My Italian ancestry (Sicilian really, no surprise there) dictates that every Christmas holiday I made at least one biscotti recipe. As I’ve written before, I’ve got the baking part down to a personal science, and I often ignore the baking directions on a particular biscotti recipe. For me, the best bake comes from a usual first bake of 25 minutes at 350 F, a 5-minute cool down, and a 10 minute (or so) second bake with the biscotti standing upright. I’ve baked these cookies this way for a long while, and so while I share the directions as written, full disclosure: I bake them my way.

This Christmas I looked for a spicy biscotti that I could rotate in – coffee, chocolate, pistachio, citrus – all delicious, but to me the holidays need a little spicing up. And this discover from Amanda Neal of Food Network fit the bill.

Gingerbread Biscotti

Amanda Neal, Food Network Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp gingerbread spice (I used King Arthur Baking Gingerbread Spice or make your own here)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 TBSP molasses
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 4-ounce bars white chocolate, chopped
• 1 TBSP coconut oil or vegetable shortening
• White sanding sugar (for decorating)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2. Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, gingerbread spice, baking powder and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is thoroughly combined with the dry ingredients and the mixture looks sandy. Transfer to a large bowl. 
3. Whisk together the molasses, vanilla, eggs and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; stir into the flour mixture until a crumbly dough forms. Press together and knead into a moist, uniform dough. 
4. Divide the dough in half and place on the prepared baking sheet. Shape the dough into two 10-by-2-inch logs, keeping 3 inches between the logs. If the dough is sticky, splash a couple drops of water on your hands and continue shaping. Bake until the outside is set but the inside is still slightly soft, about 30 minutes. 
5. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer the logs to a cutting board and slice 1/2 inch thick on the bias with a serrated knife. Return the slices to the baking sheet, slat-side down, and bake, flipping the slices halfway through, until crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool.  (This is where I use my stand-by baking method)
6. Once the biscotti are cool, combine the white chocolate and oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second increments, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Dip half of each biscotti at an angle in the white chocolate, letting the excess drip off. Return to the wire rack, then refrigerate until just set, about 5 minutes.  
7. Pour the remaining white chocolate mixture into a small piping bag or resealable bag, then snip the tip or corner with kitchen shears to create a small hole. Drizzle the white chocolate at an angle across the dipped end of each biscotti, drizzling in the opposite direction to create a crisscross pattern.
8. Return to the wire rack, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. Refrigerate until all the chocolate is completely set, about 10 minutes.
9. The biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.