Judging by a few friends’ comments, I really thought going into making this that biscotti would be difficult to make but it didn’t sound that complex and the reward of a low carb biscotti seemed well worth it. Initially, I made a cranberry almond biscotti with regular flour and sugar as an experiment and a plan to take some to a party. They took a little time, but they tasted great. (I had a small sample and the other tasters confirmed it.)

So the next step was to create the low carb version and I was struck with the idea of adding pumpkin to it. Pumpkin and cranberries are two of my favorite things… especially this time of year. The result was awesome. I left this not quite as dried as the usual biscotti, making them more like cookies, and the logs are a little smaller so the cookie is also a little smaller. You can make a wider log and make it about a 2 to 2 1/2 inch cookie or just eat two of the smaller ones. I’ve included the instruction to make them a crisper biscotti that will store well and dip nicely in tea or coffee.

About my ingredients… I use Vanilla Whey Protein Powder in many of my sweet baked items. It adds protein and texture as well as a little more flavor, but it is optional. Not all whey powders are created equal in carbohydrates, so look for a low carb one. I use Vitasport Vanilla Protein Synthesis, which I buy at a health food store and is 1 net carb for 3 tablespoons. Jillian Michaels Vanilla Whey Powder (available at Wal-Mart) is about 2 net carbs per tablespoon. If you don’t want to hunt around for additional ingredients like these, then omit them and the recipe will still work. The texture may be grainier.

If you use almond flour instead of CarbQuick or LC Foods flour or another low carb wheat based flour, then the cookie will be more delicate and needs to cool quite a bit before you handle it. Try to use two flours, like almond flour and coconut flour to get a better mix and texture. Coconut flour is a little tricky to use and does not replace cup for cup in recipes. It expands, absorbing moisture. Also, you need more eggs, which provide the rise when using coconut flour. So, try to keep it to the amount used in the recipe for the second flour.

Cranberry Pumpkin Biscotti Bites

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup sugar substitute
2 tablespoons brown sugar substitute
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon sugar free Pumpkin spice syrup (optional – add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice)
1 large Egg
1/3 cup Pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground clove
3/4 cup Carbquick Baking Mix or other low carb flour
1/4 cup Coconut Flour or almond flour
3 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (optional)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 cup Cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup Pecans, walnuts or almonds, chopped

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and pumpkin syrup, then beat in the eggs. Add the pumpkin puree and seasonings and mix. Combine flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda in another bowl; gradually stir into egg pumpkin mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts by hand.

Drop dough by tablespoons into six mounds…. then shape into the logs and smooth.

Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12×2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily. It’s easiest to put about six tablespoons of dough in a line down the pan with their edges touching so they can be shaped into the log. Even them up as much as possible along the sides.

Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Cut logs into 3/4 inch thick slices. A slight diagonal exposes more surface to air.

For softer cookies, stop here and just let the cookies cool on a rack, then put into a plastic baggie to store.

For drier cookies, reduce oven heat to 270 degrees F (135 degrees C) when you remove the cookies from the oven.

After cutting, turn the cookies on their sides on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool. Store in baggies or a container with an airtight lid.

Makes 24 cookies

Nutrition per cookie
Calories: 46.9 Total Fat: 3.9 g Net Carbs: 1.0 g Protein: 1.3 g:4