She loves biscotti you say…more specifically Almond Biscotti.
My whole biscotti obsession started with this family recipe for Italian Almond Biscotti. Simple and great tasting -it will quickly become one of your favorites.
This recipe was originally published on September 28, 2014 and re-published on October 12, 2017 with updated content, photos and more recently with a video.
Born to Italian immigrants, growing up in Montreal, my definition of biscotti refers to a variety of cookies, which include the twice baked cookie.
As a kid I thought this cookie was too hard and looked boring. Whenever I opened the pantry door, there they were again, almond biscotti. I remember thinking why can’t we be like the other kids and have store-bought cookies. It was only as an adult that I came to appreciate this simple cookie which was absolutely created to be dunked.
If you have never ventured into the world of biscotti…you should.
They are truly simple to make, do not require any special cooking equipment (that means manual labor i.e. mixing by hand) and you can easily control the amount of sugar and the flavors (for example, the anise flavor found in this Anise Biscotti can easily be replaced with vanilla flavoring).
Be sure to consult this guide on How to Make Biscotti. It will provide you all the tips and tricks to make the best homemade biscotti, every single time. This post also includes a recipe for Lemon Biscotti. If you like lemon cookies, you are going to love these!
Once you have combined the ingredients, it’s time to shape this mixture into logs. My method is definitely unconventional, but it works for me. I will use a large serving spoon to scoop out the dough and place it on the parchment lined cookie sheet. I will then add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until I have formed my two logs.
As far as the size of the log is concerned, you can make them as wide or as narrow as you want. I will usually make 3-3½ inch wide logs. Once I have placed the batter on the cookie sheets, I will gently “press” and shape the dough mixture into logs with my damp fingers. Like I mentioned, unconventional and amateurish…but hey, it works!
Once baked, allow them to cool off before attempting to slice them.
Biscotti, as you may know, is Italian for “twice-cooked” – so if you like a bit of a crunch, put those biscotti back in the oven again for a second round of baking. The longer these Italian biscotti stay in the oven, the crisper they will get. Although it is a well-known practice to bake these biscotti cookies twice, personnel preference should dictate for how long, if at all. These Almond Biscotti are fantastic even without the second baking.
Another well-known fact is that biscotti will last forever! Well, maybe not forever… but you get my point. Because they are baked twice, there is little moisture in the dough. Since biscotti are a low moisture cookie, this will allow you to store them at room temperature, where they will keep for a few weeks. It is best to keep them in an air tight container.
TIPS, TRICKS AND RECIPE NOTES:
- Start with ingredients that are at room temperature.
- Once the biscotti loaves are baked, allow to cool down for at least ten minutes before slicing into them.
How do you cut biscotti without breaking them? Allow the biscotti to cool down on a cookie rack before slicing into them. Carefully transfer the biscotti loaves to a cutting board. With a sharp serrated knife, slice the loaves at an angle into ½-inch thick slices.
Are biscotti supposed to be hard? Yes, biscotti cookies are supposed to be hard. The best biscotti recipe will provide you with biscotti that are firm and crunchy. The word “biscotti” means twice baked; in doing so, the moisture is removed from these Italian cookies leaving you with a dry, dunk-able cookie.
Biscotti Recipes we love!
Cranberry Pistachio Thin Biscotti
Origins of the recipe for Almond Biscotti:
As you can well imagine, every Italian family has “their” biscotti recipe and I have collected quite a few over the years. This is one of my personal favorites. In fact, my whole biscotti obsession started with this Almond Biscotti recipe. As you may have guessed, this was one of my mom’s recipes.
A simple and great tasting biscotti -I am sure they will quickly become one of your favorites!
I hope you enjoy these Almond Biscotti with some Vin Santo, coffee, tea or even milk!
Don’t forget to dunk 🙂
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this recipe for Almond Biscotti, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole almonds raw
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Position rack in the center.
- Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 12-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and sugars).
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add olive oil, extracts, and zest. Whisk lightly together.
- When almonds are toasted, remove from oven and coarsely chop.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir with wooden spoon until just incorporated.
- Fold in chopped almonds (make sure they have cooled off before incorporating in the batter).
- Use a large serving spoon to scoop out the dough and place it on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until two logs are formed.With damp fingers, shape into a log shape.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown in colour and firm. Allow to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from baking sheet and transfer to cutting board.
- Using a serrated knife, slice cookies at an angle about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick.
- Place slices back on the baking sheets, and return them to the oven for about another 15 - 20 minutes (the longer they stay in the oven, the crispier they get). Turn them over at the half way mark.
- Place on a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Ellen says
My mom loves to have her morning coffee with biscotti. When she ran out of her sexond box of biscotti bought from the store, I said, “Why not just make them from home? I’m sure I can do it.” I’ve been into baking mostly loaves and cakes, but this recipe was so easy to follow that I wasn’t intimidated.
I substituted the 1 cup of crushed almonds for crushed trail mix (cranberries, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, etc.) and they added a wonderful texture to the cookies.
Overall, my mother loved how “legitimate” the cookies turned out compared to the store-bought biscotti. The almond and vanilla flavors also add a nice aroma when served with coffee. I’ll be making more of these tasty biscotti for myself and my mom in the future. Thank you!!!
Maria says
Thank you so much for taking the time to share Ellen, I truly appreciate it. What a great variation for this biscotti recipe. I am thrilled to hear you both enjoyed the recipe, thank you.
Timothy says
So many dibetic people like me could you come up with options. A sugar substitute changes the constinstity of the product.
Maria says
Thank you for the comment Timothy. Yes, a different recipe would have to be developed to take into account the qualities of a sugar substitute. I am putting it on my list of recipes to be developed. Thank you for the suggestion.
Jody says
I just made the biscotti. They are now in the oven for the final 15-20 minutes. I found my raw dough to be quite crumbly although I did measure ingredients accurately. It was a bit difficult to form the log with crumbly dough. Also, after baking the logs for 30 minutes and letting them sit for 10 minutes, some slices fell apart when I sliced them. Do I need to perhaps add less flour or more oil next time?
Maria says
Hi Jody, I am sorry you had a difficult time with these biscotti. It does sound like there was a bit too much flour.
Flour is often the culprit in baked goods. It is often recommended to fluff and then scoop to measure. If you have a scale, my point of reference is 1 cup=142 grams. So for this recipe we are looking at 284 grams. I would not increase the amount of oil. Hope that helps. Thanks so much for stopping by.
jody says
Could I substitute avocado oil for the olive oil? Doesn’t the olive oil give it a strong “olive oil” taste? I only have EVOO and am thinking the smell/taste of the olive oil would be overpowering?
Maria says
Hi Jody, no the olive oil does not give off a strong taste. It actually works well with the almonds. That being said, any oil will work. Thanks for stopping by, appreciate it!
Lucille Oconnor says
I’ve been making biscottis a long time , thought I’d try a different receipt . This is awesome, love the brown sugar and toasted almonds great great recipe. I will never go back to t original one. Thank u
Maria says
Thanks so much Lucille! I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed these almond biscotti. Appreciate you stopping by and sharing your experience with this recipe.
Denise says
I love this almond biscotti recipe and have made them about 8 times now. I have supplemented other ingredients and found myself baking again today! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe and traditions! Ciao!
Maria says
How wonderful Denise! Thanks so much for taking the time to share, appreciate it!
Susan says
I never write reviews but… I also love biscotti. I took an Italian baking class years ago and came away with a great recipe that I used for years but lost track of a few years ago. Since then, I just could not get the dough right until now! This seems to be the closest to that old recipe and it was wonderful. I added a half dip of dark chocolate and a sprinkle of toasted almonds and everyone was happy! Thank you!
Maria says
My pleasure Susan. I am thrilled to hear this! Biscotti are truly so wonderful! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, appreciate it!
Amy says
I have been making biscotti for years from another recipe that called for butter and pecans, but I am now living overseas in the third world country where oil is much easier to obtain and sometimes I can find almonds and often have almond extract sent to me. I found your recipe and love it even more than my original recipe … I have to add a little more flour like others because I live in a tropical climate, but you are not joking when you say that biscotti can last forever! However, with eight children around here and a hubby who likes to have people over and share , I have to hide them to make them last a bit! 😃 I always get great comments from anyone who tries them . Thanks for the great recipe – it’s a keeper.
Maria says
Oh my goodness Amy, 8 children! Congratulations!
I am thrilled to hear you are enjoying these almond biscotti.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share, truly appreciate it!