Cantucci alla Zucca Recipe | Italian Squash Biscotti Recipe

These cantucci biscotti, flavored with squash, are a perfect dessert for a festive autumn table! The recipe is almost exactly the same as our traditional cantucci, but the addition of squash brings out a cozy pumpkin-y flavor and softer texture that’s delicious in the colder months.

Cantucci alla Zucca Recipe | Italian Squash Biscotti Recipe

A Note About the Squash

For this recipe, you’ll need 150 grams of baked squash (measured after baking). We recommend using kabocha, butternut, or another dry squash—nothing too fibrous or wet. To bake the squash, cut it in half and remove the seeds. Bake at 395°F (200°C) until very tender (about 40 minutes, depending on the size), then measure out the needed quantity and use the rest elsewhere.

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CANTUCCI ALLA ZUCCA RECIPE

Makes: 25 cookies

Cook Time: 2 hours

For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 large egg

• ½ cup (125 grams) sugar

• 6 tablespoons (75 grams) lard

• 5.5 ounces (150 grams) baked squash (see above)

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder

• 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1 cup (125 grams) chopped walnuts, or to taste

• ½ cup (100 grams) chocolate chips, or to taste

Preheat an oven to 355°F (180°C).

In a large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. Whisk them with a hand mixer until the mixture is white and creamy. Add the lard, squash, and cinnamon and continue to whisk until they are well-incorporated.

Separately, combine the baking powder and the flour. Mix well. Gradually add this into the eggs/sugar, folding it in with a spatula. If practicable, we recommend sifting the flour into the bowl to avoid any clumps. Eventually, the mixture will thicken enough that you can start mixing and kneading by hand.

When all of the flour is mixed in, transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Press it into a flat pancake shape and spread a handful of chopped nuts and figs on top. Fold and knead them into the dough, then repeat until all of the nuts and figs are evenly mixed in.

Cut the dough into two equal portions. Roll each out into a sausage shape, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Take care to ensure that the width is even, and the "sausage" doesn't have large gaps or cracks. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press them to flatten them slightly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let the half-cooked dough cool for 10 minutes, then gently transfer onto a cutting board.

Slice each dough portion into straight, thumb-width segments. Arrange the cut biscotti sideways on a parchment-lined baking sheet. It's okay to crowd them in if necessary, they won't expand at all. Bake for a further 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving. Store in a plastic bag or a sealed container for up to two weeks.

Buon appetito!