Learn how to make biscotti with my tried and tested recipe.
Making homemade biscotti is not very hard to do, even for a beginner baker.
My Italian family referred to any cookie or Australian biscuit as a biscotto. Biscotti are a relative new-comer to my baking world. Italians don’t generally bake at home so many of our family cookie and biscuit recipes are those learnt here in Australia.
So what are biscotti?
Biscotti generally refer to the twice baked, oblong Italian cookie (biscuit) 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, the original biscotto keeps very well and became a favourite of sailors and other travellers embarking on long journeys. These cookies are also known as cantucci, cantuccini or biscotti di Prato and are full of almonds and often flavoured with anise, amaretto or lemon.
Recipe research.
On my recent travel to Italy, I sample lots of biscotti in Tuscany and purchased a Tuscan cookbook with the original recipe. But when I tried making biscotti without butter or oil, according to the recipe, the result was such a hard cookie that it would cause dental problems! I have made many biscotti before but all include butter or oil. However everything I read says the traditional recipe contains no fat.
Luckily I still had a contact in Italy who purchased lots of different almond biscotti and checked the ingredients. Most contained a portion of butter except for one which pale and soft as though it hadn’t been baked the second time.
This Almond Biscotti recipe.
The traditional recipe may not contain butter or oil but not everyone will dunk their biscotto into vin santo (Italian sweet dessert wine) or a coffee to soften it. For this recipe, I have tested and retested multiple times with different flours, quantity of butter or oil. My Almond biscotti recipe may not be traditional but it is incredibly good and quite addictive.
What are the ingredients used in these biscotti?
This 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
How to make biscotti.
- Toast the almonds and set aside to cool.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients and combine.
- Bring the ingredients together by hand.
- Gently form it into a smooth ball.
- Divide into four pieces and roll into a log.
- Place onto baking paper lined oven tray.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly until you can handle the loaves.
- Reduce heat to 150°C/300°F
- Cut at a while still warm.
- Bake again for 10-15 minutes.
Key Tips for successfully making this recipe.
- 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 biscotto will be soft. Too much and your biscotto will be too hard. I have found good results at 10-12 minutes. When removed from the oven the 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.
Can biscotti be frozen?
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 150°C/300°F for 5-8 minutes.
What goes with biscotti?
According to the “Italian food rules”, these cookies are served with a small glass of vin santo. Vin santo is translated to “holy wine”. Dip Cantucci into the wine to soften and sweeten the cookies. Serve these delicous crunchy cookies with espresso or capuccinio or even tea which is becoming more popular in Italy for it’s ‘health’ benefits.
These cookies are also perfect alongside a creamy dessert like these:
- Nutella Panna cotta
- Cinnamon Panna cotta
- Creme Brulee
- Caramelised Yoghurt cream
- Avocado Chocolate Mousse
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.
Baci,
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Cantuccini (little Italian Almond Biscotti)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (250grams) almonds
- 2⅓ cup (Australian 2 cups/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 (85grams) 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 12in/ 30cm 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 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 20 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
Almond v dough ratio
This recipe has a high almond v dough ratio. When rolling the dough, it may seem as though there is not enough dough - there is! Poke the almonds back into the dough and smooth over. If you don't like lots of almonds, just cut back the quantity.Size of biscotti
The size of these biscotti are the traditional small cantuccini that you will find in Italy. By dividing the dough into four and proceeding as per the recipe, you will get 80 biscotti. If you prefer larger biscotti that is up to you how you roll and cut them.Tips for success
- 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.
How to cut biscotti easily
- 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.
Nutrition
Sounds like a perfect treat with my coffee. I must make this asap. Lovely recipe!
These biscotti are the perfect companion to coffee!
I am so excited to make this for my wife!
Chef Dennis, your wife is lucky!! There’s nothing like fresh cavatelli!
Plz tell me the substitute of eggs. Thank u
I’m sorry, Priyanka, I have not tested this recipe with any egg substitutes.
I made this recipe, however had a real bad time mixing the ingredients,
I made a well & followed the instruction, however,
I wished the eggs & honey & butter, together, then put them in the well & started to incorporate with the flour, would that method have made it more difficult.?
Mary Ella, I’m sorry you had trouble with the recipe. I don’t think that whisking the ingredients would have been a problem unless you whisked until thick and creamy – then that would have made it harder to incorporate. Did you weigh the flour or measure by cups. When measuring by cups, first stir the flour to lighten it then spoon the flour into the measuring cup. This will ensure the flour is not packed. Too much flour would make it difficult to incorporate. I do hope you try again using my method. This biscotti recipe is the incredible! Take care xx
Hi Marcellina.
Thank you so much for your biscotti recipe
I made it as it is. They came out beautiful and delicious. Also got the quantity you said….
Will try and send a photo.
It doesn’t give me an option to post on here….
Bella Marques
Hi Bella! That’s so great to hear. This is by far my fav biscotti recipe! If you are on instagram you can tag me there. There are links to my instagram in the posts.
Hi marcellina! Made this and it’s super delicious! Im making 2 logs only since I wanted a longer biscotti, but my problem is the middle part is kinda soft not crunchy. Maybe it needs to be baked longer? How long should I baked it ifor 2 logs instead of 4? The taste is superb, the smell of butter and lemon zest. I just need to achieve that crunch 🙂 Any thoughts? Thank you for sharing thia recipe 💕
Hi Janice! I’m so glad you love this biscotti! Yes, there should be no problem to cook larger logs a little longer (maybe 30-35 minutes). I make large biscotti here is the link https://www.marcellinaincucina.com/salted-cranberry-and-pecan-biscotti/
These are baked for longer but then 10 minutes in the second baking is enough. If you cut the biscotti a little thicker they may need longer. There’s not a lot that can go wrong. Just do a bit of testing. Even pop them back in if they are too soft. Enjoy!!
Hi I haven’t made your recipe but definitely will I love the fact they are made with butter. You mentioned to defrost frozen biscotti you have to leave lid ‘on’ the container to stop condensation shouldn’t the lid be off. I have some in the freezer and sometimes they go soggy. Thanking you
Hi Julie, thank you for your comments! Maybe the lid it not completely sealed. If moisture gets in, they will go soggy. Leave the lid on until at room temperature for best results. If all else fails, I find it perfectly acceptable to refresh in a moderate oven (350ºF/180ºC) for 10 minutes or so.
Hi there, I found that I didn’t have much biscuit dough vs almonds – therefore difficult to shape logs, and the logs didn’t spread as pictured – still tasted good – I decided to use orange zest and maple syrup. If I made the recipe again would probably only divide into 3 not 4.
Hello Leah, thank you for your feedback. I love your combination of orange and maple syrup. YUM! These biscotti are chock full of almonds as you can see in the pictures. Not sure why you had differing amounts of dough v almonds if you stuck to the recipe. Of course, you can cut back on the almonds. This dough should be slightly sticky and it should spread exactly as in the pictures – that’s the benefit of the process pictures. Maybe there was a little bit too much flour in your dough and that’s why it didn’t spread. The baking powder also ensure a little rise and a little spread – it’s inevitable that happens when mixture has baking powder in it. Dividing the mixture into 4 gives traditional small Italian biscotti but probably not the type commonly seen outside of Italy. However, size is personal preference just remember to adjust the cooking time. I have updated the notes in the recipe regarding these points. Happy baking xx
If I make it with anise or amaretto do I leave out the vanilla? And how much anise or amaretto to add?
Thank you! Can’t wait to try them!
I have never tried that but I don’t think it would be a problem – it sounds like a delicious idea! Yes, you could leave out the vanilla or leave it in. In any case, you may need to add a a little extra flour to compensate for the added liquid…but only a little extra.
Hi Marcellina,
If I’m making half the recipe, should I still divide the mixture into 4 or should I only do 2??
Kim, I would only do two otherwise they might over bake.
Thanks for the quick reply, making 2 is what I thought.
I what could I use instead of honey these are for a gift, however 1 person has a honey allergy…
It’s such a small amount …you could substitute maple syrup, I think, quite successfully. Would that work for you?
We are a family of biscotti lovers with our coffee
I have made this biscotti 3 times already and it gets better every time
It is so simple and delicious . People ask me – did you really make it at home ?
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe