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    Home > Dessert > Mike Lamp’s Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

    Mike Lamp’s Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

    Published: Apr 3, 2013 · Modified: Jul 6, 2020 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Step by step cranberry pistachio biscotti

    Golden and lightly crisped, these twice-baked cranberry pistachio biscotti are perfect for Christmas. A recipe from CPR celebrity, Mike Lamp.

    Pistachio and cranberry biscotti

    Classic Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti. Our friend Mike makes the best. A slight variance from a traditional Italian Biscotti recipe, Cranberries and Pistachios add a festive holiday version.

    We met Mike Lamp through our mutual friends, Greg and Cauleen and got to know him at gatherings at their house. Gatherings like the annual New Year’s Day pork and sauerkraut celebration, the Halloween night chicken pot pie event, and the annual Easter egg hunt and ham extravaganza. All of us invited bring something to add to the meal, and it’s always a treat to see what Mike brings. He has a knack of picking something impressive and creative which he crafts perfectly leading all of us to quickly gather round the platter for the traditional viewing and the culinary explanation behind his creation.

    I rest my case with this photo of his swoon-worthy chocolate dipped candied orange peel that he brought one holiday. And this past January he showed up with a container of homemade biscotti. Loaded with dried cranberries and pistachios and spiked with the zest of an orange and almond extract, it was hands down the best biscotti I’ve ever tasted.  Let’s take a look.

    pistachio and cranberry biscotti

    Biscotti is a fairly uncomplicated project, combining flour and butter, fruit and nuts and shaping into logs before baking.

    slicing pistachio and cranberry biscotti

    Biscotti gets it’s signature texture from a double bake. After they come out of the oven, use a serrated knife and slice on the diagional.  Lay the pieces flat and pop them back into the oven for a 2nd bake.

    cooling homemade pistachio and cranberry biscotti.

    Cool biscotti on a wire rack and then store in air tight containers for two weeks worth of treats to enjoy with your morning coffee. This recipe was easy enough for even me the non-baker to make. Thanks for tip on a great recipe Mike.

    Mike Lamp NPR radio host

    This photo comes from the  CPR web site. Mike Lamp is an award winning journalist and currently the morning host of Colorado Public Radio’s news service. He produces interviews heard on “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered”.

    Let’s take a look at this basic Italian biscotti recipe with cranberries and pistachios:

    Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

    Golden and lightly crisped, these twice-baked cranberry pistachio biscotti are perfect for Christmas. 
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 560kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups flour
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2 large eggs
    • 3/4 cups sugar
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and then cooled
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
    • 1 cup pistachios coarse chopped and toasted
    • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • In bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
    • By mixer, in a large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium speed until light in color and thick, about 3 minutes.
    • Beat in melted butter, orange zest, vanilla and almond extract on low speed until blended.
    • Add the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Using a wooden spoon, stir in pistachios and cranberries. The dough will be soft and sticky.
    • Scoop half of the dough onto 1/2 of the prepared baking sheet and form it into a log 10 inches long. Repeat with the remaining dough, and space the logs about 3 inches apart. Press the logs gently to make them 3 inches wide. With damp fingertips, gently smooth the surface of the logs.
    • Bake the logs until they are crisp and golden on the outside. 20 – 25 minutes. The centers will be soft.
    • Remove from oven and lower oven temperature to 300. Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
    • With a wide spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife cut the logs crosswise on a diagonal into slices 3/4 inch thick. Arrange the slices cut side down and 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet.
    • Return to the oven and bake until cookies are crisp and brown on the outside, about 17 – 22 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The interior of the cookies will become crisp as they cool.
    • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 648IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

    Mike Lamp’s Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti …It’s What’s for Coffee…

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. claudia lamascolo says

      September 05, 2013 at 4:11 pm

      What a perfect cookie for Christmas saving this one.. if I get a chance to make it I will blog about it with Mike and you very nice recipe!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        September 08, 2013 at 7:01 am

        Thanks Claudia! It’s a flavorful recipe. I just had to make it as soon as I tasted what Mike brought to the party. Thanks for stopping by and the comment.

        Reply
    2. Robyn says

      April 21, 2013 at 6:40 am

      I love Biscotti- I’m going to have to give this a try!!!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 22, 2013 at 6:14 am

        I can’t bake, but for some reason I can make biscotti. I hope you like it Robyn.

        Reply
    3. Vickie says

      April 07, 2013 at 9:49 am

      I am so impressed with this one – such a beautiful treat! You can bet I’ll be making these next time my kids come for a visit. Gorgeous photos!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 10, 2013 at 7:14 am

        Biscotti is pretty darn easy. This made a pretty big batch, so I have some in the freezer.

        Reply
    4. Chris says

      April 06, 2013 at 6:10 pm

      I’ve never made biscotti before, but you make it sound so easy.

      The recipe makes me sad because I lost the handwritten copy of the first BBQ sauce I ever had that my deceased grandmother gave me. It is somewhere in this house on a 3 x 5 notecard. I know the recipe but I want the handwritten one.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 10, 2013 at 7:15 am

        Biscotti is pretty easy. I sure hope that recipe turns up Chris. I hate loosing things like that.

        Reply
    5. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

      April 06, 2013 at 1:09 pm

      I love biscotti…no matter how full I am after a meal, I always have room for one or two. These sound great…thank Mike for sharing the recipe with us.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 06, 2013 at 3:39 pm

        I’m not a big biscotti lover, but I sure couldn’t keep out of these.

        Reply
    6. Barbara says

      April 06, 2013 at 5:38 am

      Absolutely wonderful, Lea Ann. I’m saving this for the holidays. WS has fab recipes, I adore their Butternut Squash soup recipe…use it every Thanksgiving.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 06, 2013 at 3:39 pm

        Thank Barbara.

        Reply
    7. Kristi Rimkus says

      April 05, 2013 at 8:50 pm

      How lucky to have such a wonderful friend. That candied orange with dipped chocolate makes me drool, and have a biscotti fanatic friend who’ll love this recipe.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 06, 2013 at 3:40 pm

        Aren’t those orange slices impressive??? I loved them.

        Reply
    8. Karen says

      April 05, 2013 at 3:25 pm

      I have a favorite cranberry & walnut biscotti. I’ll have to give this recipe a try to see if it beats it 😉 I always think W-S recipes sound so good!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 06, 2013 at 3:40 pm

        Cranberry/walnut has caught my attention. I’ll have to try that combo.

        Reply
    9. Susan says

      April 04, 2013 at 6:18 pm

      I just made biscotti today too since our family is coming over this weekend and my SIL loves biscotti and a little Vin Santo for his dessert after dinner. I make a very traditional Italian version with almonds but I would love to try this fruit and pistachio-studded version. It’s beautiful too!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 06, 2013 at 3:41 pm

        I’ve sure been noticing biscotti recipes since I made this batch. So many good versions.

        Reply
    10. Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says

      April 04, 2013 at 9:56 am

      Love everything about this including it’s so much prettier than the usual biscotti. A must try for sure! I haven’t made biscotti in a long time but I do remember that I was very impressed with how easy it was and how well it turned out.
      Sam

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 06, 2013 at 3:42 pm

        Yes, it is easy. You know if I can make it …..

        Reply
    11. Penny says

      April 04, 2013 at 6:53 am

      This is a wonderful combination. I think I will make a batch when we have company. On second thought, why wait for company?

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 06, 2013 at 3:42 pm

        I agree Penny, why wait. Actually it makes a pretty large batch. You could freeze some of it.

        Reply
    12. Jenn says

      April 04, 2013 at 6:32 am

      Did you know that cranberry pistachio is my favorite biscotti flavor combo?? Seriously..!! Thank you for posting this… now, I just need to find the courage to make them myself!! 🙂

      Reply
    13. Karen Harris says

      April 04, 2013 at 6:03 am

      What a pretty looking treat. I’ve never made biscotti although I have threatened to many times. This recipe just might be inspiration I need to get with it.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 04, 2013 at 6:32 am

        I’ve made biscotti twice and have liked the results from both recipes. You know it’s easy if I can make it.

        Reply
    14. Larry says

      April 03, 2013 at 5:01 pm

      I don’t believe I’ve ever had biscotti, but this sure makes me want to.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 04, 2013 at 6:34 am

        I don’t like most biscotti. Hard and crunchy isn’t my idea of a treat. But both recipes that I’ve made myself have been good.

        Reply
    15. Nancy says

      April 03, 2013 at 3:19 pm

      This looks good enough to serve for a birthday!! Bet it travels well…you know…like if you wanted to send it to a friend or something.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        April 04, 2013 at 6:36 am

        I’m sure it does travel well…. if there was any left. 🙂

        Reply
    16. Rocky Mountain Woman says

      April 03, 2013 at 2:15 pm

      I love this combo!

      I have a bunch of old Williams Sonoma cookbooks, I’ll see if it’s in any of them…

      Reply

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    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad bringing you Wild West Colorado inspired recipes. You'll find lots of Southwestern, and Mexican food recipes, and some favorites from Culinary School along with pro cooking tips. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration and reliable, approachable, easy to follow recipes.

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