Candy Cane Biscotti

I found this recipe the same year I started this blog. That was over three years ago. I have had this on my list of things to make every year and somehow it always gets pushed to the end of the list and finally bumped off. I have never made biscotti before and I got the impression that it was going to be challenging. I guess I never really looked at the recipe very closely because I was surprised about two things. The first is that they are really easy to make, and second these ones are really tiny compared to normal biscotti. They are super cute and pack up nicely on a cookie platter. They are the perfect thing to dunk in a cup of hot cocoa. The original recipe leaves them a little chewier. I prefer my biscotti dry and hard (good for dunking), so I left them in the oven a little longer. Although the recipe calls for finely processed candy canes, I recommend you leave some medium size chunks. This will give your biscotti the nice bursts of color in the actual cookie. If you process the candy canes too much, they will just melt away. They will still taste good though!
I'm so glad I finally made them this year and am sure they will now make it on the annual Christmas cookie list.

Candy Cane Biscotti
adapted from Land O'Lakes

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes, divided
8 ounces white chocolate, melted

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and baking powder; continue beating until well mixed. Stir in 2/3 cup crushed candy canes.

Divide dough into fourths. (I rolled mine out on a piece of parchment paper to avoid having the dough stick to the counter) Shape each into 9x1 1/2-inch logs. Place logs 3 inches apart on a parchment lined large cookie sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are cracked and ends just start to turn light brown. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Cool logs 10 minutes on cookie sheet.

Carefully remove logs to cutting surface. Cut into 1/2-inch slices with sharp serrated knife. Arrange pieces on same cookie sheet, cut-side down. Continue baking for 10 minutes, turning once. Turn off oven and leave cookies for about 20 minutes to dry out. Some ovens are more insulated than others, so it is best to check on the cookies every so often to make sure they are not getting overly brown. Remove to wire cooling rack; cool completely.

Dip each biscotti a little less than half way into melted white chocolate; shake off excess. Place onto waxed paper. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let set at room temperature until chocolate has hardened. Enjoy by the fire, after a long ski with a cup of hot cocoa.