This delicious Italian biscotti recipe includes almonds and dates for a nutty, sweet flavor. Give the gift of coffee-dipping cookies this holiday season or any time of the year with this easy-to-follow recipe for biscotti cookies!
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Introduction
While so many focus on what to make with leftover turkey or begin shopping for Black Friday deals, thanks to my Italian heritage, the last week of November has always been about baking biscotti, this twice-baked Italian cookie.
It might seem strange to bake biscotti at the end of November, but let me explain why.
Biscotti are the perfect cookie to make and freeze for later since they hold up so well.
It’s been a longstanding tradition in my family to bake biscotti and other Italian Christmas cookies to give as hostess gifts. Plus, the scent of roasting nuts makes my kitchen smell heavenly -a great way to get into the holiday spirit!
A few favorite biscotti recipes include these anise biscotti which are great to gift for friends and family with nut allergies; these festive holiday biscotti or cranberry pistachio biscotti, and of course, my mom’s recipe for almond biscotti.
This biscotti recipe I am sharing with you has quickly become a favorite in recent years.
These Italian biscotti cookies with almonds, dates, and candied orange peel are a delicious combination of sweet, nutty flavors. They are perfect with a cup of coffee or dunked in sweet wine, —and they’re so easy to make! No need for a hand mixer!
Step-by-step instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the oven rack in the center.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Sift or whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. More specifically, 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Add 1 cup of chopped dates, 1 cup of chopped almonds, and 2 tablespoons of finely diced candied orange peel. Combine well, ensuring the flour coats the nuts, dates, and orange peel. Set aside for now.
In a medium bowl, whisk 4 room-temperature eggs for 2-3 minutes until frothy. Slowly whisk in ¾ cup of granulated sugar and ¾ cup of brown sugar. Add 1 cup of vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes.
Create a well in the bowl with the flour mixture; slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the center and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
Shaping the biscotti logs
Divide the biscotti dough roughly into half. Use a large serving spoon to scoop the dough and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until two logs are formed. With moistened fingertips, shape the dough into a log on the parchment-lined cookie sheet, about 1 inch thick by 3 inches wide. Refer to the video in this post to see how this is done.
Brush the top of both loaves with a beaten egg.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown in color and firm. Carefully transfer loaves to a cooling rack and allow them to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board.
Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into diagonal slices of about ½ – ¾ inch slices.
Place slices back on the baking sheets and return them to the oven for about another 10-15 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.
Enjoy your gourmet biscotti with a cup of hot coffee, tea, hot chocolate, a glass of milk, or a little vin santo!
How to store
Once they have cooled to room temperature, store them in containers that keep them fresh and crispy for a few weeks. A little airflow will ensure your cookies remain crispy. Glass or ceramic cookie jars and a tin box are ideal for these cookies. If you place tissue paper at the bottom, it can help get rid of any unwanted moisture.
For freezer storage, place in freezable containers or resealable plastic bags. Consume within three months. To thaw, leave them at room temperature for several hours or overnight.
Variations
- Feel free to experiment with this biscotti recipe using various nuts. For example, you could use walnuts, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts – whatever combination you have.
- If desired, replace the candied orange peel with orange zest.
- Create chocolate-covered biscotti! Cool the biscotti completely after the second bake before drizzling them with melted chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened, and enjoy!
Tips
- This simple recipe doesn’t require a stand mixer; you only need a whisk and a wooden spoon. The dry ingredients will mix easily, as will the wet ingredients.
- After you remove the biscotti loaves from the oven, let them cool for ten minutes before slicing.
- To achieve a softer cookie, eliminate or reduce the time for the second bake.
- Brushing your loaves with eggwash before baking gives the crust a deep golden color.
FAQ
If your biscotti is overly hard, it likely means you’ve overbaked them during the second baking. To ensure a softer cookie, reduce the time for the second bake or omit it altogether. The biscotti may be slightly soft when you remove them from the oven, but they’ll harden as they cool.
Before you slice the logs, let them cool for 10 minutes to prevent crumbling. If you allow them to cool for too long, they may become difficult to slice and crumble. To ensure the biscotti slices don’t crumble, use a serrated knife and apply gentle pressure when slicing. If you feel the biscotti log is too hard to cut through, you can warm it up in the oven for a few minutes before slicing.
If your dough is sticky, then you have achieved the correct texture! Resist the urge to add extra flour, which will dry out your biscotti cookies.
More biscotti recipes
If you’re looking for more delectable Italian biscotti recipes, you have come to the right place!
How to Make Biscotti
I love biscotti so much that I’ve created a guideline for making the best biscotti. With these biscotti tips, you will become a biscotti pro in no time. The post also includes a lemon biscotti recipe.
Looking for more? How about a pumpkin biscotti? These are perfect for anyone who loves baking with pumpkin spices. You will love this chocolate hazelnut biscotti if you are a chocolate lover. They are perfect as an after-dinner treat or a snack.
Here are more biscotti recipes for you to make and enjoy!
Recipe origins
A few decades ago, I came across a book called Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray: A Cookbook. This is a paperback cookbook with no pictures except for some black and white sketched prints. As I glanced through some of the recipes, I immediately recognized the simplicity of her Italian cookie recipes, just like the ones my mom used to make.
Sometimes, I feel that so much emphasis is placed on creating something new, something revolutionary. This train of thought can work with some recipes, but it’s best to keep things simple with others.
So how could I resist a book with the same philosophy as mine? This paperback book has a whole section on biscotti; that is where I found this recipe.
I made minor changes to this recipe: I substituted the walnuts with almonds and used a little under 1 cup of both sugars (the original recipe calls for 1 cup each). I also included candied orange peel as I still have leftovers from my Pastiera Napoletana.
The results were spectacular!
This simple almond date biscotti recipe is great even without the second baking. Soft, with the occasional crunch from the almonds and the natural sweetness of the dates. Truly great to have with a good cup of java or espresso! Enjoy!
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.
Ciao for now,
Maria
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★★★★★ If you have made this easy recipe for these not-so-traditional Italian biscotti, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Italian Biscotti Recipe with Almonds and Dates
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 568 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Medjool dates 140 grams, chopped
- 1 cup almonds chopped
- 2 tablespoons candied orange peel finely diced
- 4 eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
Eggwash
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the oven rack in the center. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt).
- Add the chopped dates, almonds, and candied orange peel. Combine well, ensuring the flour coats the nuts, dates, and orange peel. Set aside for now.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs.
- Slowly whisk in both sugars. Add the oil and pure vanilla extract and continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes.
- Create a well in the bowl with the flour mixture; slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the center and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
- Divide the biscotti dough roughly into half. Use a large serving spoon to scoop the dough and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until two logs are formed. With moistened fingertips, shape the dough into a log on the parchment-lined cookie sheet, about 1 inch thick by 3 inches wide. Refer to the video in this post to see how this is done.
- Brush the top of both loaves with the beaten egg.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown in color and firm. Carefully transfer loaves to a cooling rack and allow them to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut into diagonal slices of about ½ – ¾ inch slices.
- Place slices back on the baking sheets and return them to the oven for about another 10-15 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 and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- This simple recipe doesn’t require a stand mixer; you only need a whisk and a wooden spoon. The dry ingredients will mix easily, as will the wet ingredients.
- After you remove the biscotti loaves from the oven, let them cool for ten minutes before slicing.
- To achieve a softer cookie, eliminate or reduce the time for the second bake.
- Brushing your loaves with eggwash before baking gives the crust a deep golden color
Nutrition
This post was originally published on November 29, 2015, and republished on November 29, 2022, with updated photos, content and a video. Thanks for sharing.
Faezeh
I made this recipe. The result was amazing.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Maria
Thanks so much Faezeh! So thrilled to read this!
Fran
Hi Maria, just made a batch of these biscotti and are so delicious, I can’t stop eating them. We have a nut allergy in our home so instead of almonds I threw in some sunflower seeds. I also measured the loaves after baking cause wasn’t quite sure if you mentioned how long to make. I made two loaves 15” x 4”. Thanks for another great recipe. And by the way, I’m Fran from Woodbridge, Ontario not Connecticut😀
Maria
Hello Fran from Ontario! So nice to “virtually” meet you.
I love the variation with the sunflower seeds for a little crunch. I am thrilled to read you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for taking the time to share.
Betsy
Can I use Olive oil instead of vegetable oil? Thanks, Maria!!! Love your recipes!
Maria
Thanks so much Betsy. That’s a great idea, it will give these biscotti a little fruity flavor. Enjoy!
Fran D
I live in Connecticut in the same City as the writer of your cookbook. There are a total of four cookbooks from her..You May be interested..
Maria
Thanks so much Fran. Yes, I have a few of her cookbooks, I just love her! I would love to visit her pastry shop one day! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Connie
Hi is all purpose flour plain flour pls these biscotti sound delicious.
Maria
Thanks Connie! Yes, it is the same.
Mary Manguso
These came out fabulous! Next time I’m going to try with walnuts.
Thank you for the recipe!
Maria
Thanks so much Mary!
Cassia
Made these for my first time making biscotti!
Recipe was easy to follow and mine looked just like the pictures. The cinnamon was a bit stronger than I expected, but I think this will be a lovely flavour for the holidays. Such a warm flavour!
I baked my loafs on a ceramic pan, so I had to add about 10 min to the cooking time. And after slicing there was still a fair bit of moisture in the cookies so I did end up doing a short second bake at 3 min per side. They seem like the perfect amount of crunch and chew so far.
Excited to full these out of the freezer for Christmas !!
Maria
Cassia, welcome to the wonderful world of biscotti! Sounds like you did a fantastic job, congratulations! I have never baked biscotti in a ceramic pan before… thanks for sharing! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with these date biscotti, appreciate it ♥
stacy
Thanks for your recipe. Just made these for my first time baking biscotti’s – very tasty! Few questions: my dough was quite dry before shaping – is there a liquid I could add to make it closer to the consistency of yours? Also mine got quite crumbly when I sliced them, any recommendations for the cutting? Thanks!!
Maria
Hi Stacy,
I’m really glad you like the biscotti… let’s see if I can help reduce the “crumbly” part.
Rather than adding liquid, let’s take a look at the dry ingredients.
My first question concerns the flour… Take a look at how you measure your flour… do you fluff and scoop? do you just scoop? do you spoon it into your measuring cup? You might be surprised to learn that all of these methods will yield a different weight and can have an effect on the final product. I will usually fluff and measure.
The next variable is the temperature of the oven. Once again, there could be variations from one oven to another. The next time you try the recipe, try taking out the logs a few minutes before the specified time… maybe they were to dry after the initial bake. So I would take a look at them at around 22 minutes and evaluate for firmness in order to confirm that they are done. Worst case scenario, if you take them out and after you slice them you realize that they are slightly under-cooked, pop them back in the oven and they will firm up and become more biscotti like. I like these biscotti because they are equally good with or without the second baking.
The only other thing I could think of is the knife used when slicing them. Make sure it is nice and sharp and always use a sawing motion.
If I think of anything else, I will let you know. Please don’t hesitate to get back to me with any other questions or concerns… Sorry if this was a bit long… I have a thing for biscotti 😉 Thanks again for the comment. Have a great week-end Stacy ♥
Ur pal val
I absolutely love dates! Can’t wait to try these date biscotti. Thanks for the recipe.
Maria
My pleasure! I also love dates… hope you like them. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Lucy
WOW! These are so delicious. I can’t stop eating them. Thanks heaps Maria.
Maria
How wonderful Lucy! So thrilled to read this!
Beverly bonazza
Why only week on date/almond biscotti. I normally make with craisins and they are good for 3 weeks in cook room. Just wondering if dates are different.
Maria
Great question Beverly. I agree… if keeping in a cold room, the temperature resembles that of a refrigerator, so the biscotti can usually keep for a longer period. However, it has been my experience that refrigerating biscotti affects the overall texture and taste.
I suggest one week at room temperature to be on the safe side because I do not know the environment of the individual making the biscotti. Also, these biscotti do not need a second baking and they contain fruit; as a result, the biscotti will retain some of its’ moisture. As a preference, I suggest freezing this particular biscotti to maintain freshness and quality.
That being said, a typical “double baked” biscotti with nuts can keep at room temperature for at least a couple of weeks. Appreciate your comment 🙂