It is OFFICIALLY full-on holiday-baking time and I'm way too excited about all the recipes I have to share with you guys in the coming month. Full disclosure, I've been eating gingerbread since mid-October (did I call that breakfast? Oh yeah, I did) and pretending it's Christmas since before Thanksgiving, so the fact that now I can actually do all of this stuff and seem like a normal person makes me extra-happy. Soooo... let's talk extra-gooey-caramel-drizzled candied pecan biscotti, yes?
When I'm trying to act like a semi-healthy adult who doesn't eat gingerbread cookies and cranberry chocolate sweet rolls for breakfast, I like to sneak whole wheat flour into recipes and call it halfway nutritious. But in reality, combining whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour is an easy way to put a healthier spin on baked goods, which in this case is the perfect excuse to add THE BEST brown sugar candied pecans and some sinfully-good salted caramel to the mix. On its own, all-purpose flour is obviously super-versatile and perfect for just about any baking, but the whole wheat adds some nuttiness to the flavor which is alwayyyyys welcome when we're talking toasty pecans and rich homemade caramel.
I'll tell you in all honesty that I'm a huge biscotti fan whether said biscotti is flecked with almond slivers, studded with cinnamon chips, or speckled with vanilla bean, but I have to admit that this is (for sure) one of my favorite variations of all time. The cookie base itself is simple - nothing too fancy, just a crispy cookie laced with whole wheat flour and brown sugar - but when you add those candied pecans on top with a gooey caramel drizzle and a sprinkle of sea salt, the whole thing becomes top notch. But no matter what you do, I have to beg you: don't skip the caramel because it will NOT make the biscotti too sweet, and don't skip the sea salt, because it's just what you need here to lift up all those intoxicatingly flavors and put them over the top. There is a 0% chance you'll regret either decision. :)
Recipe Card
Salted Caramel and Candied Pecan Biscotti
Crunchy candied pecans, a sweet caramel drizzle, and a sprinkle of sea salt turn simple biscotti into an extra-tempting treat.
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 biscotti 1x
Ingredients
Biscotti
- 4 ¼ ounces (1 cup, spoon and level) Bob's Red Mill Organic Unbleached All Purpose White Flour
- 4 ¼ ounces (1 cup, spoon and level) Bob's Red Mill Organic Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces (¼ cup) salted butter, softened
- 1 ⅞ ounces (¼ cup packed) brown sugar
- 1 ¾ ounces (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 ounces (1 cup) pecans, preferably candied
Salted Caramel Drizzle
- 3 ½ ounces (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 4 ⅛ ounces (½ cup) heavy cream
- sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12" x 5 ½" biscotti pan with parchment (or line a baking sheet with parchment paper).
- In a bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a bowl and handheld electric mixer), cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light, wiping down the bowl and beater as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time until smoothly incorporated, again scraping down bowl/beater as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix in on lowest speed until mostly incorporated. Finish folding in by hand just until evenly combined.
- Transfer batter to the prepared biscotti pan and flatten out to fill pan all the way to corners and edges in an even layer. (It helps to use a wide, flat spatula greased with nonstick spray to do this.) If using a baking tray, flatten dough out into a 12" x 5 ½" rectangle, making the edges as neat as possible. Scatter chopped pecans over dough and press into top.
- Bake biscotti in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice into 1" wide biscotti with a serrated knife. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet (or spread out on current baking sheet if already using), laying on one of cut sides. Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF and bake another 30 minutes, flipping biscotti to opposite sides halfway through baking time. Biscotti should feel firm in the center but not hard when done; they will continue to get crunchier as they cool. Allow to cool completely before adding caramel drizzle.
Salted Caramel Drizzle*
- Place sugar in a medium-large, heavy bottomed pot and set on stove over medium-low heat. Allow to melt, watching carefully. (This usually takes about 10-15 minutes on my stove, but times can vary substantially from one stove to another).
- Once sugar is beginning to melt, microwave cream for about 1 ½ minutes, until very warm. Using a heat-safe spatula, begin to gently scoop melted sugar over unmelted to prevent burning until all has liquified. Continue to stir gently until sugar is a deep amber color.
- Slowly and carefully pour cream into sugar while stirring - the mixture will bubble up and be VERY hot. Continue to stir constantly as you cook about another 2 minutes, until thickened; the caramel will still be runny and will continue to thicken substantially as it cools.
- Cool caramel for about 5 minutes, just until thickened enough to drizzle.** Drizzle over biscotti and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to set before eating. Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
*For a more in-depth look at making caramel (especially if this is your first time!), check out this post.
**If the caramel cools too much and gets too thick to drizzle, microwave for a couple seconds to thin out just enough, and use immediately.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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Nano Cleansers
amazing photos, delicious looking dessert!
Baby June
Oh my now that is a biscotti! I love these kinds of cookies, but I've never seen one quite like this! :)
alexandra
Thanks so much!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
This is by far the best biscotti I have seen.. totally drooling over the images, especially that caramel drizzle!
alexandra
Haha thank you so much Thalia! The caramel drizzle is of course the best part. ;)
Alison Jeanine
Would be absolutely divine with my morning cup of coffee (or those December mornings that I opt for hot cocoa!) ;) Thanks for sharing girl! Xo, Alison
http://www.simplyfairbyalisonjeanine.com
alexandra
YES! Thanks Alison! :)
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes
Hi! Just came across your lovely blog. Linked your DIY peanut butter to one of my recipes :) These biscotti look amazing. Love the caramel drizzle on them! Thanks for sharing :)
alexandra
Thanks so much for the link love Vanessa! :)