golden raisins

Golden raisin biscotti with toasted almonds are the perfect addition to your holiday baking list. If you are a biscotti lover, try this gingerbread biscotti too!

Because this recipe has a bit of liquid, fruit and butter, it is not quite as hard as most Italian biscotti.

It is still very crunchy, but one thing it is not, is dry. I sprinkled the top with a mixture of coarse sugar and flake sea salt for extra crunch.

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Golden raisin biscotti with almonds and amaretto

I know what you’re thinking – raisin biscotti… really? Stay with me, because they are golden raisins soaked in amaretto.

One of the nice things about this recipe is that most of these ingredients are already in your pantry, especially if you’ve stocked up for holiday baking.

While I do love the “normal” flavors, if I can create something unique and different, I’m all in. Butter pecan biscotti was one of those ideas and it has become a reader favorite.

What’s the difference between golden raisins (sultanas) and regular raisins

All raisins, both golden and brown, are made from green seedless grapes. The difference comes from how they are dried. Brown or regular raisins are dried for weeks in the sun, giving them a deep color. 

Golden raisins are dried in big dehydrators with controlled temperatures and controlled humidity. The result is a plumper, fruitier, milder raisin.

They also have a better texture than regular raisins, which makes them the preferred raisin as far as I’m concerned and they are an excellent choice for both baking and cooking.

I’m not a huge fan of raisins, but golden raisins are another story.

What if I can’t find golden raisins?

Golden raisins, or sultanas, can be substituted with regular raisins. The flavor isn’t quite the same, but it is the easiest substitute.

The raisins are soaked in warm amaretto, but if you prefer to keep it kid-friendly, you can use a little hot water instead. Some of the alcohol will bake off but if you are concerned about any trace amounts, use water or apple juice.

Can you freeze biscotti?

Absolutely! Biscotti freezes really well, actually. To store biscotti in the freezer, place pieces of parchment paper between them and store in an airtight container.

If you’ve found they’ve become less crispy when they’ve thawed (and they might!), warm them in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes.

Another option is to freeze the dough and bake fresh biscotti from the frozen made ahead dough.

How to make biscotti with raisins and almonds

Making biscotti isn’t difficult, but it does require a bit more time than a batch of drop cookies.

Because they are baked twice, the whole process will take you a little over an hour. It is well worth the time, because these cookies are divine.

You’ll need a couple of mixing bowls, a whisk, a rubber spatula and a lined baking sheet.

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, butter, amaretto-soaked golden raisins, vanilla, almonds and eggs.
3. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir just until combined.
4. Let dough chill for 30 – 45 minutes.
5. Shape dough into two rectangles, egg wash (to give it a shine) and sprinkle with sugar mixture.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Cool, then gently slice and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Pro Tip: If you want to make your biscotti extra crunchy, let them dry out in a warm oven with the door cracked open.

Chef’s notes

• I used Maldon salt mixed with turbinado sugar for a crunchy topping full of texture and the sweet/salty combination. DO NOT use iodized table salt and regular granulated sugar – it will not result in the same crunchy texture. 

• Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat like a silpat. Amazonbasics has a silicone baking mat set that is a very budget-friendly option. I baked this recipe once with parchment and once with a silpat. Both gave me excellent results, but I might lean ever so slightly towards the silpat.

• I highly recommend this serrated knife for slicing your biscotti. The blade is sturdy, yet thin enough to slice through delicate biscotti dough without breaking it. When slicing biscotti, try to avoid too much “sawing” back and forth, let the knife do the work for you.

• The recipe calls for melted and cooled butter. When recipe testing, I was impatient and didn’t wait for my butter to cool properly. It was almost a disaster – don’t be me. Follow directions.

• As with every recipe, read it through before you begin and make sure you have all of your ingredients! I tell you this because it has happened to me more often than I care to tell you.

How to ship biscotti

These are the best cookies to send in the mail because they are sturdy. Pack them with crumpled up tissue or parchment paper to cushion them.

If you’ll be sending in the mail, I recommend a metal cookie tin to protect them. A rectangular cookie tin works better than a round one because of the shape of the cookies, it allows you to pack them snuggly.

They are also perfect for cookie exchanges and these red and white snowflake boxes are a favorite for packing up treats to share with local friends and family.

And there you have it, friends. A unique and delicious cookie for your holiday season.

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