Pumpkin spice and everything nice; that’s what autumn desserts are made of! Combine the classic crunch of Italian biscotti with the warm flavors of pumpkin spice and make it vegan too! An easy recipe.

Autumn Pumpkin Recipes

Here in near-northern Ontario we have been having a fabulously warm October – with summer like temperature. BUT WAIT – a bit of snow in the forecast for tomorrow?

The other day I posted about luring our young adults to join us – by baking pumpkin spice flavoured and scented desserts. Here is the link for Vegan Pumpkin Pie, and here is the link for the shortcut Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake. Today is a follow-up recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Spice Biscotti!

Why Vegan Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Biscotti?

This biscotti variation captures the essence of fall with its rich pumpkin flavours and fragrant spices. Not to mention, it’s entirely vegan, making it cholesterol-free, and crafted with ingredients that are good for the planet and your palate.

What is Biscotti?

Biscotti are a crispy baked cookie or a biscuit – which originated in italy. They are often flavoured with almonds or nuts. Cantucci are similar – but typically made with almond flour while biscotti is made with wheat flour. Cantucci is from Tuscany, while Biscotti is from Emilia-Romagna.

The biscuits are baked in a long roll, sliced and then baked again. This makes for a dry, crispy biscuit that is terrific when dipped in a drink – my kids dip them in coffee – but traditionally they are dipped in an Italian dessert wine – “Vin Santo”. This seems like a good idea to me – but these treats never last past morning coffee time in our house!

Biscotti or Biscotto?

The Italian work Biscotti is a plural – and sometimes the word Biscotto is used as the singular. Sometimes the word Biscotti is used as both the singular and plural.

Vegan Biscotti

Biscotti seems like it would be fancy or tricky to make – but it’s actually fairly simple with all purpose flour, and basic kitchen ingredients. To make biscotti vegan – we leave out dairy and eggs. Pumpkin puree substitutes for some of the binding effect of eggs. A little bit of baking powder helps to give the cookies a little bit of lift. These cookies are extremely crispy – but we like them that way!

Ingredients

• All purpose flour
• Granulated sugar – I often substitute brown sugar, which makes the cookies much darker – but no problem.
• Pumpkin Puree – pure pumpkin puree – not Pumpkin Pie Mix.
• Pumpkin Spices – I use cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and allspice – but you can substitute your preferred pumpkin spice flavour if you like.
• Olive Oil – provides the fat – but also gives the biscotti a bit of binding and moisture.
• Raisins – I just love raisins – and they provide a contrast in texture to the crispy dough. If you prefer, substitute almonds for a more traditional flavour. Pecans or walnuts also work.
• Cinnamon sugar – a simple mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon – sprinkled over the top of the cookies after the first baking – adds sparkle and flavour.

Instructions

• Preheat & Prep: Begin by setting your oven to 325°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, a silicone baking mat or spray with non-stick spray.
• Cinnamon Sugar: Mix Cinnamon and Sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
• Dry Ingredients: Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, blend together the pumpkin puree, oil and vanilla.
• Merge: Slowly introduce the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until integrated. If you’re adding raisins or nuts, fold them in at this stage.

• Form the Dough: This dough doesn’t initially look the smoothest – but it doesn’t matter – you are going to slice after the first bake – so the slice will be what’s visible. On the lined baking sheet, mold the dough into two long, flat loafs, approximately 9×2 1/2 inches in dimension. Whatever dimensions you can manage is fine! They should be about 3/4 to 1 inch thick – so that they can slice nicely.

• Primary Bake: Bake the dough for 35 minutes, ensuring the top turns a light golden hue and feels firm.

• Cool & Segment: After baking, cool the loafs for about 15 minutes. Then, with a sharp knife, diagonally slice into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces.

• Secondary Bake: Lay the slices flat on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar and bake for an additional 30 minutes , until the cookies have a crispy texture.
• Cool & Indulge: Allow the biscotti to cool on a wire rack. Once they’ve cooled, pair them with a coffee – or a Vin Santo if you are feeling inspired!

Below is a printable recipe card from RecipesGenerator. Please give it a try!

Parting Words

I left these biscotti out for my young adults and they were gone quickly. They disappeared before our vegan daughter arrived home to try them. Fortunately I had a hidden secret stash for her. I also doled out a few a day to my newly minted supply teacher son to take to work. (Packing his lunch for the first few days of teaching takes me back to packing lunches for primary school!).

The biscotti were much appreciated!

These vegan cinnamon pumpkin spice biscotti meld the best of two worlds: the timeless charm of biscotti and the iconic flavor of fall’s pumpkin spice. Make them vegan – so that everyone can enjoy them. Dive into autumn, one bite at a time!

Happy Fall, Happy Pumpkin Spice Season – and Happy Thanksgiving!

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