Halloween pumpkin biscotti are a fun Fall treat! These crunchy twice-baked cookies are perfect dunked in your morning coffee or pumpkin spice latte. Transform them into BOO-scotti by decorating them as mummies and ghosts for Halloween with white chocolate and candy eyes!
These Halloween pumpkin biscotti are the cutest Fall treat. These are not your average cookies – they're twice-baked for the perfect crunch, making them the ultimate pairing with coffee on chilly fall mornings.
The fun part? These biscotti are super versatile. Dip them in creamy white chocolate and add mini chocolate chips for cute "BOO-scotti" ghosts, or get creative by turning them into spooky mummies for Halloween with candy eye balls.
Biscotti, often called "cantucci" or "cantuccini" in Italy, are long cookies that are twice-baked to achieve perfect crispness and crunch. They might seem complex, but making them is surprisingly simple: shape the dough into logs, bake, let them cool briefly, slice, and bake the biscuits again for that irresistible crunch.
If you love biscotti, try this almond flour biscotti! For other pumpkin recipes, try pumpkin cream cheese swirl muffins, brown butter pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin protein balls, or sour cream pumpkin bread.
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Ingredient Notes
Here are notes about some of the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- All purpose flour- This is the best type of flour for a hearty texture and crunch. Measure it in grams with a kitchen scale for the most accuracy.
- Baking powder- This ingredient reacts with heat and makes the biscotti rise in the oven. Make sure it's fresh since baking powder expires quickly!
- Pumpkin pie spice- Our homemade pumpkin spice mix contains ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. If you don't have individual spices, you can use 3 tablespoons of store-bought pumpkin pie spice.
- Unsalted butter- Butter adds fat, richness, and buttery flavor to biscotti. Make sure it's unsalted for the most flavor control. Your butter should be room temperature so it's easy to mix with the sugar; take it out of the refrigerator an hour before you start baking.
- Egg- A large egg helps bind the other ingredients together. Make sure it's room temperature so it's easy to mix in. Take it out of the refrigerator with the butter.
- Pumpkin puree- Make sure to use real pumpkin puree for the best flavor. The only ingredient should be steamed pumpkin, no other sweeteners or spices. Don't use pumpkin pie filling.
Substitutions & Variations
- For a gluten free option, use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.
- Brown sugar can be used instead of granulated sugar.
- For extra crunch, fold some chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts into the batter.
- If you aren't a white chocolate fan, try drizzling pumpkin biscotti with milk or dark chocolate or caramel.
- Decorate the biscotti with Fall sprinkles or mini chocolate chips instead of candy eye balls.
Helpful Equipment & Tools
I recommend measuring your flour with a kitchen scale for the most accuracy. Metric measurements are in the recipe card! Use the spoon and level method if you're using measuring cups. Fluff up the flour with a spoon and scoop it into your measuring cup. Use a knife to level it off. Don't pack flour into the measuring cup! You'll end up with way too much, leading to dry, dense baked goods.
You need an electric handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to mix the dough.
For cutting pumpkin biscotti, use a serrated knife for the cleanest slices.
Step by Step Instructions
Before you start, preheat a conventional oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
STEP 1: First, whisk the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
STEP 2: Next, cream the butter and sugar together in a separate large mixing bowl. Beat on high speed for 4-6 minutes until pale and fluffy.
STEP 3: Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until everything is fully combined.
STEP 4: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until no dry streaks of flour remain. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes. This helps the dough dry out a tiny bit so it's easier to work with.
STEP 5: Wet your hands (this makes the dough easier to handle) and split the dough in half. On your lined baking sheet, form it into 2 logs or slabs that are 8 inches long and ½ inch thick. Smooth out the top and bake for 25-30 minutes.
STEP 6: Once golden brown, remove from the biscotti loaves from the oven and reduce the heat to 325°F/165°C. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and then use a serrated knife to slice each log into 10 pieces (20 total).
Arrange the slices standing up with about ½ inch between them. Bake for another 25-30 minutes until golden and dry.
STEP 7: Take the biscotti out of the oven. Let them cool on the hot tray for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely before decorating.
STEP 8: Once the biscotti are cool, drizzle them with melted white chocolate. Add candy eye balls if desired, let the chocolate harden, and serve with a cup of coffee!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure to use room temperature butter and egg. If they're too cold, the dough will be difficult to mix and the texture won't be uniform. Let these ingredients warm up on the counter for an hour before baking.
- Watch the bake time. After the first bake, the logs should be golden with firm edges, but the center should be soft kind of like bread. Let them cool for 10 minutes before slicing or they'll crumble and fall apart.
- Use a serrated knife. The serrations of the tooth-like blade allow for the most precise, clean slices. Use it with a sawing motion.
- Arrange the biscotti standing up. Most recipes require flipping the biscotti halfway through the second bake. If you arrange the biscotti standing up, the air and heat are able to circulate around the entire cookie, eliminating the need to flip!
Storage & Freezing
Store Halloween biscotti in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature. Make sure the chocolate is fully hardened before storing.
Freezing
I recommend freezing the biscotti after the first bake so they don't get soggy. Once they're sliced and completely cool, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let them thaw completely before baking them off for 25-30 minutes at 325°F.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make the dough 1-3 days ahead of time. Form the dough into logs, wrap them in cling film or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator. The texture won't be compromised!
If your biscotti crumbles as you cut before the second bake, it's probably because it's too hot! Make sure the logs cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Cut with a serrated knife using a sawing motion, holding the log in place with your other hand.
Biscotti are meant to be crunchy. Baking them twice gives them a long shelf life and makes them perfect for dunking in coffee or tea! If they're too hard, you may have baked them for too long.
More Fall Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Halloween Pumpkin Biscotti
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Biscotti
- 240 grams all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 57 grams unsalted butter softened
- 150 grams granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 113 grams pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 113 grams melted white chocolate optional
- 20 candy eyes optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt together.240 grams all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat on high speed until pale and fluffy.57 grams unsalted butter, 150 grams granulated sugar
- Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until fully combined.1 large egg, 113 grams pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until no dry streaks of flour remain.
- Place plastic wrap over the bowl and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes.
- Wet your hands and split the dough in half. Form into 2 logs about 8 inches long and ½ inch thick on the lined baking sheet. Smooth out the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 325°F/165°C. Let the logs cool slightly and then use a serrated knife to cut each into 10 slices (20 total).
- Arrange the slices standing up with about ½ inch between them for air to circulate. Bake for another 25-30 minutes until golden and dry.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dip the biscotti in melted white chocolate or drizzle on top. Add candy eyes or sprinkles if desired.113 grams melted white chocolate, 20 candy eyes
- Let the chocolate harden and serve!
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