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    Home » Biscotti » Almond Biscotti

    Almond Biscotti

    October 12, 2017 , Updated October 18, 2021 Maria 746 Comments

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    A few almond biscotti set upright in a glass.

    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.

    Close up of a sliced Almond Biscotti.

    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.

    A few Almond Biscotti standing upright in a glass.

    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 with 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! 

    Raw dough for Almond Biscotti being mixed together.

    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!

    Rows of sliced Almond Biscotti.

    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 the second round of baking. The longer these Italian biscotti stay in the oven, the crispier 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

    • Start with ingredients that are at room temperature.
    • Once the biscotti loaves are baked, allow them 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.

    How to store

    Store your biscotti cookies in airtight containers, but they don’t need to be absolutely hermetically sealed. A slight flow of air will help them stay crispy!

    You can store biscotti for up to 3 weeks in a variety of different containers, including glass or ceramics as well as cookie tins. A paper towel placed at the bottom of the container will help absorb excess moisture; making sure they stay crisp.  Always store at room temperature -never the refrigerator.

    Can also be frozen for up to 3 months. 

    More biscotti recipes

    Biscotti is the perfect snack for any coffee or tea lover, with its crunchy additions of nuts and flavorful add-ins like dried fruit. Some favorites include these festive-looking pistachio biscotti, these earthy pumpkin biscotti as well as these decadent chocolate hazelnut biscotti.

    They also make a great addition to any homemade Christmas cookie box. 

    Close up picture of Almond Biscotti in a glass.

    Recipe origins 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 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 biscotti cookies 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.

    And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.

    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!

     

    An espresso coffee with an Almond Biscotti.

    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 238 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: cookies
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 3 dozen
    Calories: 112kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup whole almonds raw
    • 2¼ cups all purpose flour 320 grams
    • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ¾ cup brown sugar
    • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon pure almond extract
    • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 325°F/165° C. Position rack in the center.
    • Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the 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 them from the oven and coarsely chop.
    • Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir with a 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 color and firm. Allow to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
    • Remove from baking sheet and transfer to a cutting board.
    • Using a serrated knife, slice cookies at an angle about ½ - ¾ 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 halfway 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 a 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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    Filed Under: Biscotti, Christmas, Italian Cookies

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Donna

      July 30, 2023 at 1:58 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great Biscotti recipe. I just made it with only a couple of changes:
      1. I used the almonds whole after toasting them.as I find them easier to slice through.
      2. I cut the olive oil to 1/4 cup
      3. I also added some dried cranberries.

      I’ve always made my biscotti without any fat added like my Tuscan mother made them. I liked them, but my husband thought they were too hard to eat. So I tried this one and it’s a winner! Thanks Maria.

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 08, 2023 at 9:15 pm

        My pleasure Donna! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.

        Reply
    2. Aurelia Jewell

      July 20, 2023 at 11:06 pm

      5 stars
      I love biscotti and your recipe is my favorite. I thought I’d lost it and was frantically searching my recipes for it and I remembered your story about when you were a kid and that is how I found it. I have made this for Christmas gifts and just for myself when I have afternoon coffee. It is simply delicious and easy to make. Thank you for sharing your recipes.

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 08, 2023 at 9:30 pm

        I am happy you found the biscotti recipe Aurelia! Thanks so much for sharing your story… it made me smile 🙂

        Reply
    3. Lina

      June 02, 2023 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! Olive oil is so much healthier! I’ve made this dozens of times and use a cup of dried cranberries as well as almonds. I’ve used walnuts as well. I find I like to bake them only 5 minutes per side after cutting them. They have a bit of chew but not falling apart.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 06, 2023 at 10:38 pm

        My pleasure Lina! Thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply
    4. Christine

      May 17, 2023 at 10:51 am

      This is now my go to biscotti recipe. They turned out perfect!!!

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 25, 2023 at 4:39 pm

        Thanks Christine!

        Reply
    5. Debbie Mcmahon

      April 27, 2023 at 3:46 pm

      5 stars
      These biscotti came out perfect. I’m making my second batch today. I like to melt some very dark high quality chocolate and spread the bottom of the biscotti after the second bake. 5 minutes in the fridge to harden the chocolate and they are done!

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 30, 2023 at 5:54 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing Debbie!

        Reply
    6. Fala

      March 27, 2023 at 1:00 pm

      5 stars
      These biscotti were some of the best I’ve ever made. The olive oil component was really great. They tasted wonderful, and crunchy.

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 06, 2023 at 10:39 pm

        Thanks so much Fala!

        Reply
    7. Yvonne

      March 20, 2023 at 4:23 pm

      5 stars
      Who could give less then a five on this wonderful recipe! My first time and they came out perfect. It was so easy to make and so flavorful. Thank you so much Maria for sharing this recipe. It’s a keeper.

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 06, 2023 at 10:39 pm

        My pleasure Yvonne! Thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply
    8. Miska Knezevic

      March 05, 2023 at 2:13 am

      fabulous!

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 06, 2023 at 10:02 pm

        Thanks so much Miska!

        Reply
        • Rosemarie

          March 07, 2023 at 9:56 pm

          5 stars
          Maria, this is now my “go to” biscotti recipe. The Olive Oil kind of scared me & the logs were very runny but to my surprise they baked up beautifully. Even my husband loves biscotti now! Thanks a bunch for sharing

        • Maria

          March 17, 2023 at 7:43 pm

          Thanks for sharing Rosemarie!

    9. Jeanne White

      February 22, 2023 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      During the Christmas holiday, a friend gave my husband and me some biscotti she had made and I fell in love! I have made this recipe of yours 3 times since then. I have used 1 cup of chopped pecans each time instead of the almonds and one time I added 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips. It has turned out perfect and delicious each time. I love dunking in my coffee! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 27, 2023 at 6:43 pm

        My pleasure Jeanne! Thanks for sharing your variation; sounds delicious!

        Reply
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