wet ingredients along with any optional additions (nuts or chocolate) to dry mixture and stir to combine. It’s going to seem a bit soft and sticky; it’s a-okay.

Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, transfer first half to the prepared baking sheet(s) and form it into a slightly flatted log about 11 inches (28 cm) by 2 1/2 (6 1/2 cm) inches, going down one side of a baking sheet intended for two logs, or the center of a baking sheet intended for one log. Repeat with second half of dough. Whisk egg white in a small bowl until a little foamy and loose. Brush over top and sides of each log.

Bake logs until golden brown all over, about 25 minutes. Transfer tray to cooling rack; let cool about 25 minutes, until lukewarm. Gently transfer each log to a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife and gently sawing motion, cut logs on the diagonal into 1/2-inch wide slices. If using cinnamon-sugar, stir the two together and dip both cut sides in the mixture. Arrange slices, a cut side down, on baking sheet(s). Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, until golden underneath. Turn each biscotti over and bake for a final 6 to 8 minutes, until lightly bronzed all over. Let cool on rack.