Contributor: Bob Sanfelippo, family baker

LOUIE FAVORITE (ENLARGE)

TESTER'S COMMENT Depending on how crispy you like them, you can vary the second baking time. Twelve minutes will be slightly firm. Before baking, the logs can be dressed with additional nuts, sprinkles and/or colored sugars. Missed a day? Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 Day 5 | Day 6 HOLIDAY GUIDE [an error occurred while processing this directive]

"I grew up with my Nonna [grandmother] making these each holiday season, " says the Mariettan, who works with medical records as a profession and with Italian pastries as a hobby.

"After moving to Atlanta more than 20 years ago, I missed that tradition not only at Christmas, but year-round. I called my Nonna and aunt for recipes so that I could try making them myself, and have been baking ever since. Every holiday I prepare these and many other old and new family recipes with my wife and three children, who have also fallen in love with the art of Italian baking."

Makes 36 cookies

Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus 2 or more hours refrigerationCooking time: 35 minutes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of one orange

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup almonds, toasted

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

3/4 cup chopped red and green candied cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and orange zest. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Gradually add dry ingredients. Add nuts and candied cherries. Shape dough into 2 logs on baking sheet covered in parchment paper, leaving 2 inches between logs. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on racks, leaving the parchment paper in place. When cool, wrap in foil and refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Remove foil and slice biscotti into 3/4-inch wide slices. Place the slices on baking sheets upright, and bake for 15 minutes or until desired crispness. Cookies will feel soft when removed from the oven, but will harden as they cool.

Per cookie: 115 calories (percent of calories from fat, 38), 2 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams fat, 22 milligrams cholesterol, 63 milligrams sodium.