Pumpkin Biscotti (With or Without Chocolate Chips!)

Happy Wednesday lovelies!  'Tis the season for all things pumpkin and I have a nice little pumpkin recipe for you today.  I happen to prefer my pumpkin with a little sweetness rather than savory so when the calendar flips to October, my brain flips to pumpkin treats.  If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen a glimpse of my most recent treat - pumpkin biscotti.  These biscotti are like a little taste of autumn with every bite.  Because of the pureed pumpkin, they're a bit chewier than you might be used to for biscotti, but they're totally worth it.  And, of course, you can make them with or without chocolate chips if chocolate isn't your thing (in my world, chocolate chips are rarely optional but I made both versions just for this post because I love you).

What You Need:
2 and a half c. of flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
A few shakes of ground ginger and ground cloves
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. chocolate chips - or more/less if you want

What You Do:
1. Preheat your oven to 350.  In a large mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients together to combine all the spices with the flour & sugar.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

3. Mix everything together and until combined.  The mixture will be a bit dry and crumbly.  I usually get a little frustrated with this step, throw down my mixing spatula, and just knead everything with my bare hands.  Bare (clean) hands are the ultimate kitchen tool.

4. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.  Place the dough onto the baking sheet and form it into a large log, roughly 1/2 to 1 inch high.

5. Bake the log for about half an hour or until the center is firm.  Remove from oven and let cool for about 15-20 minutes.  Once the log is cool enough to handle easily, use a serrated knife to cut it into 1-inch wide pieces.  Arrange on the baking sheet so that they're standing upright.

6. Lower the oven to 300 degrees and continue to bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until crisp.  Once they're all crispy and golden, remove the biscotti from the oven and try to resist the temptation of eating them until they've cooled completely.

PS - If you just can't get enough biscotti, you can check out my other recipes for traditional almond biscotti and chocolate hazelnut biscotti!

PPS - Totally unrelated to pumpkin biscotti but if you're curious about my transition from law to photography, check out my interview with Samara of Deconstruct the Girl.