Almond Biscotti

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

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

Pumpkin 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

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.

4.93 from 148 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: cookies

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings: 3 dozen

Calories: 112kcal

Author: Maria Vannelli RD

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.

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Video

Notes

Note: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1unit | Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 64mg | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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