Heat the oven and prep pans: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy.

Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Keeping dry ingredients evenly mixed helps your biscotti bake uniformly.

Cream butter and sugar: In a separate large bowl, beat softened butter with sugar until light and slightly fluffy, 2–3 minutes. This adds air and improves texture.

Add eggs and flavorings: Beat in eggs one at a time until fully combined. Mix in vanilla, almond extract (if using), and orange zest. The dough may look glossy—that’s good.

Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir on low or use a spatula until a thick, sticky dough forms. Avoid overmixing.

Fold in the mix-ins: Gently fold in pistachios and dried cranberries. Distribute them evenly, so each slice has color and texture.

Shape the logs: Divide the dough in half. With lightly floured hands, shape each half into a log about 10–12 inches long and 2–3 inches wide. Place both logs on the prepared sheet, leaving space between.

First bake: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the logs are set and lightly golden. They should feel firm on the surface but still have a slight give in the center.

Cool briefly: Let the baked logs rest on the sheet for 15 minutes. This short cool-down makes slicing cleaner and helps prevent crumbling.

Slice: Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (150°C). Using a serrated knife, slice each log into 1/2-inch-thick pieces on a slight diagonal. Use a gentle sawing motion.

Second bake: Lay slices cut-side down on the sheet. Bake 10–12 minutes, flip, then bake another 8–10 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. For extra crunch, add 2–3 minutes per side.

Cool completely: Transfer biscotti to a rack to cool fully. They’ll firm up as they cool.

Optional chocolate finish: Melt white or dark chocolate and either dip the ends or drizzle over the tops. Let set before storing.