Today an irresistible scent filled my kitchen: dark chocolate cantucci with dried cranberries, a surprising meeting between the crunchiness of chocolate cantucci and the slightly tart note of cranberry cookies. A delicious reinterpretation of the classic almond cantuccini from Prato, made for those who love to experiment with new flavor balances while keeping tradition.
The preparation of the cantucci follows the traditional method, but with an extra touch: generous pieces of dark chocolate join the dried cranberries, an ingredient I adore and use often in my recipes.
If I piqued your curiosity, keep reading: you’ll find all the step-by-step instructions, accompanied by photos and video, to make these delicious homemade cookies to perfection.
See you with the next recipe… and in the meantime, set the table!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6-8 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 326.90 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 53.99 (g) of which sugars 23.99 (g)
- Proteins 9.31 (g)
- Fat 9.39 (g) of which saturated 5.18 (g)of which unsaturated 3.56 (g)
- Fibers 2.79 (g)
- Sodium 189.52 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 96 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 3 eggs (+ 1 for brushing)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Half packet baking powder (half packet, about 2 tsp)
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate
- 3 oz dried cranberries
- 1 pinch salt
Tools: cantucci with chocolate and cranberries
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Work surface board
- 1 Brush
- 1 Baking tray
Recipe: dark chocolate cantucci with dried cranberries
Beat the eggs with the sugar until you obtain a pale and slightly fluffy mixture.
Gradually incorporate the sifted flour together with the baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Work the dough: it will be fairly firm but still workable.
Roughly chop the dark chocolate with a knife, add it to the dough and mix well.
Now add the dried cranberries and mix until they are well incorporated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form 3 loaves directly on the tray using the prepared dough. If the dough is sticky, I recommend flouring your hands.
Beat one egg and brush each loaf over the entire surface.
Now it’s time to bake the cantucci.
Perform a first bake in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F for about 20-25 minutes (the loaves should turn golden on the surface), then remove from the oven.
Transfer the loaves to the work surface and immediately cut the cookies into oblique slices (do not let the loaves cool completely, otherwise they may break while cutting).
Place all the cantucci back on the baking tray for the second bake; they need to dry out and become crisp.
Bake again at 356°F for 10 minutes, turning them halfway through.
Once this step is complete, remove from the oven, let cool and arrange your cantucci on a serving plate.
And that’s it: with a few ingredients and no resting time required, your dark chocolate and dried cranberry cantucci are ready to enjoy. Perfect with a hot tea or to finish a meal by dipping them in a small glass of Vin Santo.
The contrast between dark chocolate and the slightly tart cranberries makes them different from classic cantucci, but that’s exactly what makes them irresistible.
Storage and tips
Storage: cantucci keep for about 2 weeks if stored in a glass or tin cookie jar.
Tips: slice the cantucci while they are still hot, right after baking. If you let them cool completely, they will become too hard and you may break them instead of getting perfect slices.
FAQ
Can I replace the dried cranberries?
Yes, you can use raisins, chopped dried figs or other dried fruit such as almonds or hazelnuts. Keep in mind the final flavor will change slightly.
What can I use instead of dark chocolate in the cantucci?
Besides dark chocolate, you can use milk chocolate for a sweeter, milder result, or white chocolate for a richer contrast with the cranberries. Alternatively, mix different types of chocolate for an even more complex flavor.
Why do cantucci require double baking?
Double baking is the secret to perfectly crunchy cantucci. The first bake cooks the dough and keeps the inside slightly soft, while the second, after slicing, dries them out and makes them crisp on the outside without over-drying them.
