When my son was little, I would spend a whole day baking homemade treats to package and deliver to his school’s administrative office as a holiday gift from our family. Sure, I should probably still be doing something similar, but anyone with older teens knows that when they don’t want you contributing in those ways anymore, you have to respectfully back off! Nonetheless, if I have the opportunity to “gift bake” these days, I am always drawn to my “Big Island” biscotti cookies, which combine all the great flavors and products of Hawaii in one delicious bite.              

            If you’re not that familiar with biscotti, it is simply an Italian-style cookie that is twice-baked, leading to an extra crunchiness and hardness that pairs well with coffee and similar café beverages. I find that biscotti make a perfect type of treat to gift-bake, because they store so well and don’t perish or go stale the way softer desserts do. Don’t let the twice-baking or the specific shape of biscotti scare you away – it is perfectly feasible to bake them at home and you don’t need any special equipment. They’re great for big batch-cooking that you can divide and gift-away, or just to eat yourself if you want, as well.

            Though traditional biscotti is often almond flavored, their popularity and flexibility has made way for tons of creative variations. This Hawaiian riff on biscotti blends all of what’s great about the “Big Island” into one cookie – coffee, coconut, and macadamia nuts.  A little white chocolate and honey sweeten the deal and hold everything together. They’re fun, pretty, and in my opinion, very festive for the holidays, or anytime at all, of course!

 

Big Island Biscotti:

·       2 3/4 cups flour

·       1/2 cup ground coffee

·       1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

·       1 teaspoon baking soda

·       1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·       1 cup sugar

·       2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

·       1/4 cup honey

·       1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·       3 eggs

·       3/4 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

·       12 oz white chocolate chips

·       2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

 

Directions :