Sensational Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

Biscotti is wonderful. Hershey's chocolate is wonderful. This recipe is wonderful. This is taken directly out of the "Hershey's Holiday Collection" Recipe book, which was given to me by the lovely Mardell.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup Hershey's Cinnamon Chips (or Chocolate chips if you can't find any) (divided)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons shortening (Do not substitute)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease the cookie sheet.

2. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until blended. It will be lumpy and strange looking, but don't fight it. Baking never makes sense at first. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well and look at how smooth it is now. Dip your finger in because it has vanilla in it and it will taste lovely. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix. Gradually add to the butter mixture, beat well each time. Hold on the the mixer for dear life. In the end, give up and use your hands. Using a spoon or with hands, work 1 cup cinnamon chips and walnuts into dough.

3. Divide dough into four equal parks. Shape each part into a log about 8 inches long. Place on prepared cookie sheet, at least 2 inches apart; flatten slightly.

4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until logs are set and wooden pick inserted in center comes our clean. Remove from oven; let cool on cookie sheet for 30 minutes.

If you're my mother, this is the point you force me to cut one of the logs in half and eat it as is. It's delicious, but it's a cookie at this point, not the crispy sweet bread.

5. Transfer to cutting board, using a serrated knife and sawing motion cut logs diagonally into 1/2 inch wide slices. Place slices close together, cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet. (Essentially, both sides will be cut, so just do what you want I guess) Return to oven; bake 5 to 6 minutes. Turn each slice; bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven; cool slightly. They should be hard and crispy. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Melt remaining cinnamon chips with shortening in the microwave; drizzle over each cookie.


These are served the BEST by dunking them into a glass of cold milk. (chocolate milk is the best)