As tasty as pumpkin pie but also acceptable as breakfast
Did I mention that I love cooking and baking with pumpkin? If you were unaware of this fact, you have been notified. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin parfaits, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin soup- I could continue, but I think you get the point. I like pumpkin in so many ways.
If you’re a regular reader, you’re probably also aware that I’m a semi-seasonal eater. I tend to cook with certain ingredients at specific times of the year. Pumpkin is one of those ingredients. Although I love it, I don’t tend to make pumpkin items in the summer or spring; for me it is a fall and winter ingredient.
So, with the arrival of fall and cooler days, it was time to experiment with ingredients, such as sweet potatoes, apples, and, finally, pumpkin. This biscotti recipe has been on my “need to try it” list since early summer. It baffles me that although I love pumpkin and make biscotti frequently I had yet to combine the two. With the arrival of October it was time to give it a whirl.
Creating this recipe I had a couple of concerns and/or questions as to how the recipe would work. First, the recipe requires pumpkin purée. Acquiring it isn’t a problem, but compensating for the amount of moisture it would add could be. Second, I wanted the bars to taste like pumpkin pie, so it needed some sort of topping to mimic whipped cream. I decided to use white chocolate. Third, without a filling that adds texture (such as nuts or dried fruit) I wondered how its mouthfeel would be.
My results from recipe testing were as noted. First, I increased the amount of flour slightly, removed an egg, and decreased the butter, which produced a batter perfect for biscotti. Second, I thought white chocolate gave a nice amount of sweetness, but it also could be replaced with a vanilla-flavored sugar glaze. Third. I didn’t miss the texture of other mix-ins, which makes sense, as pumpkin pie is smooth and doesn’t have a crunch to it.
These Pumpkin Pie Biscotti delivered on their fall dessert essence but are even better. No one is going to give you a hard time for eating them for breakfast! Make a batch (maybe double it), and then share it with friends and family at your next fall gathering.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Beat butter and sugar in large bowl for 2-3 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla extract, beating until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and blend.
- Add pumpkin to mixture, stirring well to combine.
- Divide dough in half.
- Shape each half into 11″ x 2″ rectangle, using floured hands.
- Set each loaf 2″ apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough is set.
- Leaving the oven on, remove the biscotti loaves and cool for 15 minutes on cookie sheet.
- Using a chef’s knife, cut the loaves into diagonal slices, 1/2″ thick.
- Place slices on cookie sheet with the cut sides down. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Turn over slices, and bake for 10 minutes more.
- Remove biscotti from oven, and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Combine white chocolate and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.
- Continue heating chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring in-between, until chocolate glaze is smooth.
- Using a spoon, spread a layer of glaze on the top or side of each biscotti.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set glaze.
