Peanut Butter Pecan Biscotti
My life is so orderly. Most afternoons I make up a pot of coffee, whip up some cookies, take out my fancy napkins and invite a friend over for coffee.
Nothing is ever out of place. My hair is always shiny and perfect. My lipstick never wears off. I could totally walk down a read carpet… like, now.
My dishes wash and dry themselves… and hop right back in the cupboard where they belong.
Occasionally there are crumbs, but I keep them contained to my lined baking sheets.
Everything is easy and perfect. You should see just how neat and tidy my closet is. Too good to be true.
And I don’t have to pay taxes…
… oh man… if only that were true.
In real life, no one is coming over for coffee and cookies. Nope.
I’ll drink the coffee… I’ll eat the cookies… I’ll push the cat away as soon as he realizes there are cookies on the table for him to lick.
My dishes don’t do themselves. They can’t. They have no conscience.
Perfect is dumb. I’m totally over it.
Can I tell you about these Peanut Butter Biscotti?
I love biscotti a certain way. No teeth shattering crunch. Lots of flavor. A little bit of soft cookie give. Is that too much to ask?
These peanut butter biscotti totally fit the bill. They’re sugar topped and twice baked , but still have a some softness. Pecans don’t bake up into teeth breaking monsters… that’s why I like them.
Here’s what I want you to know: these cookie dippin’ sticks are good. If your instinct is to add chocolate… we are best friends.
Peanut Butter Pecan Biscotti
Makes: about 2 1/2 dozen biscotti
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk (save the egg white for the egg wash)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans
egg wash and 1 tablespoon of milk for egg wash
sugar for topping
Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, peanut butter and sugar. Beat until well incorporated and slightly fluffy in texture. About 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl and add egg and egg yolk. Beat on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients, all at once to the peanut butter mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Stop mixer. Add pecans and remove the bowl from the mixer. Finish incorporating ingredients with a spatula. Dough will be slightly dry. That’s ok.
Divide the batter between the two baking sheets and shape dough into two logs about 8-inches long and 1 1/2-inches wide. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.
Bake on alternating racks for 15 minutes. Switch baking racks and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking pans until cool enough to handle, but still soft. Use a serrated knife to slice biscotti about 1-inch thick. Place cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Biscotti will last, in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 10 days.
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I love the zoomed out picture! It makes me feel better about my own cluttered life.
I’m about to go on vacation for a week (to Los Angeles! Yay!) but I’m going to have to make these as soon as I return.
let’s get drinks on the beach!
And this is why we all love Joy…
Haha, you had me at half a cat. I often marvel that my food photos look so clean and fresh when in actuality, my kitchen is covered in splatters and flour, my dog steals bites of cookies when I’m not looking, and I’m a frizzy mess with last night’s mascara under my eyes. Oh well!
this is the 2nd recipe i’ve made of yours this week! yummmmy. baking in le oven! can’t wait to eat it.
1.) I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with a huge jar of peanut butter.
2.) I’ve been wanting to bake biscotti because I haven’t done it in a while.
3.) I found out my baby likes to eat biscotti.
4.) I found the perfect recipe.
Thanks, Joy! You’re the awesomest!
Looks yummy and I love the new pomegranate banner! It’s Valentine-y without being over the top sickenly cute.
I like adding -y to words.
For WEEKS now my mom and I have been saying how much we want to try baking biscotti but haven’t been able to decide on a flavor combo. Presenting this. Will report back.
Just made them… This is my first time making biscotti! Love them. Thanks, Joy… I love reading your blog!
The third photo is very funny. Especially I love “half a cat”! :)
I love the pomegranete banner. I love that you change the banner with the season. I love pomegranates! Argggh!!Im gushing now so I should stop. I clearly dont know how to play it cool…
Dear Joy,
I baked them. And they’re soooo yummy!
I thought I had everything at home, but I forgot the pecans and used pine nuts instead. Which are great, actually. And I added chocolate!
Would you take a look at my blog? Because of course, I had to post those yummy little ones!
Love,
Stephanie
I just printed the recipe! How did you know? My first inclination would be to add chocolate. I completely agree with your assessment of the perfect biscotti texture. I like mine to have a little give. No jawbreakers for me.
Oh, Joy! I have everything in the house to make these. Guess what my afternoon will be! Minus the friends coming for coffee, though, cuz I’m not sharing. :)
Peanut butter and pecans, our favorites! We’re are definitely going to try your recipe this weekend.
By the way, check out our blog, we’re new on the food blogsphere and we’d like to have your opinion about it.
See you soon,
K&B.
I think you might like this. I often wake up and think, again? I have to be an adult today as well?!
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html
Love the blog, as ever.
Frances
I cant tell you how much joy i get every time i read your blog is so funny and you are a great storyteller, keep doing it best regards from Cuba, besos
I haven’t made biscotti in a hundred years. Ok, well, I’m not really that old, but you know what I mean. Sounds delish. May I add to the chorus of fans who adore the photo of the “real” kitchen scene, including Mr. Half-a-Cat and assorted other flotsam? So fun and real and that’s why we like you.
Joy, you are killing me here. Now all I want to do is make fun food and read posts in your blog. (And have world peace and a playdate.) Thanks for sharing. :)
i would definitely add chocolate! and why have i never had peanut butter biscotti before? best idea ever.
Dear Joy. I write this to propose a (best)friendship despite the unfortunate fact of our never having met, and living in different time zones. I think those are mere details to be worked out… First and foremost, my first thought when I read this was, chocolate. My next thought was coffee bits but bittersweet chocolate came first. Secondly, I’m perfect too. I never forget to drink water, I never forget to put eggs in what I’m baking (and remember after it’s all mixed up and doesn’t feel right), and I sure as hell never forget to call the landlord before 5pm about that leak. Because there is no leak. Because I live in a perfect apartment. So what do you say?
-Mina
Just made these last night, only without the pecans, and i dipped them in chocolate. So good! Thanks Joy :)
Joy, you are my hero. I’m making these. Stat. Like this week stat. I think I need these in my life.
Love this entry and the pictures!
Where did you get your fancy-pants napkins? I love them!
Joy, you are hysterical! If you wanted, you could someone over every day of the week for coffee and cookies. There are no shortage of readers that would absolutely love to spend an hour in the afternoon chatting with you. We’d even wash while you dried and put away the dishes. I am going to try making these biscotti. I tried to make biscotti once and they were hard and crunchy. Not my idea of a biscotti at all.
Mmmm yum! I’ve never heard of peanut butter in biscotti, but now that you’ve posted this recipe- it seems like an absolute no brainer. Thanks for sharing!
Haha, this post is adorable. I love the zoomed out photo of the biscotti. They look absolutely delicious, I can’t wait to try them. I just love your blog by the way. It’s my go to place when I’m craving something sweet and you never disappoint!
I feel absolutely the same way! More for me and you dont feel so embarrassed about eating that last biscotti/cookie ;)
Okay, so my life is anything but perfect. I have four kids between 3 and 11 who I homeschool. Four kids in the house (mostly) all the time. So you can try to imagine (but really you can’t!). Anyway, I made these today (with chocolate chips of course). They are no where near as pretty as yours, but super yummy, so who cares right? Thanks for another great recipe!
That picture totally made my life complete today :) Especially the “half a cat.” Priceless!
Totally delicious, I dunked mine at one end in melted 70% cocoa chocolate, mmm. Only problem was my sausages of dough were pretty wide and thin by the end of the baking time, any good reason for that?
Thanks!
Love the pomegranates in your header!
Joy, you are a pure joy. I’m sure no one has ever said that before. But it’s true.
You have me dreaming of biscotti now.
What would you think of adding dried cherries to this? Something to give it a pb&j quality….
you’re a genius.
Hold the phone.
You live in LA?! Looks like we’re neighbors. How could I not know that until today????
Book-marking your biscotti. Because they’re probably going to be better than the boxes of Girl Scout peanut butter cookies I bought today. :P
[K]
P.S. Agreed. Perfect days are overrated.
totally making these tomorrow!
Joy, you make me laugh! I agree.. your hysterical.
I print out all your recipes, the make me drool over my keyboard, often…
I have been looking for a pb biscotti recipe…looks great and will be trying these soon! they would be good with mini chocolate chips as well !!
Cool…I love biscotti and PB…these look delightful!
Love this recipe…and the half a cat! Off to buy some peanut butter…
Mmm…I would definitely add chocolate. It’s like a reflex.
Ahh – you are so talking my language with these. Crunchy but still kinda chewy – these are on the menu for this afternoon!
Might I suggest adding dried blueberries and cranberries? Delicious!!
1. You are hilarious.
2. Those cookies sound delicious.
3. I love your “behind the scenes” photo.
:)
So, this is what my husband has requested for his one and only Valentine’s Day present! Feel proud Joy!
I never thought of putting peanut butter in biscotti. It sounds delicious. I will try them this weekend.
Made these and loved them…subsequently ate way too many of them! :)
Joy your amazing! Love your blog! You keep it real and fun! Making these today!
i made them! with chocolate chips! pretty much delicious. best friends?
totally.
Joy, you bad bad woman! I can’t stop eating these! They are biscotti crack.
I made these last week and they were great!
These look amazing, and I’m definitely with you on biscotti that aren’t super crunchy.
I made the fig biscotti a year or two ago from Smitten Kitchen and misread the recipe and doubled the amount of butter. They were the softest, richest biscotti I had ever tasted. I can only imagine the peanut butter and butter mixture would have a similar effect. Yum!