Makes about 2 dozen
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
For the Chocolate Almond variation:
1 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
Add ½ tsp almond extract when you add the vanilla
For the Cranberry Walnut variation:
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together and then beat in the eggs, one at a time.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, one-third at a time, until just mixed together. Stir in your additions of either the cranberry-walnuts or the chocolate-almonds.
Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a loaf shape about 12 inches long by 4 inches wide. Place each loaf onto its own baking sheet that you’ve lined with parchment or foil and bake in a 325 degree oven for about 25 minutes until the loaves are firm and barely golden.
Transfer the loaves to a cutting board and let cool/rest for 5 minutes. Cut each loaf into slices about an inch wide. Place the slices on the baking sheets, with the cut sides down, and bake for about another ten minutes, flipping the slices over after the first five minutes. The biscotti is done as soon as they look slightly browned and toasted.