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
Cathy
Thank you for this almond biscotti…….Can i use Bert…. lite olive oil??? Also nut allergies in family members, can i leave out the nuts??? Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
Maria
My pleasure Cathy. Yes, the lite olive oil would be fine to use. You can leave out the nuts and still get a great biscotti. Great comment, thanks for stopping by Kathy.
Kathy
Thank you for replying about the lite olive oil and nuts….Have a wondeful weekend.
Maria
My pleasure Kathy. Hope you also have a great weekend!
Summer
Delicious, I love the olive oil!!
I made these as a gift for my Italian professor and he loved them as well 🙂
Maria
What a thoughtful gift Summer! I am so happy to hear you both enjoyed these almond biscotti. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with this recipe, appreciate it!
Bev S.
Great recipe…I added dried tart cherries ( 1 cup) and decreased almond extract to 1 tsp and increased vanilla extract to 1 tsp. I also decide to have. I/ 4 c olive oil and 1/ 4 c unsalted butter. My logs also spread during baking, however it was ok and tasted delicious. My extracts are very strong and 1 tbsp almond extract would have overwhelmed the biscotti.
Maria
Dried tart cherries are one of my favorites… love your variation Bev! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, appreciate it.
Leslie
I am assuming you can use sliced or slivered almonds instead? I don’t biting into the chunky pieces of almonds.
Maria
Yes, that would be fine. Thanks for stopping by Leslie.
Pat
Easy recipe and came out well. I left out 1/4 cup of white sugar and switched the amounts for the extracts because I prefer vanilla. They were still sweet and may leave out a little more next time.
Maria
How wonderful Pat! Appreciate you taking the time to share your variation. Thanks so much for dropping by!
Emily Brehmer
I am obsessed! I have now made the biscotti three times in the last two weeks (I share with others!)
I used orange zest instead of lemon and they are just as delicious. Also, added 82% chocolate chunks to half of last batch – very yummy if you like chocolate.
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Maria
My pleasure Emily! Welcome to my world… lol. I am thrilled to hear this. Thanks so much for sharing, appreciate it!
Melisa
I have a biscotti obsession. I have about 10 recipes for them. I made yours for Easter and these were fantastic. I think the Olive Oil makes these special.
Maria
How wonderful Melisa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to share, appreciate it.
Letizia
The biscotti were delicious. This recipe is a keeper. Will do them often.
Maria
I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed these almond biscotti. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Letizia, appreciate it.
Felicia Pirrello
This recipe is excellent. I’ve made them numerous times and they disappear quickly. It does appear that different locations yield different results. In Denver the recipe is perfect but when in lower elevations or more humid climates, I need to toast them longer. Thank you! Felicia
Maria
Thanks so much Felicia. Yes, that makes a lot of sense as humidity and altitude affects baking and adjustments are sometimes needed. Great comment. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with this family recipe for biscotti.
Ian
Hi!
I would love to try this – just have a question or two 🙂
Can I use salted butter instead of the olive oil? Or should I rather stick to the oil? (no pun intended)
Also, are the measurements based on e.g. 1 cup equaling 25 milliliters or 1 cup equaling 240 milliliters? (Sorry if my question is a bit vague , some recipes use the “American” convention and others don’t)
thanks a million!
Ian
Ian
I meant 250 ml and not 25 ml (sorry) 🙂
Maria
No problem… yes, 250mL. Have fun with the recipe… hope you like it!
Maria
Great comment Ian, thanks! 1 cup = 250 mL
You could use salted butter, naturally I would eliminate the salt. You may have to use a little more than 125mL to get the right consistency.
Would love to hear about your results if you do decide to try it. Thanks again 🙂