This Pumpkin Biscotti is easy to make, it's WW friendly and a delicious treat to celebrate fall flavors. It's ideal for using up leftover pumpkin puree, as you only need ½ cup. It’s also perfect for bringing along as a contribution to a work or weekend breakfast potluck.
It's late September so it's officially pumpkin spice season! And although this biscotti recipe is great any time of the year, it's especially popular in the autumn. This was inspired by my other Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti, and my Healthy Apricot Bran Pumpkin Muffins. I love biscotti with dried fruit and nuts, as well as the pumpkin and dried apricot combo, so making a pumpkin spice biscotti was a no-brainer.
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🥘Ingredients
Although it's technically a cookie, biscotti isn't really 'fattening' to begin with, but I have made this recipe lighter and WW biscotti by using pumpkin to replace some of the fat.
For this healthy biscotti recipe, you'll need:
- butter (unsalted) * If you want to use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe
- pumpkin purée
- cream cheese ( *I use fat-free cream cheese)
- brown sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- eggs
- vanilla
- all-purpose flour
- pumpkin pie spice
- cinnamon
- dried apricots
- chopped pecans
*See recipe card for quantities
⏲️🔪Baking Instructions
If you've never made biscotti before then you need to know that it's a bit of a time commitment because it requires 2 hours of chilling, 2 bakings and cooling time in between the 2 bakes. But it is soo worth the time investment!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C. Shape each half into a 12 inch long log about 4 inches wide and ½-3/4 inch high. Place logs about 2 inches apart on the lightly greased cookie sheet. * I use a jelly roll pan because it's wider.
- Combine the 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush egg mixture over loaves.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25- 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool loaves on cookie sheet for about 1 hour or until completely cooled.
- 2nd Bake: When the loaves are cool, preheat oven to 325 degrees F/160 degrees C. Transfer loaves to a cutting board. Cut each loaf diagonally in about ½ inch thick slices. Lay slices, cut sides down on cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned on bottom.
- Turn slices over and bake 5 -10 minutes more or until biscotti are dry and crisp. Transfer to wire rack. Cool.
- Serve and/or store in sealed container when cooled (see storage instructions below)
*see recipe card for full instructions
Hint: It's very important to let the biscotti completely cool between bakes
📖Substitutions & Variations
- Nuts- you can substitute blanched almonds or walnuts
- Dried fruit - you can substitute raisins or dried cherries or cranberries
- Pumpkin pie spice: I like to keep pumpkin pie spice on hand because it's easier than using 3 or 4 different spices. But if you don't have it, for 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, substitute: ¾ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon ginger, allspice, cloves, or nutmeg
- Pumpkin - you can use fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin puree but just don't use pumpkin pie filling
🍽 Equipment
You'll need a hand mixer and a sheet pan to make this pumpkin spice biscotti. It's also handy to have a food processor for chopping the apricots and nuts, but you can do that by hand. I also recommend you use a bread knife (affiliate links); it makes cutting bread so much easier.
👪 Serving size
I got about 44 pieces the last time I made this recipe (and counted), but it can vary between 38 and 48, depending on how thick you like to cut it (that will also affect your baking time and you may need to bake a little longer for thicker pieces). You can half, double or even triple the recipe by clicking on the blue servings number in the recipe card. Then select the number of servings you would like and the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly. Although it makes a lot, you'll want to make a second batch!
🌡️Storage
Store this homemade pumpkin biscotti in an airtight container (I use a large sealed jar) at room temperature for up to 7 days. These freeze well in an airtight container for up to 3 months. *I pop them right into the freezer after they are completely cooled and keep them fresh in the freezer until I’m ready to use. They defrost really quickly, but if you're in a hurry, heat them in the microwave for 10 seconds.
🦺 Food safety
See food safety guidelines at USDA.gov.
💭 Top Tips
- You'll want to cut the biscotti on an angle, with a serrated knife. I use a serrated bread knife. I've just found it to be the best way to cut biscotti and the King Arthur Baking Company agrees! They list the technique as one of their 'secrets' of great biscotti.
- Your biscotti may not seem as crispy as you'd like it when it's 'done' but trust me, it will harden up as it cools. You don't want it too hard, so don't overbake it!
This healthy pumpkin biscotti makes a great 'breakfast dessert' with a hot cup of coffee and is great for bringing along to a breakfast or brunch potluck! Or bring it along to work for a coffee break treat!
If you're looking for healthy biscotti recipes, ww pumpkin recipes or healthy pumpkin recipes, without artificial sweeteners, then give this pumpkin biscotti a try!
And if you love WW friendly biscotti, give my Chocolate Marble Biscotti a try too!
⭐ Reviews
Did you make these biscotti cookies? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!
📋 Pumpkin Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoon fat-free cream cheese
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup dried apricots, chopped
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- Garnish: Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Heads up: There is a 2 hour chilling time before baking!
- Chop the apricots and pecans (separately) into small pieces in your food processor or by hand. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds, then add fat-free cream cheese, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin spice and salt; beat until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree.
- Beat in the 2 eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a large spoon.
- Stir the pecans and apricots into the mixture. *Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 175 degrees C and spray a large cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 12 inch long logs about 4 inches wide and ½-3/4 inch high. Place logs about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Combine the 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush egg mixture over loaves.
- Bake loaves in preheated oven for 25- 30 minutes or until light brown.
- Cool loaves on cookie sheet for 1 hour or until completely cooled.
- Second Bake:
- When the loaves are cool, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Transfer loaves to a cutting board. Cut each loaf diagonally in ½ inch slices.
- Lay slices, cut sides down on cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned on bottom. Turn slices over and bake 5 -10 minutes more or until biscotti are dry and crisp.
- Transfer to wire cooling rack and let biscotti cool. Serve and/or store in sealed container (see "storage" in NOTES).
Sabrina
So yummy dipped in coffee. These had great flavour and was simple to make. Thanks!
Terri Gilson
Great- so glad you enjoyed them, Sabrina!
Colleen
I love how simple these pumpkin biscotti are to make, and they are delicious, too! Thanks for this great recipe and all the biscotti tips.
Marie
Such a fantastic seasonal treat!
Bernice
You just reminded me how much I love biscotti. Now that the weather is cooling and afternoon tea time is back, I'll have to make a batch of these to enjoy with my tea.
nancy
i'm hoping this lovely biscotti recipe will help me love pumpkin flavours! 🙂
Sadia Malik
Yes biscotti requires time and these lookabsolutely delicious
Terri Gilson
Thanks! Yes, Sadia, they are well worth the time! 🙂