The 166-Year-Old Italian Recipe That Will Never Leave My Dessert Rotation
Of all the desserts to enjoy, cookies are my top choice every time. There’s such a large variety of shapes, flavors, and textures, from super-soft and cinnamony snickerdoodles to delicate lace cookies to festive candy cane cookies. One style of cookie that I love to keep on hand or bring to a cookie swap is a crunchy classic: Italian biscotti.
Biscotti, or “twice baked,” refers to how these cookies develop their signature crunch. First, the dough is baked as a log, then the cookies are sliced and returned to the oven to bake until crisp and golden. This recipe is the classic Tuscan-style biscotti (cantucci) made with almonds, but it’s easy to make the biscotti your own with your favorite mix of nuts or dried fruit.
Why You’ll Love It
They’re surprisingly simple to make. Biscotti are elegant, bakery-style cookies with a signature flavor and crunch, thanks to two rounds of baking.
Biscotti have a long shelf life. Because they’re twice baked and a crunchy cookie, biscotti can keep for up to a few weeks. They’re perfect during the busy holiday season when you want to tackle a baking project early.
Key Ingredients in Biscotti
All-purpose flour: Use the dip and sweep method to accurately measure all-purpose flour for these cookies.
Unsalted butter: You’ll need 3/4 stick unsalted butter for this recipe. Soften the butter before beginning to easily beat it with the granulated sugar and kosher salt.
Granulated sugar: Although they are cookies, biscotti are not overly sweet; you’ll need just 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
Almond extract: Almond extract boosts the nutty flavor of these twice-baked cookies. A little goes a long way, so use just 1/2 teaspoon here.
Almonds: Bake the almonds until fragrant and toasted. If you’re dipping the biscotti in chocolate, make sure to also toast some almonds for sprinkling.
How to Make Biscotti
Make the batter. Biscotti cookies start just like most other cookies: by creaming butter and sugar together. Eggs and almond extract are added next, followed by the dry ingredients and toasted almonds.
Shape into logs and bake. Divide the dough into thirds and shape into three wide logs. The dough may be sticky, so lightly flour your hands to smooth the dough into shape. Bake until the dough is fragrant, firm, and golden-brown around the edges.
Slice the biscotti. Let the logs cool after their initial bake to reduce the chance of crumbling when slicing. Use a serrated knife to slice the biscotti on a slight angle.
Bake until golden. Arrange the biscotti cut-side down, and bake for a second time until golden and crisp.
Dip into chocolate if desired. Dip the ends or bottom of the cooled biscotti into melted chocolate and sprinkle with more almonds. Set aside until the chocolate is set.
Helpful Swaps
Mix-ins: Other nuts, including pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, or hazelnuts, can be used in place of the almonds. Dried fruits and seeds, including dried cranberries, currants, cherries, and pumpkin seeds, can also be added to the dough. Keep the total amount of mix-ins limited to 1 cup total.
Flavorings: Vanilla extract can be substituted for the almond extract. Citrus zest can be added to the sugar and butter mixture to give the biscotti a fragrant, fruity flavor.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Biscotti are crisp and dry, which gives them a long shelf life if they are kept cool and dry in an airtight container. The cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Holiday Cookies to Bake
Biscotti Recipe
Bake these Italian almond cookies twice for the perfect crunch.
Prep time 35 minutes
Cook time 1 hour
Makes 36 (3-inch) cookies
Ingredients
For the biscotti:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup whole almonds
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
For dipping and topping (optional):
1/4 cup whole almonds
2 (3 1/2- to 4-ounce) bars dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
Instructions
Show Images
Make the biscotti:
Heat the oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread 1 cup whole almonds (or 1 1/4 cups whole almonds if dipping and topping the biscotti) in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until toasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
(If dipping and topping the biscotti, reserve 1/4 cup of the almonds after toasting.) Transfer the almonds to a cutting board, let cool slightly, and coarsely chop.
Beat 6 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt together with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, 3 to 5 minutes.
Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, beating until the first is completely incorporated before adding the second. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract until combined. The dough may look curdled at this point.
Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder together in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture and chopped almonds to the butter mixture, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
Divide the dough into 3 portions (about 8 1/2 ounces each). Transfer to the baking sheet and form each one into a 10-inch long x 1 3/4-inch wide x 3/4-inch high log. Use floured hands or a flat spatula to make sure that the sides and top of the log are smooth.
Bake until the dough is fragrant, firm but gives slightly when pressed, and golden-brown around the edges, 25 to 27 minutes. Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
Working with 1 log at a time, transfer to a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to cut the log crosswise at a slight angle into about 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet cut-side down, spacing them evenly apart.
Return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake, flipping halfway through, until the biscotti are very dry and golden-brown around the edges, 20 to 22 minutes total. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely; reserve the baking sheet and parchment if dipping and topping.
Dip and top the biscotti (optional):
Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Finely chop the reserved 1/4 cup toasted almonds.
Microwave 1 cup of the coarsely chopped dark chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl on high in 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate until all the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Dip and top the biscotti one at a time: Dip into the melted chocolate (either dip half in the chocolate or just the bottom). Gently shake off the excess chocolate back into the bowl. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart, and sprinkle with the almonds. Let sit until the chocolate is completely set, 10 to 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Store cooled biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Further Reading
The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About
Tuscan Chicken Is the "Most Delicious" Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who's Tried It
