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 Pyramid of Pumpkin Biscotti 3 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp of cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
Sift together flour, baking powder and spices, set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar until well incorporated (it won’t cream perfectly), about 3 minutes by hand. Combine eggs, pumpkin and vanilla, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add flour mixture and stir well. If dough is still really wet to the touch, you can chill it for 15-20 minutes to make it easier to handle or dust with flour.
Divide dough into two pieces. Form into long flat loaves about 1/2 inch tall and 12-15 inches long. Place the loaves 3-4 inches apart on a prepared or non-stick baking sheet.
 Pumpkin Biscotti loaves after first baking Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes (or until you can handle the loaves without burning yourself) on the baking sheet or a cooling rack.
With a serrated or extremely sharp kitchen knife, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, turning over once. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen.
This recipe can use fresh or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree. During the second bake, you’ll be able to determine if your biscotti is drying out well enough. If the cookies still feel soft when you flip them, you might want to reduce your heat and let them bake a little longer than suggested. Biscotti is supposed to be a firm, dry cookie.
You could dip or drizzle with chocolate or something else, I suppose, but we tend to prefer our biscotti without decoration.
 No-Bake Cookies Total time: 10 minutes, plus chill time.
2 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter
1/2 c milk
3 c oats
1/2 c pb
2 tsp vanilla
Microwave milk on high for 30 seconds. Set aside.
In your largest mixing bowl that will fit in the microwave, microwave your stick of butter on high for 1 minute. Remove and add warmed milk and brown sugar. Stir well, until all the sugar lumps are gone (about 40 strokes).
Microwave the whole lot on high for 6 minutes. Do not stop, do not stir. Remove and add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Add oats and stir, stir, stir. Take a break and stir some more. You need to stir until it starts to feel stiff.
Scoop by the spoonful onto wax paper or other nonstick surface, 2-3 inches apart. Cool completely in the refrigerator (1-4 hours).
 Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies with pecans and coconut. Total time: Approximately 45 minutes.
1/2 c butter (1 stick), softened
1/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/4 c chocolate chips
1 tsp shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c coconut flakes
1/2 c pecan pieces
1 c chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 360F.
Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
Melt 1/4 c chocolate chips with shortening in the microwave for one minute, stirring every 20 seconds. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugars with the butter until it appears light and fluffy (about 3 minutes by hand). Add egg and blend until smooth. Add cocoa powder and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add melted chocolate and shortening and blend until smooth.
Add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated (40 strokes or less). Mix in coconut, pecans and chocolate chips.
Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack or aluminum sheet to cool completely.
My first round is always 11 minutes exactly, and each successive round is 10 minutes after that.
 Pecan Oatmeal Cookies Total time: 1 hour.
Also known as “Vermont Maple Cookies”, these are eggless cookies!
1/2 c butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 c maple syrup
1 T hazelnut syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 c boiling water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c shredded coconut
1 c pecans, chopped or whole
1 1/3 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
I’ve separated the ingredients based on steps to make the cookies.
Preheat oven to 300F.
In a medium saucepan on low heat, combine first 4 ingredients and stir until butter is completely melted and well mixed. Remove from heat and pour into large mixing bowl.
In a coffee cup or glass measuring cup, add the baking soda to the hot water. It should bubble excitedly. This is a good sign. If it doesn’t bubble, it means your baking soda is old and yucko.
Add water and baking soda to sugar mix. Stir well. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir, stir, stir.
Measure 1/4 cup of “dough” for each cookie, with a minimum of 3 inches between each pile of dough on the cookie sheet. These will puff out quite large.
Bake 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack or aluminum sheet.
Makes about 20 cookies.
 Chocolate Pecan Biscotti Total time: 1 hour.
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup pecans
2 eggs
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350.
Set aside your melted chocolate to cool slightly. It should be a little above room temperature before you add it to the dough.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
Beat sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add eggs, cocoa and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until just blended. Fold in pecans.
Divide dough into two pieces. Form into long flat loaves about 1/2 inch tall and 12-15 inches long. Place the loaves 3-4 inches apart on a prepared or non-stick baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until dark brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes (or until you can handle the loaves without burning yourself) on a cooling rack or cutting board.
With a serrated or extremely sharp kitchen knife, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning over once. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen.
I used quartered pecans.
 Pecan Biscotti Total time: 1 hour, plus “frosting” time
3 cups cheap all-purpose flour (or 2 1/2 cups of King Arthur flour)
1 cup sugar
1 cup raw pecans, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp hazelnut syrup
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt*
optional spread
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp brown sugar
* Only use 1/2 tsp salt if you’re skipping the butterscotch spread.
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
Beat sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add eggs, syrup and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix just until just blended. Fold in pecans.
 Pecan Biscotti with Butterscotch Divide dough into two pieces. Form into long flat loaves about 1/2 inch tall and 12-15 inches long. Place the loaves 3-4 inches apart on a prepared or non-stick baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes (or until you can handle the loaves without burning yourself) on a cooling rack or cutting board.
With a serrated or extremely sharp kitchen knife, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning over once. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Melt butterscotch chips, brown sugar and butter on low in a double boiler on the stove or on low heat in the microwave, stirring frequently. Spread warm butterscotch mix across the side or bottom of biscotti. Transfer to wax paper to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen.
The butterscotch chips were apparently more packed with sugar than I anticipated. This makes for an incredibly sweet and somewhat “thick” spread instead of what I’m used to with chocolate. Next time, I’ll not be using any brown sugar. It still cooled and became solid, but I’d much prefer to dip or drizzle it over the top of the biscotti instead of having to spread it on like peanut butter.
The biscotti tastes pretty darn good without the butterscotch.
 Ginger Lemon Biscotti Total time: 1 hour
3 cups cheap all-purpose flour (or 2 1/2 cups of King Arthur flour)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup – 1/2 cup minced ginger root
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
Beat sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add eggs, zest and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix just until just blended. Fold in ginger.
Divide dough into two pieces. Form into long flat loaves about 1/2 inch tall and 12-15 inches long. Place the loaves 3-4 inches apart on a prepared or non-stick baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes (or until you can handle the loaves without burning yourself) on a cooling rack or cutting board.
With a serrated or extremely sharp kitchen knife, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning over once. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen.
I’ve used both lemon zest and orange zest to great, tasty success.
 Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Total time: 1.5 hours
1/2 c raisins, soaked for 30-60 minutes, then drained
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 c cheap ap flour
1 egg
1.5 c rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsps vanilla
Preheat the oven to 360.
Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, mix well.
Add flour and baking soda, mix lightly until just incorporated. Add oats and mix lightly to incorporate. Fold in raisins gently.
Spoon out dough by large tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on cookie sheets before moving to cooling rack (about 5 minutes).
 Butter Tarts with Almonds Total time: Approximately 1 hour.
1 cup flour *
3/4 cup almonds, chopped
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (one stick), softened* + 1 Tbsp butter, melted
6 Tbsp cream cheese, softened*
1 egg
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of allspice
Preheat oven to 350.
Cream together cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter. Add flour to make a dough. Press pastry into the bottoms and sides of a tassie pan (24 tassie size) or muffin tin (8-12 muffin size).
Mix together remaining ingredients. Spoon 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp of filling into each tart for tassie pan or 2-3 Tbsp of filling into each muffin cup.
Bake 20-35 minutes. Long range, I know; but what you’re looking for is for the pastry to turn golden and/or the filling to puff up. Tassie pans are typically 20-25 minutes. Muffin pans are 30-35 minutes. You definitely want to watch after you round the mark to make sure the golden doesn’t turn brown (it happens fast, apparently!).
 Inside the Butter Tart * Use these items to make your own dough, or use store bought pastry shells, or use your favorite pie crust/pastry dough.
Canadian butter tarts are made like American pecan pies. You want for your gelatinous filling to settle at the bottom and for any nuts or filling to “float” to the top and create a crisp top.
I used my muffin tin, and I got 10 butter tarts. They were perfectly done at 25 minutes on 350. A toothpick came out clean.
It’s embarrassing how quickly these were devoured, so I’m just not going to tell you how many are left.
 Cinnamon Almond Biscotti Total time: 1 hour.
3 cups cheap all-purpose flour (or 2 1/2 cups of King Arthur flour)
1 cup sugar
1 cup toasted, unsalted almonds
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
Beat sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add eggs, zest and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix just until just blended. Fold in almonds.
Divide dough into two pieces. Form into long flat loaves about 1/2 inch tall and 12-15 inches long. Place the loaves 3-4 inches apart on a prepared or non-stick baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes (or until you can handle the loaves without burning yourself) on a cooling rack or cutting board.
With a serrated or extremely sharp kitchen knife, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning over once. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen.
I used slivered almonds.
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