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 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!
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 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.
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.
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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!
Recipe
Almond Biscotti
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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Pat C
These biscotti were a huge hit. My only problem is that the first bake was not long enough. The logs were wet inside and pulled apart when I sliced the cookies. The second bake had to be extended as well. Even when cool, the biscotti were not crisp through the middle and the needed to be dried out in a warm oven. I will try them again but will extend the first bake.
Maria
Thanks for sharing Pat. As you probably know, all ovens are a little different, and with time some of them need to be re-calibrated… at least that has been my experience. It would be interesting to test the actual temperature of your oven with an oven thermometer. I think you did the right thing to extend the baking time in order to dry out the biscotti. Glad to hear they were a hit, thank you.
Bill
Maria, excellent recipe, thank you!
I’m not Italian, but I’m pretty sure “biscotti” is Italian for “”biscuits”, not “twice-cooked”. : )
Maria
My pleasure Bill! Glad you enjoyed them!
The origin of certain words in the Italian language is certainly a very interesting topic. I had an Italian upbringing with Italian being my mother tongue. My nonna would always refer to these as biscotti. I was taught that “bis” was Latin for twice and “cotti” baked. But I have heard the reference to biscotti as a general cookie or as you say biscuits. I think this is a more common reference outside of Italy… but I could be wrong.
Thanks for stopping by.
Bill
I looked on Wikipedia, and you are right. The original Latin roots of the word “Biscotti” do, in fact, mean “twice-cooked”. Told you I wasn’t Italian!
Anyway, I meant to mention that I add 1 Tablespoon of Anise Seeds to my version of your recipe. Excellent results. Thanks again!
Maria
My pleasure Bill! Have a great week-end!
Gary Begg
Hi Maria, I’m going to try this recipe for the first time. I have a question though; does the skin on the whole almond need to be removed prior to putting them in the batter? If so, can you recommend a way to do this? Thanks. I’m looking forward to trying this recipe!
Kind regards,
Gary
Maria
Thanks so much for your interest Gary. No need to remove the skin. Have fun baking the biscotti!
Pam
I never leave reviews for recipes but this is hands down, the best almond biscotti I’ve ever made or tasted! Thank you so much!
If this helps anyone else, I drew 2 rectangular templates onto the parchment, each 12 x 2 inches, to help me in forming uniform logs. I also took the suggestion of another poster and added 1/4 cup of almond flour to the mix. They came out beautifully golden and they are sublime!
Maria
Thanks so much for taking the time to share Pam. I truly appreciate it!
Angela
Hi maria! My name is Angela! I just finished baking the biscottis! Now cooling! The logs widened so much that the two logs joined! Kind of flat too! Did I do something wrong?
Maria
Nice to virtually meet you Angela. I’m sorry to hear you had difficulty with the dough. Did the dough look like that in the video or was it less dense?
Lyn Roberts
Hi Maria I am about to try your recipe.
I have sliced almonds and slivered alomds (both packaged from the store); can I use those. If so do they need to be toasted.
I’ll let you know how they turn out.
Maria
Yes, they can be used. I would toast them but just barely enough so they get warm. The second bake will get them nice and toasty since they are so fine. Have fun Lyn!
Rikesh
I made these and they turned out amazing! Didnt know Biscotti was so simple to make and they taste delicious. The recipe is spot on! Will definitely be making them again! Thanks
Maria
My pleasure Rikesh, enjoy!
Mira
BEST BISCOTTI EVERRRRR. Love your recipe, made it multiple times. It has become a staple in our house, my mom always asks for them and we made them together today on mother’s day. Everything about this recipe is perfect. I just want to let people know: DON’T WORRY if the dough is super sticky and keeps on spreading, your biscotti will turn out perfect! I like to add ground almonds or almond crumbs in addition to the flour (about a 1/4 cup). It makes the texture even more amazing and crumbly. Spreading and smoothing the dough on the pan is probably the step that takes me the most time. It also smells heavenly! Nothing better than a house that smells like fresh, lemony, almond biscotti.
Maria
Thanks so much for taking the time to share Mira, I truly appreciate it! How special that you were able to bake with your mom today ♥
Denise Venier
Hi, thanks so much for the biscotti recipe. One question for you, how can I get them to come out harder? They are beautifully crisp but crumbly. I prefer them really, really hard.
Love your recipes, and look forward to your suggestions
Denise
Maria
Thanks so much for your interest Denise. Sounds like you have a super-efficient oven 🙂 Perhaps you can reduce the amount of time for the first bake, that way when you slice them, there is less of a risk of them crumbling. As you probably know, for the second bake, the longer they stay in the oven, the harder they get. With a little adjustment to the baking times, you should be able to get a hard cookie. Enjoy!
Elena
This was my first time making biscotti. I followed the directions and they came out beautifully. Thank you for posting the video as well. It really helped with forming the logs and cutting the dough after the first bake. Yum!
Maria
Thanks so much for taking the time to share Elena!