Warmly spiced biscotti with small dark raisins in a cinnamon-speckled crumb.
Cinnamon Raisin Biscotti
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Allow about 153 minutes: 30 hands-on, 0 chilling or resting, 78 whole-batch cooking and 45 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale and US measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls, whisk and sturdy spatula
- Two 13 × 18-inch rimmed baking sheets and parchment
- Cutting board, ruler and sharp serrated knife
- Cooling rack
Warmly spiced biscotti with small dark raisins in a cinnamon-speckled crumb.
Ingredients
Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- 1Prepare the doughSeparate any raisin clumps and chop unusually large raisins in half; do not soak them. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Beat butter and sugar until smooth, then beat in eggs and vanilla. Fold in the spiced dry ingredients and raisins until every raisin is surrounded by dough and no dry flour remains.
Shape and bake the logs
- 2Shape and bake the logsHeat oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan while preparing the dough. Line two 13 × 18-inch baking sheets with parchment. Divide dough in half and form two logs on one sheet, each 10 inches long, 2 inches wide and about 3/4 inch high, leaving 4 inches between them. Shape with the spatula and clean hands without extra flour. Bake on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes until the tops are set and the centers resist a light press. Keep the second sheet for drying.
Rest and cut
- 3Rest and cutLet logs rest on the sheet for 15 minutes, counted in cooling time. Reduce oven to 300°F (149°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan. Move logs to a board and use a sharp serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion. Cut on a shallow diagonal into 14 slices per log, approximately 5/8 inch thick, counting the end pieces. This makes 28 finished individual cookies.
Dry every slice
- 4Dry every sliceLay 14 slices cut-side down on each lined sheet. Bake one sheet for 12 minutes, turn each slice and bake for 12 more minutes. Repeat with the second sheet; drying both batches takes 48 minutes. Total oven time, including the first bake, is up to 78 minutes. The crumb should feel dry around the edges; raisin pockets retain chew.
Cool and finish
- 5Cool and finishCool on a rack for 30 minutes after the final drying batch, then pack in an airtight tin. The 45-minute cooling allowance includes the earlier 15-minute log rest. Cool completely before sealing so trapped steam does not soften the crumb.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Small raisins slice more neatly than large jumbo raisins.
Technique & texture
Disperse cinnamon through flour to avoid strong spice streaks.
Finishing & serving
Use dried raisins directly rather than adding an unmeasured soaking liquid.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 5 days | Keep fully cooled cookies in an airtight tin in a cool, dry place; store separately from soft cookies. |
| Refrigerator | Not recommended for texture | Refrigerator humidity can soften the crisp crumb. Choose a cool pantry or freeze the baked cookies instead. |
| Freezer | Up to 1 month | Freeze only fully baked and cooled cookies in an airtight freezer container with parchment between layers. |
| Thawing | About 1 hour | Thaw in the closed container at room temperature; let condensation settle before opening. |
| Refreshing | Before serving | If uncoated cookies soften, heat at 300°F (149°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan for 5–8 minutes and cool completely. Fruit and chocolate inclusions may remain soft. |
Notes
- Small raisins slice more neatly than large jumbo raisins. Disperse cinnamon through flour to avoid strong spice streaks. Use dried raisins directly rather than adding an unmeasured soaking liquid. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 28; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
THE COOKIE INDEXITALIANCHRISTMAS COOKIES
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use golden raisins?
Yes, at the same 75 g weight; the visible fruit will be lighter than the photographed dark-raisin version.
Why are some raisin edges dark?
Exposed raisins brown quickly; keep drying slices cut-side down and use the listed lower temperature.
Does cinnamon form a swirl?
No. It is blended through the dough, giving an even speckled crumb.
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