Fruitcake Biscotti

Have you ever tried dipping fruitcake in coffee? This Fruitcake Biscotti recipe turns a traditional holiday doorstop into a treat that’s both tasty and unique!

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Fruitcake gets a bad rap. No, check that. Fruitcake gets a terrible rap. It’s one of those recipes that always leads to groans whenever it comes up in conversation. I get it. Fruitcakes can be dense. Fruitcakes can be flavorless. (I don’t even know how that’s possible given the amount of nuts and candied fruit…but it’s possible.)

Traditional fruitcake is pretty bad. So let’s reimagine that fruitcake…in biscotti form! I’m not a fan of traditional fruitcake, but this Fruitcake Biscotti? It’s absolutely delicious! *pinky swear*

What are Biscotti?

Biscotti are crunchy cookies (biscuits if you live in Europe) that are oblong in shape and somewhat dry. Known as cantucci in Italy, biscotti are often dipped into vin santo (as a dessert) or cappuccino/coffee (as a morning or afternoon snack).

The term biscotti comes from Latin, and it means “twice baked.” Indeed, biscotti are baked twice. The first bake is a large rectangle of dough. That rectangle is then sliced into long, thin pieces and baked again until crispy.

American Biscotti vs. Italian Biscotti

Traditional Italian biscotti (cantucci) do not include oil or butter in the recipe. As a result, the overly dry cookies almost need to be dipped into vin santo or coffee. Although they might look the same, American biscotti are different. They include butter which leads to a softer and more crumbly cookie. They can still be dipped, but they can also be served by themselves.

Fruitcake Biscotti

To make these Fruitcake Biscotti, I started with my base biscotti recipe. I absolutely love that recipe! I normally add hazelnuts, but I omitted the nuts this time in favor of dried bits of fruit. (Fruitcakes often include nuts and fruit, so you could certainly go with half dried fruit and half chopped nuts.)

Once baked, I melted some white chocolate, and then garnished the tops of the biscotti with chocolate and additional dried fruit. Speaking of dried fruit, you can certainly make candied fruit peels for this recipe. It would be amazing! But it would also take a lot more work. To make life easier, I just grabbed a container of fruit cake mix (aka Tutti Frutti) from the store. Most grocery stores sell Tutti Frutti during the holiday season, and it’s available year-round on Amazon.

This recipe calls for dried orange zest for both the dough as well as the topping. To make dried orange zest, just spread the zest on a paper towel and microwave it in 15-second intervals for about 90 seconds. It’ll dry out and turn crumbly – but it’ll still have all of the orange flavor. It makes a nice addition to these Fruitcake Biscotti!

Variations

• Nuts – Nuts (pecans, almonds and/or walnuts) would be a good addition to these biscotti. Just chop the nuts and make sure to reduce the amount of candied fruit to offset the additional nuts.
• Holiday Spices – For an extra holiday vibe, feel free to add a pinch (literally a pinch!) of ground cinnamon, nutmeg or ground cloves to the dough.
• Homemade Fruit Peels – While it would add a bit more work, using homemade candied citrus peels instead of store-bought Tutti Frutti would be delicious!

How to Store Biscotti

Leftover biscotti should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Due to the white chocolate layer on top, the biscotti will soften slightly over time. They’re still tasty…just a bit softer. If you plan on saving these biscotti, wait and add the melted chocolate on the day you serve them. Biscotti also freeze well. Just place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

If you’re looking for a fun holiday treat, I promise these Fruitcake Biscotti are better than actual fruitcake! We enjoyed these with our morning coffee. And if you happen to like a 4pm cup of reheated coffee each day? Well these biscotti will make a great afternoon snack! Happy baking!

Did you make this Fruitcake Biscotti recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Fruitcake Biscotti

Have you ever tried dipping fruitcake in coffee? This Fruitcake Biscotti recipe turns a traditional holiday cake into a treat that's both tasty and unique!

4 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Decorating Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 biscotti

Calories: 321kcal

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Ingredients

For the Biscotti

• 1 Tbsp orange zest ~1 large orange
• ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup chopped candied red cherries see note
• ¼ cup chopped candied green cherries
• ¼ cup chopped candied orange peel
• ¼ cup chopped candied lemon peel

For the Topping

• 1 Tbsp orange zest ~1 large orange
• ½ cup white chocolate candy melts
• ¼ cup mixed candied fruit

Instructions

For the Biscotti

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper; set pan aside.
• Spread the orange zest on a microwave-safe plate; microwave in 15-second intervals for 60-90 seconds, stirring with fingers after each interval. Set dried orange zest aside. (Note: The zest is done when it’s dry and crumbly. If you don’t stir between each interval, though, the zest can burn.)
• Using an electric mixer, add the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder. Mix on medium speed until smooth.
• Add the eggs; mix on low speed until well combined.
• Add the flour, candied fruit and dried orange zest (from above); mix on low speed until well combined.
• Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet and shape into a 5″x10″ log.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and allow it to cool for 7-8 minutes. Transfer biscotti to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice the log crosswise into ¾" thick slices. Place each biscotti cut-side down on a lined-baking sheet.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, or until the biscotti begin to turn golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer biscotti to a wire rack and let cool completely.

For the Topping

• Using the same method as above, microwave the orange zest until dry and crumbly; set aside.
• Melt white chocolate candy melts according to package instructions.
• Using an offset spatula, spread melted chocolate evenly across top of each biscotti.
• Sprinkle dried orange zest and candied fruit mixture on top.
• Let chocolate set fully (~30 minutes) before serving.

Notes

Instead of using the 4 different candied fruits, use 1 cup of candied fruit cake mix. (This is often available in the baking section of grocery stores around the holidays, or it’s always available on Amazon.)

Looking for more holiday dessert recipes? Check out these other favorites, too: