Biscotti is a classic Italian cookie with a firm, twice-baked texture that makes it perfect for dunking. Traditional biscotti are flavored with anise, but variations with almond, lemon, vanilla, chocolate, or cinnamon are also common.
Biscotti pair beautifully with coffee, tea, or milk. Stored in an airtight container, they keep well for several weeks, which is one reason they were favored by travelers and sailors in earlier times. Their long shelf life and sturdy texture made them a practical choice for long voyages.
My family prefers anise-flavored biscotti, but you can easily substitute almond extract, lemon zest and extract, or vanilla for a different profile. Chopped nuts—especially almonds—are traditional, but walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts also work nicely.
I learned to make biscotti from my mother-in-law soon after my wedding. The dough is thick and sticky, so handling it by hand can be challenging. A stand mixer makes the process much easier, especially when combining the eggs, oil, sugar, and flour into a cohesive dough.
Traditional biscotti are baked twice. First, shape the dough into logs on an ungreased baking sheet and bake until lightly golden. Using a greased pan can cause the logs to spread or slip, so it’s best to leave the sheet ungreased and work carefully to shape the dough. The recipe usually yields about five logs, so you may need two cookie sheets.
After the logs have baked and cooled briefly, slice them into roughly 1/2-inch pieces using a serrated knife. Lay the slices on their sides on the baking sheet and return them to the oven to toast until golden brown on one side, then flip and toast the other side. This second bake dries the cookies and creates the crisp, crunchy texture biscotti are known for.
One of my favorite memories from baking with my mother-in-law was our playful disagreement about how to flip the slices: she tossed them end over end, while I rolled them over. We laughed about it, finished the baking, and enjoyed a warm cup of coffee with our biscotti. Those shared moments are as important as the cookies themselves.
Biscotti
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup oil
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons anise extract (or substitute almond, lemon, or vanilla)
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix eggs and oil until well blended.
- Add sugar, flour, baking powder, extracts, and nuts one at a time, mixing until a thick dough forms.
- Shape dough into logs on an ungreased cookie sheet; the dough will be sticky. Divide into about five logs, using two sheets if needed.
- Bake about 20 minutes, until light brown.
- Cool for 5 minutes, then cut the logs into slices with a serrated knife.
- Place slices on their sides on the cookie sheet and bake until golden brown on one side, then flip and toast the other side until golden.
- Cool finished biscotti on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
The dough will be very sticky. It should make about five logs, so you may need two baking sheets. Use any nuts you prefer—almonds are traditional.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
60
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 101Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 27mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g
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