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
Mark Simpson
I’ve tried lots of biscotti recipes and this is the best. I dialled down the almond essence to half a tablespoon but still thought it was pretty strong so going for 1:1 with vanilla in next batch. Agree a reheat if they soften makes them perfect and last for weeks. Thanks for sharing!
Maria
So thrilled to read this Mark! Thanks so much for taking the time to share, appreciate it!
Pat Livingston
The recipe is very clearly written and all steps are easy to follow, and I followed them exactly and ended up with fantastic biscotti that is better than the ones I buy at the high prices bakery.
5 stars – 2 thumbs up, and gold star – thanks for the recipe!
Maria
Thank you so much for your kind words Pat. My mom must be smiling from above ♥
Debbie Rivers
Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. I made a double batch today and they are perfect.I will dip havve in melted chocolate.What a great cookie to share anytime.
Maria
I am so thrilled to read this! Thanks for sharing Debbie!
Leslie
My sister in law owns and runs an almond orchard in california with her husband. We always have lovely fresh almonds and this is my go to recipe every time! Perfection! I dip half in melted dark chocolate for a special touch!!!
Maria
Oh my, Leslie! That is so special! Thanks so much for sharing… using fresh almonds brings this biscotti recipe to another level!
catherine
And chance I can replace the sugar with date paste, honey or maple syrup?
Maria
To be honest, I have never tried Catherine, sorry about that. The recipe would have to be tested. Thanks for stopping by.
Ian
I have baked this recipe about a half dozen times. It’s my go-to for easy cookies to gift and impress. I don’t make any alterations to the recipe. When they get soft after a few days, I pop them back in the over at a low heat for about ten to fifteen minutes and that crisps them up again. Excellent recipe, definitely a staple for any baker!
Maria
SO thrilled to read this! Thanks so much Ian!
Teresa Bennett
I love making them… My family always asks me to make some… Thank you for sharing….
Lisa Gordillo
I made these and my family LOVED them! I want to try variations, but my husband says – no, just keep making them this way, they’re perfect! I did feel like my batter was a little thin, although I measured carefully (spoon-and-level method), and I needed to second bake them for a good bit longer to get them crunchy (30 minutes more). I wonder if you can mention about how thick you feel the batter “should” be when you spoon it onto the tray for baking?
Maria
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Lisa, appreciate it. Have you taken a look at the video? You get a feel for the texture. It is not a stiff dough that you can roll into a log. I would say the dough is a little bit thicker when compared to a drop cookie. Not sure that makes any sense 🙂
Did the cookies spread out a lot while they were baking? If they didn’t, I would say your dough is fine. As you probably know, every oven is a little bit different. I think an extra 5-10 minutes to my recommended time is fine.
Thanks again for stopping by.
Kam
Hi, if I don’t have almond extract can I just vanilla extract and double the portion or just leave it.
Thanks
Kam
Maria
You can easily leave it out. If you have Amaretto liqueur, you can use that.
Debra Rogers
Excellent recipe!
I’ve used this as a base recipe and made quite a few variations for my families Christmas goodies.
Big love in this challenging year to all ❤ Debra
Maria
Thanks so much for sharing Debra! Thrilled to hear you are enjoying this recipe. Same to you!
Laila
I liked this recipe a lot. I was feeling intimidated in making these as they seem like they would be difficult to make. It was really easy to follow and I really appreciated the video that you posted as it gave me a good visual of what to expect. Scooping the spoonfuls and then making sure I had wet hands to mold the dough was very much appreciated by a novice baker like me. The house smelled wonderful and the biscotti’s came out great. This was my test run before I make them for gift for my friends and family and I am excited. Per your suggestion above, I am looking forward to making some with chocolate next.
Maria
I am so happy for you Laila! Welcome to the wonderful world of biscotti and infinite varaitions! Thank you for taking the time to comment and share. Appreciate it!
Az sunshine
My first attempt at biscotti … and… I LOVE these! I made a 1/2 batch as that is how much almost extract I had. Easy recipe and OH SO DELICIOUS!
Maria
How wonderful Az, congratulations! Thanks so much for taking the time to share, appreciate it!
Antoinette Bradley
Is there anyway the sugar can be reducec?
Maria
Yes, there are a few readers that have commented that they tried the recipe with a reduction of sugar. I would start gradually… say with 1/2 cup of less sugar… evaluate and take it from there. Thanks so much for your interest, Antoinette.