I read this recipe and was impelled to try it. Brown sugar, pumpkin, pecans, spices...could it sound any yummier? I highly doubt it. These are baking in the oven as I blog and my anticipation is almost overwhelming. What better way to welcome fall than with pumpkin biscotti?

Pumpkin Biscotti
From BakingBits.com

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup mashed canned pumpkin
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and pecans.
• In another bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla, stirring well with a wire whisk.
• Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Dough will be dry and crumbly.
• Place dough on a lightly floured surface and kneed lightly to incorporate all of the flour mixture.
• Divide into dough 4 portions.
• Lightly flour hands and shape each portion into a log about 12-inches long.
• Place logs 3" apart on lightly greased or parchment lined cookie sheets.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and firm to the touch.
• Remove cookie sheet from oven and cool logs 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Cut each log diagonally into 1/2" slices using a serrated knife.
• Place slices back cookie sheets. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
• Cool completely.
  

Makes about 60 cookies.

About this recipe: I'm realizing that all biscotti recipes follow the same seven basic steps: combine dry, combine wet, stir wet into dry, knead to incorporate evenly, shape into 12-inch logs, bake, cool and cut, bake again and presto! you have biscotti. It's really very, very easy when you break it down like that. Given this algorithm, I can begin to see how wonderfully easy (okay maybe) it would be to concoct biscotti recipes of your own...

Anyway, I halved the batch and will still get plenty of biscotti to satisfy the roomie and myself and possibly the neighbors. I was a little bit generous with the cinnamon because I wanted a more strong flavor. I also added 2 to 3 tablespoons more pumpkin for the same reason and to give it a little more moisture. I did have to sprinkle in a little flour in the end because it was too moist to form into logs.

[The Baking Fools Opinion] As far as adding more wet than it calls for in biscotti I feel like you really can't loose. Your going to dry them out during the second baking anyway so if they're too soft, just toast them longer until they are dry and crisp.

The result: a flavorful, aromatic biscotti. The pumpkin flavor is smooth and even and the spices stand out above it nicely. The pecans add a nuttiness (the good kind) that goes marries well with the other flavors. Perfect with a cup of coffee on a chilly fall morning.