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
Jezz
These are so good, extremely addictive to eat. I sub out orange zest for the lemon zest and halve the amount of extract—I don’t love a strong almond taste so I use orange extract instead. The orange and the almonds together are so good!
Maria
What a great substitution, thank you for sharing Jezz!
Susan
The best – I vary it a little with anise seeds and orange rind – this recipe is a sure thing – I love that you can vary the number of biscotti – BUT oh I wish there was a way to convert to metric (other than doing it myself)
Tammy
In quarantine I’ve been experimental banking, and have spun the wheel on biscotti recipes. This recipe is by far my favorite. The flavor and texture of the biscotti is amazing! I even changed it up a bit and added orange zest. Once they cooled off – I dipped them in dark chocolate and some in white chocolate. Simply delicious!!
Maria
What a delicious variation! Thanks for sharing Tammy!
Heidi
We’ve made this recipe twice already. Anyone we serve it to just raves about it and asks for the recipe. We’re so pleased – this recipe is now one our favourite go to’s.
Maria
I am so thrilled to read this Heidi! Thanks for sharing!
Antoinette
As usual your recipes turn out to be the best. I’ve tried many biscotti recipes and this one is very particular , I think it’s the olive oil, has a very distinct taste . Easy, quick to make and such a wonderful taste, not to mention that crunchyness in every bit.
I had given a few to my daughter and she said ‘Ma you know I don’t like biscotti’ well she called me the next day and couldn’t stop raving about how good they were! 😀 . Thank you so much Maria for sharing!
Maria
You just made my day Antoinette 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing and for your kind words.
Sandra P Taylor
I say with great happiness that I’m sick and tired of making your biscotti! It disappears too fast, it’s too easy to make, but I find comfort because I know the ingredients are wholesome — I use organics — eggs, olive oil, cranberries, almonds, etc. if I’m not being asked to make them for somebody, I’m being hounded for the recipe. I love the use of olive oil, it makes it truly authentic for me.
Maria
I had to reread the first-line… lol… you had me for a second 🙂 I am so thrilled to read this. Thank you so much for sharing Sandra!
Karen
So good!! I had slivered almonds so I toasted them on the stove instead of in the oven, didn’t have a lemon to zest so used a bit of lemon juice in place of it. They are delicious!! This will be my go to recipe!! Thank you!!
Maria
Thank you Karen! So thrilled to read you enjoyed them!
Carol W
Hello, I followed this recipe to a “T” and believe there is a mistake. It calls for 1 Tablespoon of Almond Extract. Really? Compared to other recipes this seems too much.
Maria
Thanks for your interest Carol. There is no error, this is my mom’s recipe. Feel free to decrease the amount based on your personal preference. Thanks for stopping by.
Paige
Best recipe by far! You can also hold back another 1/4 of sugar n it’s still amazing
One cut n cooked, dust a touch of powder sugar
Maria
So thrilled to read this! Thanks Paige!
Teresa Cavett
I made these biscotti for the first time this year. They are the best I’ve ever made and far superior to any commercial biscotti!
These will be part of my regular baking roster!
Gracie Mille, Maria!
Maria
How wonderful Teresa! Thanks so much for sharing!
Clay P
I’ve made biscotti a few times. This recipe was very nice. Biscotti are easy and pretty forgiving, though they take a bit of presence in the kitchen.
I used butter rather than olive oil. And made it with gluten-free flour.
They were a big hit for everyone.
Try them out.
Maria
How wonderful Clay! Thanks so much for sharing!