Learn how to make authentic Cantucci with my tried and tested recipe. Making Italian almond biscotti are not very hard to do, even for a beginner baker.
This cantucci recipe is the best ever and completely addictive!!
Table of Contents
So what are biscotti?
Biscotti generally refer to the twice baked, oblong Italian cookie that is dry and crunchy. The dough is shaped into logs, baked, cooled and sliced and baked again until dry and crispy.
The original biscotto is from Prato in Tuscany and didn't contain any fat. Being free from moisture, these biscotti keeps very well and became a favourite of sailors and other travellers embarking on long journeys.
These Tuscan cookies are also known as cantucci, cantuccini or biscotti di Prato and are full of almonds and often flavoured with anise, amaretto or lemon. And hard biscotti are always dunked in vin santo (Italian sweet dessert wine) or a coffee to soften.
Why you'll love this recipe
On my recent travel to Italy, I sample lots of cantucci in Tuscany and purchased a Tuscan cookbook with the original recipe. But when I tried making cantucci without butter or oil, according to the recipe, the result was such a hard cookie that it would cause dental problems! Has that happened to you?
Today in Italy, most cantucci contain a portion of butter except for those not baked the second time.
So for this recipe, I tested and retested multiple times with different flours, quantities of butter or oil. You'll love that this cantucci recipe makes a cookie that is firm and crunchy but not too hard but won't fall apart when you dunk!
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card bottom of the page.
Ingredient notes
This cantucci recipe is loosely based on the traditional recipe from the little cookbook I purchased in Siena.
- Flour: all purpose or plain flour
- Sugar: simple granulated white sugar
- Whole eggs: I like free range
- Almonds: unblanched (skin on) and toasted
- Butter: It does contain a little bit of butter which means these biscotti will not break teeth. The butter also carries and intensifies the flavour of the almonds and lemon.
- Baking powder: just a little for a slightly lighter crumb
- Flavourings: honey, lemon rind and vanilla
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and line a large baking sheet with non stick parchment paper.
- Toast the almonds and set aside to cool.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients and combine to form a dough.
- Gently form it into a smooth ball.
- Divide into four pieces and roll each into a log.
- Place onto baking paper lined oven tray and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly until you can handle the loaves.
- Reduce heat to 300°F/150ºC
- Cut with a serrated knife while still warm.
- Bake again for 10-15 minutes.
Storage
Because this recipe contains butter, these biscotti will not keep as long as the traditional ones. But in an airtight container, you will still be eating a biscotto for at least the next week with your morning coffee. However, this is a recipe that works perfectly well to be made ahead and baked cookies can be frozen in airtight containers.
When defrosting, you must leave the lid on your containers until completely defrosted. Otherwise condensation may cause the biscotti to become soft. All is not lost if this occurs. Simply refresh by arranging on baking trays and bake in an oven preheated to 300°F/150ºC for 5-8 minutes.
Tips for success and FAQ's
- Always toast nuts. This applies to any recipe where you use nuts. Toasted have much more flavour.
- Don't overknead. Gently form into a dough.
- This dough is meant to be sticky. Don't add more flour.
- Allow room for spreading otherwise the logs will stick together.
- Cut while warm.
The main key is in the second baking. Too little and your cantucci will be soft. Too much and your cantucci will be too hard. I have found good results at 10-12 minutes. When removed from the oven these Tuscan cookies will be a little soft but will harden on cooling. In fact, storing for a day or two in an airtight container will improve the crunch even more.
Cantucci and biscotti are the same. To be more precise, cantucci are almond biscotti from Tuscany. The smaller version are known as cantuccini.
In Italy, all cookies are known as biscotti. However what the rest of the world knows as biscotti, Italians refer to as cantucci. So the difference is one of language and the use of these particular words in either Italy or the rest of the world.
According to the "Italian food rules", cantuccini are served with a small glass of vin santo. Vin santo is translated to "holy wine". Dip these cantuccini into the wine to soften and sweeten the cookies.
Serve these Italian almond biscotti with espresso or cappuccino or even tea which is becoming more popular in Italy for its 'health' benefit.
Traditional cantucci last for weeks or even months. However my recipe for cantucci contain a little bit of butter so they will last for less time. Kept in a sealed container, these Italian almond biscotti will last for at least one week.
Serving suggestions
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are also perfect alongside a creamy dessert like these:
Making biscotti at home is incredibly easy and rewarding. It doesn't matter if you don't make them perfectly the first time or even the next time because these cantucci will still taste delicous! Bake these today to bring a little of Italy into your home.
Made this recipe?
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Recipe
Cantucci Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (250grams) almonds I prefer almonds with skins on
- 2½ cup (300grams) all purpose plain flour (all purpose)
- 1 cup (200grams) superfine (castor) sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 eggs
- 3 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (75grams) unsalted butter melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Spread almonds onto baking tray and toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Leave the oven on. Line a large baking tray or two smaller baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
- Place flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.
- Break the eggs into the well and add honey, vanilla and melted, cooled butter
- Whisk together the wet ingredients slowly incorporating part of the dry ingredients.
- Before the dry ingredients are completely mixed in, switch to a wooden spoon or clean hands to finish incorporating the dry ingredients.
- As the mixture starts to come together add the almonds.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly.
- The mixture will be sticky and can be refrigerated for 30 minutes to make the dough easier to handle. Otherwise you can go right onto the next step.
- Divide the dough into four equal portions.
- Roll each portion into a 10in/ 25cm log. There are a lot of almonds: if the nuts pop out just poke them back in a smooth the dough over.
- Place logs onto lined baking tray and, this is optional, with a wet hand smooth the surface of the dough.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until browned.
- Removed from the oven and cool on baking trays for 10 minutes.
- Reduce oven to 300°F/150°C.
- While still warm, cut each log into 15 slices. Check my tips below on how to cut biscotti easily.
- Arrange cut side up, onto lined baking trays and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Always toast nuts. This applies to any recipe where you use nuts. Toasted have much more flavour.
- Don’t overknead. Gently form and press together into a dough.
- This dough is meant to be sticky. Don’t add more flour!
- Allow room for spreading otherwise the logs will stick together.
- Cut while warm.
- Cut while still warm.
- Use a sharp serrated knife.
- Make a little cut using a sawing motion
- Then press the knife down firmly and sharply in one motion.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Alan
So many almonds makes the cutting a bit difficult but the tip about making the indent was useful. I used a heavy meat cleaver to make the cut. This gave much more biscotti shapes rather than having them crumble.
Marcellina
Glad you enjoy the cantucci. A very sharp thin serrated knife is the key to clean cuts. I use my fingers to support the loaf and cut slowly and with care. Hope that helps. Of course, you can reduce the amount of almonds if you'd rather. I personally love lots of almonds.
Ada
ciao marcellina I baked the cantucci and they turned out great the bit of water that I put in the dough they turned out jimmy thank you so much ciao marcellina
Marcellina
That's good, Ada! I'm glad they worked out.
Ada
ciao marcellina I made the cantucci today the dough was dry I had to put a bit of water to bring it together I did wat the recipe said I don't know what went wrong thank you again
Marcellina
Ada, what could have gone wrong is that there was too much flour in the dough. Did you weigh the flour or did you use measuring cups? If you used measuring cups did you use the "dip and scoop" method (ie dip the cup into the flour and scoop it up then level the flour off). The "dip and scoop" method is notorious for recipe failures because the flour becomes packed into the cup resulting in too much flour. I much prefer to stir the flour to fluff it up then spoon it into the measuring cup before leveling off with the back of a knife. Check what I say in the "Notes" section of the recipe. The dough is meant to be a bit sticky - definitely not dry. I hope that helps.
Laudy sarkis
I am so happy to find your cantucci/biscotti recipe,it’s very tasty ,and the ingredients are perfect,I like it to mutch, i will tell you thank you a lot to find you my dear
Marcellina
You're welcome, Laudy
Lisa
Best cantucci/biscotti recipe I have found! The butter makes all the difference to being crisp without being too hard. I substituted the almonds with cranberries and macadamias, we finished all the biscuits in 3 days! Making the next batch now 🙂
Marcellina
You're welcome, Lisa! Yes, the butter does make all the difference. This recipe has been tested many times and compared with Cantucci and biscotti in purchased in Italy and stand up as just as good if not better. I'm so glad you love it so much!
Linda Honneffer
Thank you Marcellina for this wonderful recipe. The dough assembled easily without a mixer and the finished biscuit is a delight! I will make more today as we have already finished our first batch!
Marcellina
I'm glad you love this biscotti recipe, Linda!
Rosalie
This is the best biscotti I have ever made . I sometimes use Orange zest instead of lemon zest.
Romina
I love this recipe it’s the best!!!!!! Do you have one for a chocolate biscotti? Thank you!!!
Marcellina
So glad you love it, Romina! I'm working on a chocolate biscotti at the moment. Once I'm pleased with the recipe, I'll have it up. Shouldn't be long!
Raymond miller
I made the biscotti but used walnuts as I had quite a few left from the holidays. Great recipe. I didn't find the dough very wet and I made one long log about four inches wide. I did have to increase the baking time. Delicious.
Marisa💜 Pellegrini
Hi Marcellina I made your almond biscotti and they came out amazing. The only thing I would add is almond extract. I found it needed more of a kick. Thank you