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This homemade biscotti recipe is easy and so versatile. These classic Italian cookies are crispy and go well with a cup of coffee. You only need a handful of ingredients to make these. I have also included several variations for you to try!
I love trying cookies from different countries, so far we have Italian pistachio cookies, Turkish almond cookies and of course, Norwegian krumkake. This almond biscotti recipe is another favorite of mine for good reasons. It’s easy, quick and so versatile. Follow along to learn how to make biscotti at home with a handful of ingredients.
This recipe doesn’t require any specific baking skills, equipment or ingredients, making it the perfect recipe for any time of the year!
The Italian word biscotti means twice baked, referring to the two-step baking of this classic Italian cookie. The cookie is once baked as a log, cooled, then sliced and baked again to get that signature crispiness that makes the cookies dunkable, perfect with a cup of coffee.
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Biscotti
- Flour: Use regular all purpose flour to make biscotti. If looking for gluten-free option, use 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Baking powder: You need a bit of leavening agent to work the recipe. Make sure the baking powder is not expired.
- Butter: Use melted butter that’s been completely cooled.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works best. Other sweeteners including stevia, monk fruit, honey or maple syrup will not work.
- Eggs: Using room temperature eggs will help the ingredients incorporate better.
- Vanilla extract: You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Almonds: Make sure to use unsalted almonds for this recipe.
How To Make Biscotti Cookies
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
- Add the wet ingredients: To the flour mixture, add the cooled melted butter, vanilla and one egg. Mix well using a spatula or a wooden spoon. The mixture will be dry. Add the one remaining egg and mix again until well combined.
- Add the almonds: Chop the almonds and add them to the dough. Mix so the almonds are well incorporated.
- Form the log: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with a bit of flour. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and form into a rectangle that’s 4-inch wide and 16-inch long.
- First bake: Bake the dough at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Let it cool for 20 to 25 minutes, and move it to a cutting board. Cut it into 1-inch thick slices using a serrated knife.
- Second bake: Place the slices on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes, flipping them once so they get crispy on both sides.
Top Tips To Make Biscotti
- Adjust the size: Adjust the width and length of the biscotti logs depending on how narrow or wide you like the cookies to be. Keep in mind that the logs spread a bit when baked.
- Temperature matters: The biscotti log should be cool enough to handle before slicing it. If it’s too hot or too cold, then it will crumble as you cut it into slices.
- Use the proper knife: Use a serrated knife, like a bread knife to cut biscotti.
- Have fun: Get creative with the additions and customize this classic Italian cookie to your liking, use pistachios, walnuts or chocolate chips!
Variations
What I love about this homemade biscotti is how versatile it is. You can easily modify this recipe and make it to your liking. Here are some of our favorites:
- Cranberry pistachio: Add 1/3 cup chopped cranberries and 1/3 cup chopped pistachios to the dough. Dip them in white chocolate after baking for extra flavor!
- Chocolate chip: Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
- Chocolate dipped: Dip the almond biscotti partially in melted chocolate and top with flaky sea salt or chopped almonds.
- Walnut raisin: My favorite combination; add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 1/3 cup raisins to the biscotti dough.
How To Store Biscotti
Store the biscotti in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and help them stay crispy. You can keep them at room temperature for up to 10 days.
You can also freeze biscotti cookies by placing them in a freezer-safe bag. They can stay frozen for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, biscotti cookies are supposed to be crispy and firm so you can dunk them in coffee or tea.
Since biscotti cookies are firm and dry, you should always serve them with a drink. In Italy, it’s common to serve biscotti as an after dinner dessert with dessert wine such as muscat or vin santo. It’s also common to serve biscotti with beverages such as coffee, latte or tea.
Biscotti is supposed to be crunchy, but not annoyingly hard. There could be a few reasons for rock hard biscotti including the second baking time being too long. Another reason for super dry biscotti is the dough being too hard to begin with, therefore make sure to measure the ingredients properly. And last reason is the biscotti log being too cold when you slice it. Keep in mind that we want the log to be cool enough to handle, not completely cold.
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Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp butter , melted and cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup unsalted almonds , roasted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and mix well to combine.
- Add is the melted butter, vanilla extract and one egg. Mix using a wooden spoon or a spatula.
- Add in the one remaining egg and mix again.
- Add the chopped almonds and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands so it's well combined.
- Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the parchment paper and transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Form the dough into a rectangle that's 4 inch wide and 14 to 16 inches long. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until slightly golden.
- Take the biscotti out of the oven and let it cool for 20 to 25 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut the biscotti diagonally into 1 inch thick slices. Arrange the slices cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Return the biscotti to the oven at 350 degrees F and bake for 10 more minutes. Flip the cookies halfway through so they're crispy on both sides.
Video
Notes
- You can use 1:1 gluten-free flour if desired.
- Instead of almonds, you can add chopped pistachios, dried cranberries, walnuts or chocolate chips.
- Biscotti cookies are supposed to be dry and firm so you can dunk them in beverages.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container lined with paper towel to absorb the moisture. You can keep them at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve been making different combinations of biscotti for quite awhile now and I love making them…I found baking them at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, then carefully slicing them while warm and placing them back in oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes works perfect for me everytime. My tiramisu with chocolate chips and vanilla with white chocolate chips are the family’s favorite but I’ve done eggnog and Bailey’s Irish Cream, too!!
OMG!!! These were AMAZING!!! Best gluten free biscotti recipe I ever made. I used Trader Joe’s 1-1 gluten free flour & coconut sugar. I also drizzled them with chocolate after putting them in the oven for the second time. When I took them out of the oven the first time I let them cool for 30 minutes, but when I cut them some of them were crumbly and fell apart. This also happened when I put them in for the second time and I turned them over some fell apart. This never happened with GF flour before. Should I use a third egg To hold it together? but other than that they were unbelievable.
Hi Laurie, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! The reason they crumble a bit could be the temperature. If the biscotti is too hot or too cold, the pieces might crumble while slicing. Hope this helps 🙂
I had been wanting to make biscotti for so long. I dipped the bottoms into melted chocolate and they were soooo good – exactly what I was hoping for!
The whole family loved these. Thank you so much.
This biscotti looks so pretty and is much easier to make than I thought it would be. It’s perfect to go with my morning coffee or afternoon tea.
I’m making a big batch of these biscotti for Xmas gifts! Thanks for all the tips and tricks.
This biscotti was so easy to make. They are perfect for going with my morning cappuccinos!
Do you have a recipe for biscotti with almond flour or anything else besides flour or gluten-free flour? Thank you 😊
I have not tested the recipe with almond flour but will do and update 🙂