We are just a few days away from the start of another school year…wow, where did the summer go? My grandson is entering middle school…this totally blows me away because I moved to my small town when he was born so I could help with his care…and that was eleven years ago. He is almost as tall as I am and, at eleven, likes all the things that preteen boys like to do…yikes! I remember when my son was that age. They can be so adorable and so dorky at the same time. My routine “grandma duties” have diminished and one of my most important jobs now is keeping the cookie jar full.
My grandkids like to take a sack lunch rather than buy cafeteria food and a prerequisite for good lunchbox cookies is that they hold up well in a backpack. Ones that crumble to pieces don’t cut it. They like cookies that aren’t fancy and have lots of flavor. Biscotti fills that bill and the great thing about this recipe is that endless variations can be made by changing up what is added to the dough…and a swiggle of frosting, either chocolate or white, is all the decoration that is needed. I like good quality dried fruits and always have a selection on hand for several of my favorite recipes. I chose kiwi, apricots, blueberries and cantaloupe for this batch of biscotti and it reminds me of a summer fruit salad. If you haven’t made biscotti before this is a good recipe to start with. It’s easy to handle…the dough is shaped into logs and partially baked, then sliced and rebaked until lightly browned. The cookies keep well and hold up nicely in a lunch sack or backpack.
If baking cookies is on your “to-do” list for your back-to-schoolers here are a few more of our favorites that you might like. There isn’t a better after school snack that a plate of homemade cookies…especially if Grandma made them.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Chewy Granola Bars
Vanilla Bean Snickerdoodles
Biscoff Toffee Cookies
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups mixed dried fruit, coarsely chopped. I used kiwi, cantaloupe, apricots and blueberries
- Chopped nuts may be substituted for part of the fruit
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour, almond flour and baking powder.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until the mixture thickens and holds its shape, about 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture, then mix in the chopped dried fruit..
- On a lightly floured work surface divide the dough in half. Using floured hands shape each half into a log 3 inches in diameter. Set the logs length wise on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper, evenly spacing them apart. Dampen your hands and smooth the surface of the logs.
- Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking, until the logs are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. (They will flatten out a bit during baking). Remove the baking sheet from the oven and decrease the temperature to 300 degrees. Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer the logs to a cutting board. With a serrated knife cut each log diagonally into slices ½-inch thick. Place the cookies, cut side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until the biscotti are firm, about 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through baking. Let cool completely. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Drizzle cooled biscotti with chocolate if desired.
- Store in an airtight container.
Your biscotti look fantastic & I must make them soon,
A lovely cool tasty food gift:, yummmmm!
Sophie recently posted..Vegan spelt gingered fig crumble!
All of those cookies look delicious. Your grandson is lucky to have a loving grandmother like you.
I never got to meet any of my grandma’s so he is surely blessed to have know you for these past 11 years.
I’m so lucky to be a part of my grandkids lives. When my mom passed away 2 years ago she had great-great grandchildren. We have tough genes in my family. Thanks for your comment, Ramona.
Cathy recently posted..Lunch Box Fruit Salad Biscotti
I’m going to NYC on Sunday to babysit the B before she starts school and I am armed with a copy of your Snickerdoodle recipe and my vanilla beans….I hope security doesn’t think the beans are something illegal
Suzanne recently posted..AN OPEN LETTER TO MY NEIGHBORS…….AT PAPER CHASE FARM.
Haha…let me know if they are confiscated as suspicious substances. Have fun in NYC with Miss B.
Cathy recently posted..Lunch Box Fruit Salad Biscotti
Oh boy, these look fabulous! I’ve got to try this recipe.
Adri recently posted..Step by Step to a Savory Crostata
Your grandson is blessed to have such a lovely grandmother who also is a fantastic cook. Any chance you would adopt me
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..Broiled Salmon with Fresh Red Cherry Sauce
What a lucky young guy your grandson is and how great that you live close to him and can watch him grow up! Your biscotti looks heavenly and so does the rest. Do you deliver care packages!
What a plethora of goodies Cathy..Thanks again..!
Monique recently posted..That pie again♥and ♥things~
I want to be adopted along with Sam. We can be twins! Love the mixed dried fruit idea for the biscotti.
Best,
Bonnie
For some reason the only time I think to bake biscotti is at Christmas. They would be delicious for lunch sacks. They look so good with dried fruit. Yummm! Haven’t made cookies much this summer, but my mind is beginning to wake up and think cookies once the weather cools just a bit more.
Marilyn recently posted..The August Break 2014 – Black – White
Hi Cathy, I love the look of you bicotti, you glaze them so neatly…I have just been given 2 packets of dried blueberris so this would be a good recipe to try!
Jeannie Tay recently posted..Shanghainese Pan Fried Steam Buns – AFF Taiwan
What a plethora of delicious looking treats, Cathy!! I want one of each…no, make that SEVERAL of each.
I am one of those who has never made biscotti. My old neighbor used to bring us some every Christmas, but she moved away & we’ve not had any since. I MUST try your recipe! Thanks for sharing it, as well as the others. I also want to try those Biscoff ones…yum!
Love the new look to your blog, BTW.
Hugs,
Rett
Rettabug recently posted..Whimsical Cupcake Birthday Party
Your fruit Biscotti look delicious and are so pretty to look at, Cathy! Your grandson is very lucky to have you nearby
What a delightful bounty of treats. Peanut butter cookies are still one of my all-time favorites.
Susan recently posted..Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Cathy, you are so lucky to have your grandkids nearby to enjoy, mine are all in Arizona. The biscotti looks delish…I usually make a couple different kinds around Christmastime.
Have a wonderful week.
Marigene recently posted..August Green
What a great biscotti recipe! so delicious
I cannot wait to make cookies for my future (way in the future the way things are looking!) grandchildren! Your biscotti look like the perfect way to use up all the odds and ends of dried fruit in my pantry….yum!
Like you I’m wondering where the summer has gone as it is ending all too soon. Kids are not the only ones who’d like your cookies. I’d go for all of them!
Lulu recently posted..Let’s Eat!
Cathy, I was raised with a grandmother that baked us treats and I know your grandchildren will always have fond memories! Biscotti is one of my favorites and they ship well also.
Aren’t grandchildren wonderful, Cathy? They certainly fill our lives with joy and purpose. Your biscotti look wonderful. I have made them, but not in several years. I’m intrigued by the Biscoff toffee cookies…I’m off to check those out.
Thank you for your kind comments on my post that I wrote of the anniversary of my husband’s passing.
Happy weekend of cooking and baking!!
Kitty recently posted..Tour Through Blogland
I would love visiting your cookie jar Cathy. These look wonderful!
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine recently posted..Danish Apple Cake
Cathy, I’ve been making biscotti for a few years using a recipe from Gourmet magazine -they’re amazingly easy! Your recipe looks wonderful for a “summer” version and I can’t wait to try it. Can you clarify the amount of baking powder? (Looks like 1 tsp has been listed twice). Thanks so much!
Thanks, Kathy. I appreciate your comment. Correction made.
Cathy recently posted..Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Grandma’s cookies (meaning you) are the best. These sound delicious and I’m sure they are very popular as a lunch or afternoon snack.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin With Mango Pineapple Relish