Cranberry Orange Sourdough Discard Biscotti

Studded with tart, sweet cranberries and bright orange flavor, you’ll love these Sourdough Cranberry Orange Biscotti. These cookies are twice-baked which not only imparts their delicious crunchy texture but also makes them an excellent choice for gift-giving, for a delightful homemade present for friends and family.

This recipe is another collaboration with my friend and fellow obsessive baker, Mimi at Mimi's Organic Eats. We've been dreaming up creative sourdough recipes each month.

Mimi is the queen of cookies, she even wrote a book on it! So, when cookie season came around, we knew that we needed to put a sourdough twist on one of Mimi's delicious biscotti recipes.

Want more tried and tested sourdough recipes? Check out the other recipes from our collaboration, like Sourdough Red Velvet Cake Balls, Sourdough Lemon Bundt Cake and Sourdough Rosemary Lemon Bread.

What is biscotti?

Biscotti is an Italian cookie that has a delicious crisp texture. They typically have an elongated shape and are flavored with almonds, citrus zest, or other extracts. Its crunchy texture makes it perfect for dipping into coffee or dessert wines.

What makes biscotti special?

Biscotti stands out in the realm of cookies due to their distinctive twice-baked preparation. Initially formed as a loaf and later sliced into individual cookies, this process imparts their unique crisp texture. It also removes most of the moisture, ensuring they last longer and are less prone to developing mold.

What you need

All-purpose flour: The protein content of all-purpose flour results in tender and light biscotti. Don’t substitute whole wheat flour in this recipe or your cookies may become dense and dry.
Sourdough discard: Both sourdough discard and active sourdough starter will work in this recipe. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, add 28 grams of flour and 28 grams of water to your biscotti dough.
Orange extract: Use 2 teaspoons if using orange flavor since it has a milder flavor.
Dried cranberries: Both sweetened and unsweetened dried cranberries will work for this recipe.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information.

Baking with sourdough discard

Sourdough discard adds a great tangy flavor to these sourdough biscotti. Conveniently, you can use your discard straight from the fridge without the need to activate or feed your sourdough starter since it won't be used for bread-making.

You can use older discard with a more pronounced acidity or use a freshly-fed sourdough starter. Both will yield delicious biscotti, but offer a slightly distinct flavor.

Variations

Try my recipes for Sourdough Peppermint Biscotti and Sourdough Chocolate Biscotti.

Step-by-step instructions

STEP 1: Mix the butter, sugar and extract until combined.

STEP 2: Stir in the remaining ingredients.

STEP 3: Bring the dough together using your hands.

STEP 4: Form a large log and sprinkle cane sugar on top.

STEP 5: Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes.

STEP 6: Slice the loaf into 12 equal portions.

STEP 7: Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

STEP 8: Dip biscotti in melted white chocolate or drizzle it on top.

Baker's Tips

Weigh your ingredients: For the best results, use a kitchen scale to measure out your ingredients instead of using cups and tablespoons.
Test your leaveners for freshness: Combine a pinch of baking powder with a drop of vinegar. If the mixture fizzes, then your leaveners will work.
Don't over bake your biscotti: Avoid over baking your biscotti to prevent excessive browning, resulting in a texture that is overly hard and dry.

How to store biscotti

Double-baking biscotti not only enhances their dry and crisp texture but also removes excess moisture, a key factor in prolonging their shelf life compared to other types of cookies. The reduced moisture content helps prevent the development of mold and preserves the biscotti's freshness for an extended period.

Biscotti will last for up to 7 days when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Recipe FAQs

Will these biscotti taste like sourdough?

The sourdough flavor will depend on the unique flavor of your sourdough discard. Discard that’s been kept in the fridge for longer will have built up more acidity and will have a more intense flavor. Discard from a freshly fed starter will have a sweeter, milder flavor.

I don’t have enough sourdough discard, can I still make this recipe?

Absolutely! Simply use the same proportion of freshly fed sourdough starter in the recipe. Your starter won’t add a strong tangy flavor to your biscotti, but it will still work.

If you don’t have a starter, but still want to try out this recipe, simply add 28 grams of all-purpose flour and 28 grams of water to your dough. The recipe will still turn out delicious, but you won’t have the tangy flavor of sourdough.

Why do I need to add baking powder if I’m already using sourdough starter in this recipe?

Baking powder and sourdough starter cannot be interchangeably used in recipes due to their distinct leavening mechanisms. Baking powder provides quick and reliable chemical leavening, while sourdough starter involves a slower natural fermentation process by wild yeast and bacteria, contributing unique flavors.

Substituting one for the other would significantly alter the texture, taste, and overall outcome of the baked goods.