These classic Italian Biscotti are an iconic cookie, often dipped into a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. Crunchy, hearty, and not overly sweet, it’s perfect to enjoy any time of day, and I love dipping finished cookies in chocolate. See the video below to see how easy, versatile, and fun it is to make biscotti cookies!
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Biscotti Video
Biscotti cookies are so much fun to make! Watch to see my favorite way to finish the cookies with a drizzle of chocolate.
Easy Biscotti Recipe
Biscotti means “twice-baked” because we’ll bake the dough as 3 logs and then cut the logs into the traditional biscotti shape. In Italy, they’re made without butter and are often served with sweet Vin Santo, while in America, we add butter for a lighter crumb and prefer coffee, espresso, or Affogato. Biscotti have such a satisfying crunch and soak up the coffee when they are dipped.
I always think of this homemade biscotti recipe when it comes to gifting something from my kitchen, because the cookies are sophisticated enough to be a gift, but still so simple to make. They keep well on the counter for weeks and even freeze well, so it’s easy to package them up and transport.
I like adding biscotti cookies to my Holiday cookie trays because they aren’t overly sweet, similar to my Palmiers and Rugelach Cookies.
Biscotti Ingredients
This biscotti recipe calls for just a few pantry and fridge staples that create a delicious, crunchy treat.
- Almonds – we’ll toast the almonds in the first step for a deeper taste and aroma, but you can skip this if you want. For a different flavor, try swapping some or all the almonds with pistachios, walnuts, or hazelnuts, or going nut-free with dried cranberries, cherries, or other dried fruits, as I did in my Jeweled Biscotti.
- Dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder, sea salt
- Wet ingredients -unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and eggs – you can swap the vanilla with different extracts, like orange extract for a more Italian biscotti flavor, or add a 1/2 tsp orange zest
- Chocolate chips – optional for melting and drizzling over the top
How to Make Biscotti
This biscotti recipe is easy and fun to make, so let’s dive in!
- Toast the nuts – optional step – Toast the nuts in a large skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, tossing every 20-30 seconds for even toasting (and never walk away from toasted nuts because they can burn quickly). Cool on a cutting board and chop.
- Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together for 3 minutes until well combined (use a stand mixer or hand mixer)
- Add eggs and vanilla – stir in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, and then fold in the nuts until just dispersed.
- First bake – cut the dough into 3 pieces and then shape each piece into a log shape about 9″x3″ on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Try to keep it under 1″ thick. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- Cut biscotti – transfer warm biscotti to a cutting board and cut each log into 1″ wide slices with a sharp serrated knife.
- Second bake – place each slice cut-side down on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy – Cool baked biscotti on a wire rack where they will harden. Melt the chocolate chips and dip or drizzle them over the cookies.
How to Store Biscotti
Store the cool biscotti on the counter in an airtight container for several weeks or in the fridge for up to a month. You can also freeze the biscotti for 3 months and thaw on the counter.
To Dip or Drizzle Biscotti with Chocolate
Costco used to sell mini biscotti that were dipped in chocolate and that’s where I was inspired to recreate these at home! They are fresher and (I think) tastier when homemade! Melting chocolate for this doesn’t have to be precise, but if you want to learn more about properly tempering chocolate, see my Chocolate Covered Strawberries tutorial.
How to: Start by melting your chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds, and heating just until melted. The last lumps of chocolate should melt in as you stir towards the end. Alternatively, you can set a bowl of chocolate chips over a bain marie (water bath), stirring until melted, then dip the bottom of the biscotti into chocolate, scraping excess against the side of the bowl. Let the chocolate fully set at room temperature for a few hours before enjoying the biscotti.
Traditional Italian Biscotti cookies are a favorite snack to enjoy with my coffee or hot cocoa. The crunchy cookie isn’t overly sweet and is dotted with almonds for an irresistible treat. The recipe is so simple to make and share since the cookies keep well and aren’t too delicate. Drizzle with chocolate for the perfect amount of decadence!
Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds or pistachios, or a combination of both
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, to melt and dip or drizzle, optional
Instructions
- Toast the Nuts (optional*): Set a large dry skillet over medium heat. Add nuts in a single layer for even toasting and toast them for about 5-7 minutes, shaking or stirring every 20-30 seconds so they brown and toast evenly without scorching. They are done when lightly golden with a nutty aroma. Transfer to a cutting board right away and cool completely, then coarsely chop.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes or until well combined.
- Add vanilla, then eggs, 1 at a time, mixing between each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed and mix until blended.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough should be tacky to the touch. Fold in the chopped nuts, mixing just until dispersed.
- First Bake: Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and set on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Dust the bench scraper and hands with flour if the dough is too sticky. Shape each piece of dough into roughly 9" long x 3" wide, and 3/4” thick, keeping the dough 2 inches apart, and bake at 350˚F for 25-28 minutes or until just starting to turn golden at the edges.
- Cut Biscotti: Remove the dough from the oven and carefully transfer each piece to a clean cutting board (pick a board that doesn’t smell like garlic, please). Use a serrated knife to carefully slice each log on a diagonal into individual biscotti, each about 1” wide.
- Second Bake: Arrange the biscotti cut-side down, keeping them evenly spaced on the same parchment-lined baking sheet (It’s ok to re-use it, or use 2 baking sheets if you can’t get them to fit on 1). Bake at 350˚F for 15-18 minutes or until golden and firm. Biscotti cookies will harden more as they cool.
- Cool and Enjoy: Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and drizzle or dip in melted chocolate if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Classic Cookie Recipes
For more classic cookie recipes that have stood the test of time, check out these recipes:
- Rugelach Cookies
- Angel Wing Cookies
- Snickerdoodles
- Baklava
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Fudge Recipe
I would love to try making these, would the recipe still work if I half the ingredients?
Hi Karra! Yes, you can cut it in half.
What can be substituted for the fine sea salt? I only have the course.
Hi Patt, I fine sea salt worked best for baking recipes like this as course salt will not incorporate well into the batter mixture. If you have a salt grinder you can grind your salt down to a finer texture.
I ended up using the course sea salt and the batch came out great but thank you so much!
I’m glad that worked out for you, Patt.
These are definitely softer than a traditional Italian Biscotti, even when using 00 flour. However, they are sooooo delicious. I used part vanilla and part almond extract, a mix of almonds and pistachios since I didn’t have enough of either to make the full cup, and added some dried fruit. It’s been about 26 years since I last made Biscotti due to revolving my baking around my kids and grandkids. I got a sudden craving and these did not disappoint. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Brianne!
I would like to edit my comment to say hat after they had time to set up a bit they firmed up exactly like a traditional biscotti. This recipe is perfect!
I’m so glad to hear that, Brianne!
Can the almonds be skipped entirely without a replacement? My kiddo can’t have nuts, but dont’ think he’d want the dried fruit either. Do I need to adjust anything else in the recipe to omit the add in?
Hi AB, you can skip the nuts if you prefer. The biscotti will still be very tasty.
These look great! Do you have a recipe for chocolate biscotti?
Hi Suzanne, I have not but I imagine with a few adjustments and cocoa powder, it could work.
I made these. They were so easy! Delicious! Very much enjoyed. I had never had anything but Nonni biscotti. I have a question (in my ignorance)…. Are they supposed to be softer than a Nonni biscotti? My daughter truly loved the texture so much more. But we are ignorant as to the dryness.
Hi Rhonda, these should be Crunchy, hearty, and not overly sweet.
I made them for my Italian relatives and it was very nostalgic for them! Turned out great. Could I sub in some almond flour with regular flour? What would the measurements be?
Hi Christina! I’m so glad to hear they loved them. I haven’t tested almond flour so I’m not sure how much to use. Let us know if you test it.
I made these a few days ago and they are delicious. My husband ate 10 fresh out of the oven while still warm. Next time I may not toast my almonds.
Great to hear that you both enjoyed this recipe!
Great recipe!! I will definitely be making them again!! Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Argiro! I’m happy you loved it.
Awesome recipe… delicious! Thank you:-)
Enjoyed making these! I used pistachios and craisins and they turned beautiful! And I love that the recipe makes a big batch with the three loaves.
Recipe was on point! Easy to follow. I had primarily pistachios on hand, so that is what I used and they turned out delicious. I was quite impressive with myself
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Do you think these can be made with toasted walnuts instead of the almonds? I am looking forward to trying these! They look amazing!
Hi Terri, you sure can! For a different flavor, try swapping some or all the almonds with pistachios, walnuts, or hazelnuts, or going nut-free with dried cranberries, cherries, or other dried fruits, as I did in my Jeweled Biscotti.
The texture and flavor are on point! Perfectly sweet and they stay fresh for so long, I love it .
I’m so glad you loved the Biscotti recipe! They really are a treat. It makes a big batch but they do keep really well and are perfect for gifting!