Pumpkin Pepita Biscotti

Spiced Pumpkin Pepita Biscotti

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
1/2 lb. white almond bark
Cinnamon sugar, for garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a large cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter and brown sugar until well combined.  Whisk in egg, pumpkin, vanilla, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.  Stir in flour  and pepitas until well incorporated, and a stiff dough is formed.

Pat dough into 10-1/2 x 3-1/2 inch log on cookie sheet.  Bake 30 minutes.  Cool log for 10 minutes, before transferring it to a wire rack to cool an additional 20 minutes.  Transfer log to a cutting board, and slice diagonally, into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Place on cookie sheet; bake 10 minutes.  Flip cookies, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until crisp.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Melt almond bark in a small bowl, in the microwave, for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth.  Dip half of each biscotti into white almond bark; place on wire rack to dry.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of almond bark, if desired.

Makes about 20 biscotti