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As far as I’m concerned, there really isn’t a bad time for white chocolate pistachio biscotti (or any kind of biscotti, for that matter!)
Made with crunchy pistachios and a dash of pistachio flavoring, plus even more pistachios and white chocolate on top, this biscotti recipe is a pistachio lover’s dream. In addition, it features a bright green color palette perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day, although it’s equally delicious any other day of the year, too.
Why Make This White Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti?
I love enjoying two or three of these biscotti cookies alongside my afternoon tea. However, they’re nice for breakfast, too.
In addition to its versatility, biscotti also boasts another desirable trait: freezability. These pistachio biscotti slices freeze especially well, and will thaw quickly at room temperature, so you don’t have to wait more than ten or fifteen minutes to dig in. If you can’t eat all of your pistachio biscotti right away, just layer the cookies between sheets of parchment in an airtight container, and pop the container in the freezer until ready to enjoy.
Although best enjoyed on the day they’re made, pistachio biscotti cookies will remain edible for 2-3 days if stored in a well-sealed container at room temperature. And if they do they start to get a little bit stale, just dunk them in your tea or coffee. (As I’ve mentioned above, this is my favorite way to enjoy biscotti anyway!)
Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Pistachio Biscotti
Use cold, cubed butter for this recipe, not softened or room temperature. To incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients, you’ll use the “rubbing in” method, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like— rubbing the butter and flour between your fingertips, until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. (I employ this technique to make a variety of doughs and pastries, such as shortcrust pastry and strawberry shortcake.)
Before rolling the logs of pistachio biscotti dough, make sure to flour your countertop to prevent the dough from sticking. Alternately, you can cover the countertop with a silicone rolling mat for easier cleanup.
Use a serrated knife (bread knife, the kind with a saw-toothed edge) and a gentle sawing motion to cut the partially-baked logs into individual biscotti slices. (I do not recommend using a chef’s knife, or you’ll risk ragged edges and broken biscotti.)
When melting the white chocolate in the microwave, be sure to do so in small bursts (15 seconds or so), stirring frequently to prevent the chocolate from burning. You can also use a bain marie or double boiler to melt the chocolate, but it really isn’t necessary for such a small amount.
Biscotti Tools and Ingredients
You’ll want to have a bench scraper on hand when making this biscotti recipe. A simple plastic bench scraper (the kind you’d use for breadmaking) will This will help with mixing the dough, as well as with portioning it into logs. You’ll also need a pastry brush to apply the egg wash to the tops of the logs.
In addition, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have your serrated knife at the ready—see my notes above.
A metal ruler is also helpful for measuring the logs and portioning the slices, although you can “eyeball” the measurements if necessary. Biscotti doesn’t have to be perfectly precise!
Finally, you’ll need green food coloring if you want to tint your chocolate. I used Chefmaster‘s Neon Brite Green, but Leaf Green or Avocado would also work.
Pistachio Biscotti Variations
I used pistachio flavoring in this recipe, both because I happen to love it, and because it gives the biscotti an extra flavor boost that you won’t get from pistachio nuts alone. However, you can omit the pistachio flavoring and add an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract instead, or substitute 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract for the pistachio.
For the decoration, I colored my melted white chocolate with green gel food coloring. (Side note: Although I usually recommend an oil-based coloring for tinting chocolate, the gel works fine for this recipe—no need to purchase an oil-based coloring for such a small amount of chocolate, although you can certainly use an oil if you have it.) If desired, you can substitute green candy melts (coating chocolate) for the tinted white chocolate. Or, skip the food coloring and use plain white chocolate instead.
I used white chocolate chips to make this white chocolate pistachio biscotti, but chopped white chocolate will work, too. (Just keep your chopped chocolate pieces on the smaller side.) You could also use milk or dark chocolate for the biscotti and/or the drizzle decoration, if you aren’t a white chocolate fan.
If you’re planning to make pistachio biscotti for Saint Patrick’s Day, it might be fun to substitute green shamrock sprinkles for the white nonpareils!
Other biscotti recipes you might enjoy:
Chocolate Espresso Biscotti
Rainbow Biscotti
Pumpkin Spice Biscotti
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
White Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 16 3-4-inch biscotti cookies 1x
Description
A white chocolate pistachio biscotti recipe, made with crunchy pistachios and a dash of pistachio flavoring, plus even more pistachios and white chocolate on top!
Ingredients
225 grams all-purpose flour (1 3/4 cups), plus more for dusting countertop
105 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
45 grams unsalted butter, cold and cubed (3 tablespoons)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pistachio flavoring
100 grams white chocolate chips (3 1/2 ounces, or about 1/2 cup)
70 grams pistachios (1/2 cup)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
To Decorate:
50 grams chopped white chocolate (1 3/4 ounces, or about 1/4 cup)
Gel food coloring (I used Chefmaster’s Neon Brite Green)
2 tablespoons crushed pistachios
White nonpareils, for sprinkling
Instructions
Method:
Preheat oven to 350° F / 175° C. Line a half-sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt.
Add cubed butter to flour mixture and use your hands to combine. The mixture will resemble breadcrumbs.
Add eggs, vanilla, and pistachio flavoring to the flour-butter mixture.
Use a bench scraper to bring the mixture together.
Add the white chocolate chips and pistachios, then use your hands to knead gently until a soft dough forms.
On a lightly floured countertop, divide the biscotti dough into two equal portions.
Roll each portion into a log, measuring approximately 7 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches wide.
Place two logs on prepared tray, making sure to allow a good amount of space between the two.
Use a pastry brush to the tops of the logs with beaten egg white.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes on tray.
Transfer logs to a cutting board.
With a gentle sawing motion, use a serrated knife to cut each log on the diagonal, creating 3/4-inch wide slices.
Place the slices upright on the parchment-lined tray and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes, or until dry and lightly golden on top.
Transfer pistachio biscotti to a wire rack and allow cool completely.
Once cool, melt the white chocolate in the microwave in short intervals, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Stir in neon green gel food coloring, if using.
Transfer melted chocolate to a piping bag. Pipe in zigzags over the biscotti.
Sprinkle with crushed pistachios and white nonpareils.
Allow biscotti to sit at room temperature, uncovered, until white chocolate has set. Serve immediately.
Store leftover biscotti in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment, for up to three days. Leftover biscotti can also be frozen, and will thaw very quickly at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40 minutes, divided
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Desserts