For the last 2-3 weeks … since Thanksgiving weekend … I have had 2 Christmas Cookies on my “to do” list: Pannetone Cookies and Molasses Crinkles.

The Pannetone cookies are a Food52 recipe that is a kind of fruitcake shortbread cookie – YUM! The Molasses Crinkles are a long time Betty Crocker based favorite of mine.

So.

I LOVE shortbread, but between the butter and sugar … YIKES. Same with the molasses crinkles. AND, one of the challenges of “cookies” … for me … is the batch for 8-12 minutes and repeat which is a bit labor intensive …

VS

Biscotti!

I love biscotti for the subtle sweet, crunchy-crisp texture and easy to get in the oven as well as the long double bake … no batches!

So.

With kitten and work schedule, I opted to go for Christmas Biscotti.

My first round was an almond fruitcake blend with white chocolate. SUCCESS! Yum and then some.

I bought the King Arthur Baking Fruitcake blend of dried fruits thinking of the Pannetone cookie recipe as well as British fruit cakes (NOT to be confused with holiday DENSE fruit cake).

I have used the mix in a sourdough whole grain (spelt, rye, wheat and white flours) bread bread, with walnuts and apple…

A little hard to see, but the Fruitcake blend is in there. It makes for slightly sweet, fruity-nutty loaf that toasts wonderfully, makes excellent chicken, turkey or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Back to the cookies.

The “Fruitcake Biscotti” done … on to Gingerbread.

I had looked at many Gingerbread biscotti recipes.

… I needed inspiration as I did not have the “normal” spices: dried ginger and dried cloves. I DID have crystallized ginger and candied orange peel, though …

So.

They (Emmett and Oscar) have the entire house… BUT choose to play under my footstool as I try to research and decide on a gingerbread biscotti recipe…

Despite distractions, I make a plan and Gingerbread Biscotti with Candied Orange and Crystallized Ginger gets underway (also walnuts!).

Delicious success!

Thankfully, Biscotti keep for a long time as I have a good supply as well as some other ideas… Chocolate Chip Raspberry is one!

Meanwhile, the kitchen kitten plays …

The ball with fleece worm is a favorite!

And so ends the weekend. Christmas Biscotti jar is full and we look to Christmas Week … a week of fun and joy and good times in anticipation of a Joy filled holiday … the BEST week of the year as far as I am concerned.

Happy, Happy to all!