Did you know that you can make biscotti into almost any flavor? If you like baking with fall spices, these Pumpkin Biscotti are for you! Your home will smell like pumpkin spice as they are baking in the oven!
It’s fall, and pumpkin spice can be found everywhere!
I’ve always enjoyed baking with these spicy and sweet spices that make up this blend -cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. In fact, I enjoy it so much that I made my own pumpkin spice blend!
It’s been almost a year since I last shared this thin biscotti recipe with all of you. It was only a question of time before I would combine two of my favorite things.
Ingredients
- Flour. A combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour provides the perfect texture for this Italian biscuit.
- Baking Powder. Just the right amount for the perfect rise without the aftertaste.
- Pumpkin Spice. A homemade version, without any additives, is always better.
- Salt. Easy to forget, but so important.
- Eggs. Take your eggs out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before starting.
- Brown sugar. This provides a rich undertone.
- Pumpkin Puree. You can make your own or purchase canned pumpkin puree.
- Vegetable or canola oil. A neutral-tasting oil works really well in this recipe.
- Vanilla extract. It pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin flavors.
As far as accessories are concerned, it would be best if you had two bowls to separately combine the dry and wet ingredients, as well as a whisk.
You also need a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Finally, a cutting board and a sharp knife are required to slice these biscotti cookies properly.
It’s now time to combine biscotti and pumpkin… are you ready?
Instructions
In the first bowl, we are going to combine all of the dry ingredients.
So, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, the baking powder, the pumpkin spices and salt. Set it aside for just a minute.
In the second bowl, whisk together the eggs with the brown sugar for a few minutes. Then add the pumpkin puree, canola or vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Incorporate these ingredients by whisking for a minute or so.
Add this wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon only until the mixture comes together.
With the help of a large spoon, scoop out the dough and place it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until you form two logs.
Then, moisten your fingers with just a little bit of water and shape them into a log.
Bake for approximately thirty minutes or until the top springs back when gently pressed.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool down for at least ten minutes.
Place on cutting board and with a sharp serrated knife, slice into ½-inch slices. Place these sliced pumpkin spice biscotti back on the parchment-lined baking sheet for a second bake. Bake for about 7-10 minutes before turning them over and baking for the same amount of time.
Please note that the longer they stay in the oven, the crunchier and harder they get.
Tips
- There is no need to use a stand mixer with this recipe. Both the dry and wet ingredients come together very easily with a whisk.
- Once you remove the biscotti loaf from the oven, allow it to cool down for at least ten minutes before slicing into it.
- You can obtain a softer cookie by eliminating or reducing the time for the second bake.
- If desired, the pumpkin loaves can be sprinkled with turbinado sugar before the first bake.
Can I add nuts?
Yes, you can add a handful of nuts, like roasted pepitas, seeds or chopped-up dry fruit.
Here is a comprehensive guide on How to Make Biscotti. Be sure to consult it for more tips and tricks.
Easy biscotti recipes we love
Recipe origins
You probably already know that I love biscotti. Be sure to look at my collection of biscotti recipes to be convinced!
I enjoy this simple Italian cookie’s versatility and the fact that they are great to dunk in your coffee. I’ve done a lot of experimentation with different flavors over the years and oftentimes, I will use my mom’s recipe for almond biscotti as a base.
Here are some of my modifications:
- To accommodate the pumpkin puree, which is essentially a “wet” ingredient, I decreased the number of eggs and the total amount of oil.
- A neutral oil (canola) was used instead of olive oil as this was a better combination with the pumpkin spice.
- Half of the regular all-purpose flour was replaced with whole wheat flour.
- The almond extract was eliminated and the vanilla extract was increased.
These pumpkin biscotti will provide you with a crunchy and crispy exterior, with a touch of softness in the middle.
Enjoy!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this Pumpkin Biscotti recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Pumpkin Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour, all purpose 142 grams
- 1 cup flour, whole wheat 156 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Position rack in the center.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt).
- In another bowl, whisk together eggs and brown sugar for a few minutes.
- Add the pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla extract, and whisk together for another minute or so.
- Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients; stir with wooden spoon until just incorporated.
- Use a large spoon to scoop out the dough and place it on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until two logs are formed.With damp fingers, shape into a log shape.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown in color and firm to the touch. Allow to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from baking sheet and transfer to cutting board.
- Using a serrated knife, slice cookies at an angle about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick.
- Place slices back on the baking sheets, and return them to the oven for about another 15-20 minutes (the longer they stay in the oven, the crispier they get). Turn them over at the half way mark.
- Place on a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
- There is no need to use a stand mixer with this recipe. Both the dry and wet ingredients come together very easily with a whisk.
- Once you remove the biscotti loaf from the oven, allow it to cool down for at least ten minutes before slicing into it.
- You can obtain a softer cookie by eliminating or reducing the time for the second bake.
- If desired, the pumpkin loaves can be sprinkled with turbinado sugar before the first bake.
- A handful of nuts, like roasted pepitas, seeds or chopped up dry fruit can be added to the mixture.
Nutrition
Faith Whitman
Maria, What can I say? These are amazing. Easy to make and so delicious. I added toasted, slivered almonds and dried cranberries and they just taste like the holidays. I have been baking using pumpkin a lot this season and my daughter always complains that there is not enough of a pumpkin taste. Well, these did the trick. So pumpkiny and delicious. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have subscribed to your emails and am looking forward to many more fabulous recipes from you.
Grateful,
Faith
Maria
How wonderful Faith! I am so thrilled to read this. Thanks so much for taking the time to share. I love the addition of almonds and cranberries… so festive!
Nel
I have made this recipe twice. The first time I wished that there was a little more, since it seemed to be eaten so quickly. So the second time I made it as one and a half proportions, which still fit onto the baking sheet in two biscotti loafs and I had enough “extra” to give some away. Thank You for this lovely recipe.
Maria
How wonderful Nel! Thanks so much for sharing.
Barbara Miller
Made these today. Great recipe. I made one log as is and added chopped dried cranberries to the other one. Didn’t have parchment paper so used shiny side up foil lightly sprayed with pan spray, worked great! This will be a keeper recipe in my house, thanks so much for sharing.
Maria
Great idea Barbara! Thanks so much for sharing! Thrilled to read you enjoyed the biscotti.
LeeAnne Gelfand
I enjoy baking a lil something something for my nurse daughter and her colleagues for the night shift. Coffee break at 3 am deserves some love. I made these today for tonight’s night shift. Easy peas and a delicious delight. I will make these again. Do you think I could use butter in this recipe? Thank you.
:o)
Maria
God bless your daughter. I had the privilege of working with wonderful nurses during my career… they are truly so special.
How very thoughtful of you Lee Anne. Although I have not tried, I imagine you should be able to replace the oil with butter. Would love to hear about your results if you do decide to try it. Thanks for stopping by.
Connie
I have never made biscotti. With you modifications, do you mean you totally eliminated the oil in the pumpkin biscotti?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Connie. Yes. Hope you get a chance to try it!
tracy beary
can you make these with all ap flour instead of wheat?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Tracy. I have never tried, but I imagine it should work. Would love to hear about your results if you do decide to try it.
T
I made these today. They smelled absolutely amazing while in the oven. The kids woke up to the aroma of pumpkin and spice filling the house! But, unfortunately, when I took them out of the oven and tasted one, I was a little bummed. I knew right away what happened. I didn’t put any salt in it. So I went back to check the recipe again (I was pretty certain I had followed it exactly). And sure enough, the recipe didn’t have it listed. So I checked your mom’s almond biscotti recipe and it calls for a half tsp.
An honest mistake when to make when you transcribed. I’m just kinda kicking myself for not catching it when I made them.
Maria
Oh no!!! I’m so sorry! I will make the correction ASAP. Thanks so much for letting me know, totally appreciate it!
Grace Paolucci
Easiest and fastest biscotti recipe I’ve ever made. The pumpkin twist is perfect for the season and I will be serving these over thanksgiving weekend.
Maria, I’ve made several of your recipes and each one is an A+… you are very talented.
What I love most about your offering is how a significant amount of your content is dedicated to preserving (and testing and standardizing) our shared culinary history (la cucina povera … aka nonna’s skills, knowledge and talents from all parts of Italy). I recommend your site to everyone I know. Grazie mille.
Maria
Thank you so much for your kind words Grace… they truly mean a lot to me. Yes, these pumpkin biscotti are super easy to make and they capture the essence of fall. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts, you made my day ♥
Bela Butalia
Thank you Maria for a super recipe. I used it to make a cake by lowering the oven temperature and skipping the slicing and toasting, as I was making it to take for tea with some neighbours! They lived it. But I also made a new recipe with thesebguidelines. As I have to control my sugar and white flour intake, I made breakfast flapjacks by reducing the oil, 1 tbsp sugar only and substituting white flour (used just 1/8th) with oats, and adding milk. They came out super. A tiny drizzle of honey on top of the hot flapjack was the cherry on the cake.
Am greatly inspired to try your other recipes too. Thanks again.
Maria
My pleasure Bela! I absolutely love your variations… thanks so much for sharing! Truly appreciate you taking the time to write ♥
Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli
These are just too adorable (and I easily guess, pretty good!) No, I didn’t know you can have biscotti with any flavor! And I definitely love the pumpkin and spice flavor of these ones. Another great recipe, Maria!
Maria
Ahh, thanks Nicoletta. Yes, these pumpkin biscotti are/were definitely a hit! If you like pumpkin spice flavors, you will love them. Thanks so much for stopping by ♥