Cantuccini with Dried Cranberries

Today I am introducing a very simple cantuccini recipe. This November my blog is all about giving gifts from the kitchen. Cantuccini are a perfect gift in my opinion. This famous cookie from Italy keeps long, can easily be transported as it is very sturdy and freezes beautifully. My husband ate them so quickly, I barely managed to take some pictures. I decided to go with a rather classic recipe with one small addition: dried cranberries. Yes, you can omit them, but we both felt they taste extra special with them.

Cantuccini are easy to prepare, you will combine the ingredients, roll to logs and bake immediately. The only tricky thing is to find the right point when you are going to cut them in slices. The dough needs to be hard enough so that it doesn’t break apart, but should also be soft enough to do. I find that the 20-minute mark is the perfect spot. Try to use a long serrated knife and cut them in a rather sharp movement. I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we did.

Credit: Slightly adapted from Mara Hörner’s “Mein Plätzchenbuch” (in German), page 25

Print Recipe

Cantuccini with Cranberries

Serves: One baking sheet

Prep Time: 30min – Cooking Time: 30min – Total Time: 1hr

Cantuccini with Cranberries

Ingredients

• 25 grams of butter
• 250 grams of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 170 grams of regular sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 150 grams of whole almonds
• 50 grams of dried cranberries (can be omitted)

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Weigh all ingredients except for the almonds and cranberries into a large bowl. Knead to a slightly sticky dough either by hand or machine. Fold in almonds and cranberries if using. Divide the dough into four equal parts, roll each into a log about 30cm long and 5cm wide. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, they will grow a little, so be sure to place a bit apart from each other.

2

Bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool for about ten minutes, then cut into slices about 1.5cm. Place these slices cut side showing upwards on the baking sheet again, you should be able to fill one baking sheet fully. Bake for another 7-10 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cantuccini will keep for a few weeks if kept in an airtight container and can easily be frozen.

P.S: You will find the cute mug in the wonderful Etsy shop from Ellen Martens, she has a lot of super cute gifts in her store!