We’re kicking off our countdown from #10 to #1 with classic almond biscotti. Expect toasted almond flavor, a hint of vanilla, and a firm, crunchy texture made for dunking. This recipe is for anyone who loves traditional Italian cookies with their morning coffee or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 cup Granulated sugar (for the perfect traditional sweetness)
- 1 tsp Baking powder (gives the dough the right amount of lift)
- 1/4 tsp Salt (enhances all the flavors)
- 3 large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract (for a warm base flavor)
- 1/2 tsp Almond extract (crucial for that authentic Italian bakery taste)
- 1 cup Whole raw almonds (lightly toasted and roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. If your almonds are not toasted, toast them in the oven for 5-7 minutes before chopping.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, beat the eggs together with the vanilla extract and almond extract.
- Pour the wet egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix until a stiff dough just begins to form. Fold in the chopped toasted almonds.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it in half. Shape each half into a log that is about 8 to 10 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. Place both logs onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the logs are firm to the touch and lightly golden brown.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the logs cool for exactly 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C).
- Transfer the cooled logs to a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the logs on a slight diagonal into 3/4-inch thick slices.
- Place the slices cut-side down back onto the baking sheet. Bake for a second time for 7-8 minutes, flip the biscotti over, and bake for another 7-8 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely. They will harden further as they cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks!
Nutrition
Calories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 102mgPotassium: 41mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 68IUCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
The dough contains no butter or oil, so the second bake produces a firm, dry texture. Toast the almonds before mixing them in to bring out their flavor.
Let the baked logs cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing. Use a sharp serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion, then return the slices to the oven for the second bake.
Next: Coffeehouse-Style Chocolate Chip Biscotti. Mini chocolate chips replace the almonds, while melted butter and a little brown sugar change the flavor of the dough.
3 weeks in an airtight container??? In my house they don’t last one week lol. But yes, they stay crunchy enough for coffee days.
Mine last longer if I don’t let anyone “test” them lol. I love that you mention keeping them crunchy for coffee days.
Three weeks?? In my house they’re gone in like 4 days, max. But yes—air tight helps a ton. These sound dangerously good.
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical about baking powder amount. But it gave the right lift and the logs held their shape.
Wow, these biscotti are amazing. Can I use different nuts? My husband hates almonds!
Really solid proportions. I added extra toast time to the almonds (about 10 min) and it gave a deeper nutty flavor. Crisped perfectly after the second bake.
These are tasty, but 3/4-inch thick slices felt a bit chunky. Next batch I’ll do thinner like 1/2 inch for extra crisp.
Made these last weekend—so crispy and actually tastes like the Italian bakery stuff. The almond extract is doing WORK. I did 30 minutes the first bake and it still came out perfect.
Yes!! The almond extract really makes these taste like they came from a real Italian bakery. 🙌 I’m always worried about overdoing extracts but your timing sounds spot on.
Step 6 says reduce oven temp but my brain read it like “increase” at first 😅 Still tasted good though. Next time I’ll follow the temp exactly.
The “exactly 10 to 15 minutes” part is tough—my kitchen runs hot. Still tasted great, but cutting was harder than I wanted.
Awesome recipe! I added some chocolate chips because I love a mix. Super delish!
These are the best almond biscotti I’ve ever made! So crunchy and just the right amount of sweetness. Will definitely be making these again!
Biscotti? More like biscotti-not. Not a fan of the texture. Guess I’ll stick to muffins.
I tried this recipe but they came out a bit too hard for my liking. I think I might’ve baked them too long. Any tips?
Just made these—wow. The almond extract really shows up (in a good way). Mine browned a bit faster, but crisped up nicely on the second bake.
I’m skeptical about “stiff dough just begins to form” because mine never looked stiff—more like sticky cookie dough. I still baked them and they were okay, just softer.
The instructions are super clear, but I wish it said whether to use convection or not. Mine browned slightly fast on the edges.
One question: do you really need whole raw almonds lightly toasted? I skipped it and they still tasted almondy, but texture was less “bakery.”
I think the “lightly toasted” step is less about flavor and more about texture + crunch. Totally believable you still got almondy flavor without it—raw almonds just don’t dry out the same way before the bake.
Could use a glaze maybe? Like almond icing or chocolate drizzle. As written it’s good, but I felt it was a tad plain compared to store-bought fancy versions.
Totally agree—these are delicious as-is, but a chocolate drizzle or simple almond icing would make them feel way more “bakery” 😍
I’d do a quick icing: powdered sugar + a splash of milk + almond extract, then dip or drizzle. Makes a huge difference without changing the recipe much.
Followed it pretty much exactly. Logs were a little tricky to shape, but the second bake is where magic happens. Crunch factor is real. My family ate them before they “cooled completely” 😂
Followed it pretty much exactly. Dough was stiff like the recipe said, and the diagonal slices were actually easier than expected. Crunch level: high.
I don’t know what I did wrong—mine spread and the logs weren’t as firm. Could be my baking powder is old?