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.
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!
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
Veronica
This recipe was so easy to follow. I have made them twice in the last two weeks. I have made biscotti before and they were delicious but I couldn’t find that recipe. This recipe is perfect. I will be making them again soon but with black walnuts. I have black walnut extract that I would like to use again. Hazelnut will be next after that. Thank you so much for sharing Maria. My family and I truly enjoyed them!
Veronica
Long Beach, Ca.
Maria
Sounds delicious Veronica! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sandra P Taylor
This recipe is accurate, it is wonderful. I made it EXACTLY as indicated in the recipe. It was superb! I always take a recipe as a base, making it as printed the first time so I know what to tweak the next time. This is perfect. Today I’m making another double batch and for the first time, the Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti, IF I can find unsalted pistachios. The recipe doesn’t indicate specifically, unless I missed it.
Anne8010
A definite winner loved by everyone and easy to make!
Maria
Thanks so much Anne!
Darlene E Perez
I love this recipe, was the 2nd one I tried and was far better the my last attempt.
Maria
How wonderful Darlene! Thanks for sharing!
Joan
I have tried making Biscotti once before but did not have so much fun making it like I did tonight making your Almond Biscotti. And I would say it turned out better this time making the Biscotti. I enjoyed reading your recipe. Easy to understand and yes I think it turned out very well. I’ll be making more when these run out.
Maria
So thrilled to read this! Thanks Joan!
Casey
Hello! Can anyone confirm that this recipe is successful at high altitudes. I recently moved to Montana and quite literally blew an east angel food cake up. 😳
nancy corrigan
just finished my first time with your technique…yummy flavor easy pizzy …probably cut them to thick to be safe cause after the logs cooled they still seemed soft …so i have 2 dozen not 3…hubby like…happy day…next up your thin pistachio and later in week your lemon knots….thanks for all you do…from mountain mamma in upstate new york
Maria
I am so thrilled to read this! Thanks Nancy! Have fun baking!
Carolle
Thx. so much for a great recipe. As always, I get inspired and tweak a few ingredients to reduce sugar, avoid gluten and dairy. So, in this biscotti recipe, I used 1 1/4 cup of g-f free flour, 1/2 cup of almond flour and the balance, the 00 flour (not for celiac afflicted; I find that the gluten is so little that it does not affect me). I also used a little less coconut sugar. I incorporated slivered almonds rather and whole. The next day, I drizzled 70% chocolate on them. Delish! Now that I have gotten over my intimidation of biscotti baking, I will make some often and play up the variety with cranberries, chocolate chips, various nuts and maybe even coconut! Thanks again.
Maria
Welcome to the wonderful world of biscotti! Thank you so much for taking the time to share Carolle.
JeaniH
This is the first time I’ve ever made biscotti and they came out great! Just the right crispy/chewy combination. Easy to follow recipe, ready in no time. Thanks for this, and I will make them again and again.
Maria
I am so happy to read this! Welcome to the world of biscotti Jeani! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with this recipe.
AZMom22
Is the brown sugar measurement packed or not?
Maria
Thanks for your interest. I do not usually pack it for this recipe. Enjoy!