Biscotti Recipe (4 Flavors)
These biscotti are one of my very favorite cookies! They’re crisp (but not too crunchy), slightly soft in the center and just sweet enough. I’ve made so many batches of these biscotti, including four delicious flavor variations!
The only Biscotti recipe you need
With Christmas coming soon, I want to share one of my favorite cookie recipes with you: biscotti! I love these biscotti because they are crisp on the edges and just the tiniest bit soft in the center, plus you can customize them with so many flavors and mix-ins.
I spent a whole week in the kitchen baking batch after batch of these Italian cookies. The result? The best biscotti recipe I’ve ever made, plus 4 delicious flavor variations! Below you’ll find my recipes for almond, cranberry-orange, chocolate and classic biscotti.
Coffee lover that I am, biscotti are my perfect cookie. They’re ideal for dunking in a mug of coffee, tea or cocoa or served with a glass of milk.
I just wanted to say I’ve tried many different biscotti recipes by now, and this one is by far the best. The almond version is my favorite, but they’re so easily customizable, and my biscotti come out perfectly every time I use this base recipe. Thanks!!
E
What are biscotti?
Biscotti are traditional Italian cookies. Classic biscotti flavors include vanilla, anise and almond. Biscotti are baked twice, which gives them their dry, crisp texture. The dough is first shaped into a log and baked. After the baked dough log cools, you slice it on the diagonal and bake the cookies a second time until they are crisp.
This recipe is my go-to when I want to bake homemade cookies for gifts for teachers, friends and neighbors. They stay fresh longer than most other types of cookies (1-2 weeks at room temperature) and they don’t break easily.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: I use 4 tablespoons of butter in this recipe. Adding more butter will result in softer biscotti and omitting the butter will give you drier, crispier cookies. I found that 4 tablespoons is the perfect amount. For dairy-free biscotti, you can substitute olive oil for the butter. I’ve done this with great success.
- Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar. Beat the sugar and butter together until creamy.
- Eggs: You will need two large eggs for this recipe. The eggs are combined with the butter and sugar. The mixture might look a bit curdled; this is ok. When you mix in the flour everything will get incorporated.
- Extracts and flavors: My basic biscotti recipe uses vanilla extract. You can also add almond extract or anise extract. You can add some orange zest or lemon zest to the wet ingredients if you want citrus flavor in your cookies.
- Flour, baking powder and salt: I use a combination of white whole wheat flour and all purpose flour in my biscotti recipe. I like the depth of flavor that whole wheat flour adds to these cookies, and I like to sneak in extra nutrition whenever I can. You may replace the white whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour. For gluten-free, readers have had success substituting Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 baking flour.
- Baking powder and salt: Be sure to use fresh baking powder so that your biscotti will rise well. Salt brings out all of the flavors.
- Nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit and other mix-ins: This is the fun part! You can get creative with your mix-ins to create your own biscotti flavor. I recommend sticking to 1 1/2 cups or less total mix-ins. Try almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, chocolate chips, dried cherries or dried cranberries.
How to Make Biscotti
Biscotti are easy to make. There are just a few simple steps, and I’ve included a few pictures of how I shape the dough and slice the cookies.
First, make the dough. Beat together the butter and sugar, then mix in the eggs and vanilla. If you are using other extracts, such as almond extract, mix them in now. This is also when you will want to add citrus zest such as orange or lemon zest. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then mix them into the wet ingredients. Finally, stir in any mix-ins that you want to use, such as nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips.
Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log shape. If the dough sticks to your hands, using slightly wet hands can help. I start by making a ball out of each half of the dough. Then I pat the dough between my hands to shape it into a log. Place the dough logs on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Press down with your hands to flatten the logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick.
If you want, you can sprinkle the dough with turbinado sugar (coarse sugar) before baking. This will give your biscotti cookies a pretty sparkle on top.
Bake the dough logs for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F, until they are lightly golden. The center will be slightly soft and should bounce back when you press it lightly. Let the baked biscotti logs cool before slicing. If you slice them when they are too warm, the cookies will crumble.
Slice the logs on the diagonal, pressing a sharp knife straight down into the dough. Place the cookies back on the baking sheet, cut sides up. Slicing at a greater angle will result in longer cookies, and less of an angle will produce smaller biscotti.
Bake the biscotti a second time, for 12-16 minutes, until crisp. Bake the sliced cookies longer if you want them more crunchy, and for a shorter time if you want them softer. The centers will be a tiny bit soft when you remove them from the oven, but they will crisp up as they cool.
How to make mini biscotti: To make small biscotti, shape the dough into three or four logs instead of two. The smaller dough logs will require less baking time, so begin checking on them after 15 minutes.
Recipe Variations
To make chocolate biscotti, add unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips to the dough. You will use 1/4 cup less flour to account for the addition of cocoa powder. I like to dip my chocolate biscotti in white or dark chocolate, and sometimes I mix in almonds or walnuts.
Almond biscotti are one of my favorites! To make almond biscotti, add 1 teaspoon of almond extract and reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon. Then mix chopped or slivered almonds into the dough.
To make cranberry orange biscotti, mix orange zest into the creamed butter and sugar. Then stir dried cranberries into the dough. Sometimes I like to add almonds or pistachios to my cranberry biscotti.
I also have a Chocolate Chip Biscotti recipe that I think you’ll love! Looking for more easy cookie recipes? Try my Snowball Cookies, Cherry Cream Cheese Cookies or our best Chocolate Chip Cookies next!
Biscotti Recipe (4 Flavors)
Ingredients
Classic Biscotti
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold or softened, cut into 4 pieces
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, use 1 teaspoon if adding almond or anise extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract or anise extract, optional
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- turbinado sugar, (coarse sugar), optional
Chocolate Biscotti
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold or softened, cut into 4 pieces
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped almonds or walnuts, optional
Almond Biscotti
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold or softened, cut into 4 pieces
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- turbinado sugar, (coarse sugar), optional
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold or softened, cut into 4 pieces
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 1 orange, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- turbinado sugar, (coarse sugar), optional
Instructions
Classic Biscotti
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. If you would like to add almond extract or anise extract, add it now. Mix until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and then use your hands to shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long.
- Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten the dough logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press the sides and ends of the logs to even them out and flatten them.
- If desired, sprinkle the logs with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and the center of the logs is almost firm and bounces back when touched.
- Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the logs into biscotti shape, on the diagonal. Press straight down with the knife, rather than sawing.
- Place the biscotti, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 more minutes, until dry. The centers of the cookies will be slightly soft and will crisp as they cool.
- Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
Chocolate Biscotti
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.
- Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and then use your hands to shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long.
- Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten the dough logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press the sides and ends of the logs to even them out and flatten them.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and the center of the logs is almost firm and bounces back when touched.
- Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the logs into biscotti shape, on the diagonal. Press straight down with the knife, rather than sawing.
- Place the biscotti, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 more minutes, until dry. The centers of the cookies will be slightly soft and will crisp as they cool.
- Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
Almond Biscotti
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
- Add the eggs, almond extract and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Stir in the chopped almonds.
- Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and then use your hands to shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long.
- Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten the dough logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press the sides and ends of the logs to even them out and flatten them.
- If desired, sprinkle the logs with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and the center of the logs is almost firm and bounces back when touched.
- Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the logs into biscotti shape, on the diagonal. Press straight down with the knife, rather than sawing.
- Place the biscotti, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 more minutes, until dry. The centers of the cookies will be slightly soft and will crisp as they cool.
- Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest. Mix until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the dried cranberries.
- Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and then use your hands to shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long.
- Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten the dough logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press the sides and ends of the logs to even them out and flatten them.
- If desired, sprinkle the logs with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and the center of the logs is almost firm and bounces back when touched.
- Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the logs into biscotti shape, on the diagonal. Press straight down with the knife, rather than sawing.
- Place the biscotti, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 more minutes, until dry. The centers of the cookies will be slightly soft and will crisp as they cool.
- Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
Notes
- Butter: I have always made this recipe using cold butter and have had no problem combining it with the sugar using a stand mixer. Since some readers have expressed difficulty creaming the cold butter (this may be more of an issue if using a hand mixer), I’ve modified the recipe to indicate that cold or softened butter may be used.
- Dairy-Free Biscotti: Substitute olive oil for the butter.
- Flour: I often make this recipe with half all-purpose flour and half white whole wheat flour. The recipe also works well using only all-purpose flour.
- Turbinado Sugar: You may sprinkle turbinado sugar (coarse sugar) on the logs before baking for a pretty sparkle. I did this with my classic biscotti pictured above.
- Chocolate Dipped: You can dip the cooled biscotti in melted chocolate. Refrigerate chocolate dipped biscotti for a few minutes to help the chocolate harden.
- How long will biscotti last? Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for 1-2 weeks this way. You can also wrap biscotti airtight and store them in the freezer for 3 months.
I originally shared this recipe in November 2018. Post updated in November 2024.
I just baked two of the biscotti flavors—chocolate and cranberry orange. They are so easy—a no-fail recipe. The texture and flavor are wonderful! I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa for the chocolate biscotti, because I like an intense chocolate flavor.
I’m so glad you liked these, Kathleen! I don’t think I can pick a favorite but I do love the chocolate. I bet they were so good with the dark cocoa! Thank you for taking the time to let me know how you like them.
Hello! would it be a good idea to toast the almonds?
That would be delicious!
Hi, I’m Nancy, I want to make your biscotti just wondering if you have to bake them twice, I dont like a hard biscotti
I do recommend baking them twice, but you can shorten the second bake time if you like. These biscotti aren’t really hard, just a little crisp and still slightly soft in the center.
While I loved the cranberry orange, I found the chocolate to be too dry. If I make again I will cut down the amount of flour by 1/4 cup. Looking forward to trying the other flavors though.
Can you make this recipe without the electric mixer? Do you think it will still turn out ok?
It would take a lot of elbow grease to mix the butter and sugar together until creamy, but I think you could do it. If you’re not using a mixer, I would let the butter soften before starting the recipe. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Hi. I love the recipe but agree that using soft butter is much easier then trying to mix the sugar with cold butter.
I have been trying different biscotti recipes to find the one that brings back memories from my childhood in Rome. I made the almond ones but found them a bit dense. I will try making them again adding a little bit more baking powder. Do you have any better suggestions?
Hello, you can add a 1/2 cup of corn meal to lessen the density. . .
These cookies are not too dense, so I would recommend making the recipe as written.
Carmel if you over mix the batter after the flour is in it then it can get dense. I didn’t find these dense at all, they tasted just like the ones I buy in the Italian bakery.
I tried this today! I used the almond recipe, but since I didn’t have enough almonds I made up a cup of almonds, chocolate chips and dried cranberries 🙂
That sounds like a delicious combination!
I absolutely love the almond biscotti recipe. I would make a few minor adjustments:
Use 1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour and 1/2 cup of whole wheat
Use only 2/3 cup of nuts
Add in some pistachios as well
Thank you for sharing this 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed the biscotti!
Can I melt the butter?
No, I don’t recommend melting the butter.
So thinking of the upcoming fall flavors, what would you substitute to add pumpkin purée to the biscotti dough! I’ve looked at other recipes specific to making them pumpkin spice but I like this recipe way better!
That is a great question! It’s hard for me to give a good answer without testing the recipe myself. Since pumpkin puree is a wet ingredient, it’s not an easy substitution. You could add a little pumpkin puree in place of some of the butter, and you might need to add more flour to compensate for the pumpkin (depending on how much pumpkin you add). I would definitely add pumpkin pie spice. You’ve got me curious now, so I’ll try to do some recipe testing at some point! 🙂
Hi Kristine- I made the almond biscotti with Pamela’s gf flour, and they turned out great (a bit crumbly, but they were a hit all around)! I can’t wait to try the other types- thank you for making this bake less daunting than it seemed!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
How do you keep the dough from sticking to your hands while rolling the dough into the balls
If it is sticking to your hands a lot, you can lightly flour your hands or wet your hands a little. This dough sticks to my hands a little bit, but not excessively.
I just ran my hand under the water tap and the dough did not stick to my hands whatsoever.
Hi Kristine, can I use liquid vegetable oil instead of butter?
Thanks
Pam
I wouldn’t recommend that, since the liquid will change the consistency of the dough.
I just baked the classic biscotti using Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour. These are amazing. The texture is perfect and no one would know they are GF. Your recipe is simple and delicious. I also appreciated the pictures. I can’t wait to bake the rest. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you.
I forgot to mention that I adjusted the temperature to 355 degrees and I added 5 minutes to the cook time for the loaves to accommodate the GF flour.
Do you think I could use 50% AP and 50% bread flour?
Or would I be better off using all AP?
Hi Holly, That should work fine. Let me know how you like the biscotti. 🙂
Just baked the cranberry and orange biscotti and it was delicious. Will be trying the chocolate recipe next ?. Thanks for a lovely recipe x
Wonderful! I’m so glad you’re enjoying this recipe. 🙂
I used 1 cup of self raising flour and 1 cup of almond flour for cranberries biscotti. It feels quite crumby, but tasted good. Thanks for the recipe.
Would like to check if for the same amount of flour that I’ll be using the same, should I add another half large eggs?
Almond flour behaves differently in baked goods, so it’s not always a 1:1 substitute for white or wheat flour. If the dough is too crumbly, adding half an egg might help.
I used ice basic biscotti recipe but added lemon rind to flour mixture and made glaze with confectioners sugar, fresh lemon juice and water. Delicious!
Your additions sound delicious!
This is my second holiday season making the cranberry orange version! I love them, everyone loves them. So nice to enjoy the crispiness of a biscotti without the “is this going to break my teeth?” feeling of the store bought version. I didn’t make any changes to the recipe. I tried regular and miniature (dividing dough into 3 logs) and both turned out well.
I am glad you enjoyed the biscotti so much!
Your biscotti look great! I want to make the orange and cranberry. Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried ones?
Yes, you can use fresh cranberries. I would chop them up pretty finely, either by hand or in a food processor.
Never knew baking biscotti was so easy! Never have to drive across town to the coffee shop again as this almond biscotti recipe is the best!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Do you think that using vanilla essence instead of extract would work ok? Would you double the amount if using vanilla essence?…
I don’t bake with vanilla essence, so I can’t say for sure, but I would recommend using the same amount.
This is the first time I tried the recipe for the Almond Biscotti. A few comments – I followed your recipe (using 2 cups of AP flour, 4 tbl of butter and 1 cup of almonds), and found that the dough was very crumbly, and would not really form a ball. That made it difficult to actually form the logs, because everything kept falling apart. I imagined the dough to be the same consistency of scones, which I’ve made many times without a problem. I’m either going to lessen the amount of flour, or possibly add more butter in the future, hoping that will make the difference. I really would like to get this to work, as I’m tired of having to buy this at the market.
Hello, Kristine and thanks for a great recipe. Can I freeze half of the dough before baking to make the biscotti “in a pinch” for company? Does the dough need to rest in the fridge (like some cookie dough) for a few hours?
I haven’t tried freezing this dough. You might be able to freeze it in the log shape and then let it defrost before baking. The finished biscotti would freeze well – defrost them at room temperature. You don’t need to rest this dough in the refrigerator.
Thank you for your response, Kristine and the BEST biscotti recipe ever (and yes, I am italian 🙂 The finished biscotti freeze very well as per your suggestion. I made a few changes only because of what was in my pantry (or not!): all white whole wheat flower, soaked dried cranberries with chopped apricots in orange liquor. Then added pistachios. Beautiful for the Christmas table. Thank you again: a keeper!
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂
Dear Elizabeth,
Your recipe sounds so good! I bet the orange liqueur adds an intense flavor to the biscotti. My question is this: Are you using both dried cranberries and dried apricots? And if so, are you soaking both in the orange liqueur? How much orange liqueur did you use?I think the pistachios are a wonderful choice with the other ingredients you are using. I’m anxious to try the recipe.
And to Kristine: Thank You for the WONDERFUL Biscotti Recipes!
Hi Kristine,
I made the cranberry orange and the chocolate biscotti on the same day. I found I had to let the butter and eggs come to room temperature to work with them without a mixer and substituted Splenda for sugar. I also had to add 2 1/2 tablespoons of water to hold them together, otherwise they were very crumbly and would not work. I added a little time to the baking to compensate for the water. I have now made them 2 x and the flavour is great. I notice your basic biscotti recipe has more liquid to dry ratio than the others and I think this compensates for the extra cup of dry ingredients.
I have never made chocolate biscotti and when I saw your recipe, it looked like one my family would like and it also looked easy. I make other kinds of biscotti all the time and have never had any problems with any of them. I made your chocolate biscotti today and followed the recipe without making any changes. Everything came together just as it should. Baked the rolls 25 minutes, and when I took them out of the oven the tops were cracked. Right away I knew I would have trouble cutting them. I let them cool 30 minutes, just like you said, and then I cut them into slices, using a serrated knife, and they crumbled. What did I do wrong? Did I handle the dough too much? I am not sure what I did wrong. They taste very good and, of course, we will eat them. Can you tell me why this happened? Thank you.
It’s important to use a really sharp knife and to cut straight down, rather than sawing. I find that my sharp chef’s knife works better than a serrated knife. Sometimes my loaves crack a little, and sometimes a few biscotti crumble on the end, but most of the biscotti cut fine without crumbling.
Hi Kristine! Can gluten free flour be used instead of the ones mentioned in the recipe?
I have not tested this recipe with gluten free flour. I would try a gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour, such as the one made by Bob’s Red Mill.
Love this recipe, instead of nuts I add a packet of trail mix with great success
These came out amazing Have you ever frozen them?
I’m glad to hear that! They will freeze well.
This was the best biscotti recipe I’ve tried. Thank you! İ made the almond biscotti adding raisins and dry blueberries. My husband loves them <3
I made this and found it easy and accurate I added a bit more flour to get the dough less sticky before rolling into the loaf. I made coconut and the chocolate. Came out perfect?. Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi Kristin
I love the flavor of the almond biscotti. I had a difficult time shaping into a roll as the dough was very sticky. Even though I took your suggestion, to lightly wet my hands. Can you tell me what I might have missed in preparing the dough. But the biscottis are very good. Thank you sandra
I’m not sure why your dough was so sticky. If that happens next time, I would try adding a little more flour.
Hi Kristine,
I am about to try out your recipe. Question: in this part of the work, we don’t use “cup” as measurement. And google shows different amount for a cup, depending where you are. I would like to know how much is “one cup” in weight (in grams if possible). Thanks a lot!
I haven’t measured the ingredients for this recipe by weight. Whenever I need weight measurements I always rely on Google to find them. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.
Super easy to make (I made orange biscotti, dipped in chocolate and the chocolate biscotti–also dipped in chocolate), they turned out great and it was my first time ever making biscotti. I will definitely be using this recipe as my go-to from now on!
Does whole wheat flour have another name or is there a substitute for it as I live in Ireland and I can’t find it anywhere x
You can use all-purpose flour instead.
Hi Kristine,
I tried another biscotti recipe yesterday but didn’t like the flavour at all. I am glad I came across yours…very easy to make. I made the chocolate biscotti and separated the dough into two batches – one for double chocolate (with chocolate chips) and one for chocolate almonds. The kids love the double chocolate with milk and husband loves the chocolate Almond with coffee. Thank you for your recipe. I won’t have to search for another one.
Hi Kristine,
LOVE ♥️ This recipe. My second batch is cooling right now. Fortunately, I am not having too difficult a time finding the ingredients. Had to settle for unbleached flour today. Also, I found a friend with almond extract since that was an available in the market. Did almond/apricot today. These are a wonderful something to look forward to on a coffee break. Stay safe everyone and BAKE BISCOTTI !
I made the orange and cranberry biscotti twice and they are delicious!
Such an easy recipe! Biscotti is expensive at the grocery store and this tastes so much better. Very simple and very tasty! My favourite breakfast treat.
Such an easy recipe! Biscotti is expensive at the grocery store and this tastes so much better. Very simple and very tasty! My favourite breakfast treat.
– Forgot to rate the first time but 5 stars!
I made Pecan and Apple(Home made apple jelly/jam) Biscotti With some orange zest and it tasted yum!!
Amazing! This is my first time making biscotti in at least 4 or 5 years, so I was a little nervous about finding the right recipe. I like that this recipe was easy to follow, thorough, and offered quick adjustments for greater varieties of biscotti. They turned out AMAZING! My Italian roommate that they were excellent as well. They have the right texture, density, softness, and taste. 10/10 recommend.
Delicious! I made the orange cranberry biscotti but substituted dried apricots for the cranberries. They turned out really well and were delicious. This was my first time making biscotti so I was really happy with the result. I will definitely make this recipe again, and maybe try a different flavour next time. Thank you.
Great recipes! Thanks
I love your biscottis recipes❤️ I made pumpkin biscottis by using the almond recipe ( subbed chopped pecans ) and using pure pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract. Omg they were sooo good . Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have been making these for the first responders in my hometown as a thank you for all you do and everyone raves how delicious they are . They look forward to my cookie delivery.
That sounds like a delicious modification! Thank you.
Most people call these biscotti, but they are actually called “cantucci”. Biscotti, in Italian, means cookies.
Thanks for the insight Verbena.
The cranberry orange are heavenly!! I’ve made the almond and cranberry orange adding white chocolate chips. However, the dough is super soft and sticky. I added more flour and refrigerate for 20 minutes before trying to make the balls of dough. Maybe I’m doing something wrong?
I just tested this recipe again and my dough wasn’t too soft or sticky. I’m sorry you had that experience. It may be a difference in particular ingredients. I think adding more flour to get a workable consistency makes sense. I’m glad you enjoyed the biscotti!
These are amazing! I am on my second go round due to the first two batches disappeared and I am constantly being asked for more. My first two were the almond and I did an orange pecan. I had to make more orange pecan and now chocolate. These are the best. Thank you so much
AMAZING!! This was my first time making Biscottis. I made the Almond, Chocolate and the Cranberry Orange. They are delicious. Very easy directions. Thank you.
I make biscotti every Christmas to give as gifts to family and friends. I love your recipe because it let’s me make 4 different flavors using one master recipe. They came out beautifully, and the ones I sampled (of course I had to sample them), were delicious. I also love the fact that I can leave out the nuts for my friends who have nut allergies.
Can you use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes, you can. You may want to reduce the amount of salt that you add to 1/4 teaspoon if using salted butter.
I follow your biscotti recipe i made them few times they were so yummmy my kids n hubby likes it too much thank you I’m facing only one problem with biscotti that is cracks on top please suggest me some more details thank you
I’m happy to hear that you are enjoying this recipe. The logs do crack a little bit on top when baking, but the cracks don’t affect the biscotti much after you cut them into individual cookies.
Someone may have already asked this, but for a dairy-free option, can I substitute Earth Balance “butter”? The one that is in the butter stick form? Thank you.
I have not tested this recipe with dairy-free butter alternatives. If you decide to try it, let us know how it turns out. 🙂
I absolutely loved this recipe. I made both almond and chocolate. In the almond, I added candied citrus and in the chocolate, I added Cayenne and other spices and then coated it in chocolate ganache.
Oh My Yuuuuummmm. Thank you!!
I did a test run of these to give away as Christmas gifts, and I can’t stop eating them! I had no idea biscotti could be so simple to make. The cranberry orange came out a little softer inside, I’m assuming because the cranberries added a little extra liquid, and as a result those are my favorite in both texture and flavor (I did 1/2 cup of cranberries and 1/2 cup of pistachios). I also made an almond log that had slivered almonds and chopped apricot, as well as a plan almond one that I drizzled with dark chocolate once they were cool. I added white chocolate chips into the chocolate biscotti. The chocolate ones taste fabulous–they have that cocoa flavor without being overly sweet– but they came out drier than the others for some reason. Not sure if I need to just decrease the 2nd bake time or add in a extra TBSP of butter, but I’m going to try both next time. Either way, this recipe is a keeper and I can’t wait to give away my homemade biscotti to friends and family!
OMG these are the best. I made the chocolate with dark cocoa, and dark chocolate chips, and the almond biscotti.
I’m going to make the cranberry orange today.
I can’t stop tasting them either! That’s why I want to know can I make the dough several days before baking them?
Thank you
Hi Dianna,
I think it is best to prepare the dough the same day. The dough will dry out and be hard to form if you make it too far ahead of time.
Thank you for sharing …not a baker but really impressed my family and they can’t get enough of them ❤️
Thank you for this recipe! Followed directions exactly and they came out perfect. I was looking for a new biscotti recipe and was not disappointed. Looking forward to dipping and drizzling and sharing with friends and family.
I actually rated this as 5 stars; dont know why this posted as two. Best biscotti recipe Ive found!!!
Absolutely great recipes, I made a couple of them, the chocolate and the orange zest with currants. Thank you so much. Now I know I can make more and use different ingredients.
Just made the chocolate biscotti. They taste good and look sort of biscotti-ish but the did not dome up in the middle so are sort of flat. Is that right or is there something I should have done/can do next time to get a more classic biscotti shape? Also, what is the consistency of the dough supposed to be before I shape the loafs? Mine was rather firm, more solid than Playdoh.
Is your baking soda still fresh? If it isn’t that may cause the dough to not rise in the middle. The dough is usually fairly firm for the chocolate biscotti. Be sure to measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and then leveling it off to get the correct amount of flour.
Delicious! I made all four recipes as holiday gifts. Our family favourite was by far the cranberry and oranges (well, clementines for us!). Thanks!
Absolutely delicious. Crunchy on the outside and crumbly on the inside. I’ve made this recipe several times. I add about 1 tsp of anise seed and it adds a great flavor. I’ve made it with almonds, walnuts, cranberries or raisins and it always comes out delicious.
I have never been a fan of biscotti until recently. I work for a local coffee shop, and the owner makes the most wonderful almond biscotti. I tried this almond biscotti recipe and was pleasantly surprised to find that they are just as delicious! Can’t wait to play around with the recipes, I used 2 cups AP flour, and I will definitely soften the butter next time before mixing as I had difficulty achieving a creamy texture. However, the end result was so beautiful. My husband has never had biscotti and was wandering in and out of the kitchen as I baked. I let him try the end pieces right before the second bake and, after one bite, he tried taking as many as he could off the tray before I could get it back in the oven ? thank you for the attention to detail and all the love you put into this recipe!
My Italian family is from Campobasso, Italy, my dad was one of 11 and i’m the oldest of 5 and our extended family has been making the family recipes forever it seems. One of those recipes is for biscotti and it’s a family favorite. Tonight I made biscotti using your recipe and I have to say they were incredible. My immediate family wanted me to reach out and let you know. I followed your traditional recipe including the combination of wheat semolina and Cento Anna Napoletana Tipo “00” Extra Fine Flour. The texture was perfect and the taste magnifico.
This made my day! I am so glad that you and your family enjoyed these! Especially since I’m sure your family recipe is amazing!!
Though I’m Hungarian and used to cooking/baking, I’ve always been a bit hesitant about baking a ‘traditional’ treat from another culture, thinking it would be labour intensive or it just wouldn’t look right. I did 3 types of biscotti today, and I must say, it was quite easy and I think I even have the recipe memorized. Thank you for posting these recipes. They were a hit with the hubby and with friends at work. Going to keep this in my go-to list of recipes.
Made the classic recipe today. Added miniature semi sweet chocolate chips and one end dipped in chocolate. First time making biscotti cookies and this will be my go to recipe. Looking forward to switching them up as well. Thank you!
I like the versatility of this recipe however I feel that making the Minis would have been better at a lower temperature and with direction to flip them over which I guess I should have known. I used half with vanilla the other half with almond extract and 1/2C Almond Flour. Even with one side Burnt, stil yummy.
Hi and thanks for the recipe.
My dough is very sticky. Hard to shape. Is it natural or i am doing something wrong?
The dough should be somewhat sticky. If you use slightly wet hands that can help to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands as you shape it.
Thanks for the prompt reply.
Mine is too sticky and impossible to form. The taste is good though.
Is one cup of flour is 120 grams in your book?
Thanks
Yes, I equate one cup of flour to be 120-125 grams.
I am so glad I found this biscotti recipe. I made the classic almond last night and the chocolate today, adding in almonds and white choc chips. Both times these turned out perfect. Will definitly be making these again and trying different add-ins. Thank you!
I love your biscotti recipes. Can’t wait to try them.
I love cranberry biscotti!
Looks like a great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
I have whole wheat flour, that I seldom use, and don’t want to buy white whole wheat flour. Can I use the whole wheat flour or would I be better just to use all All Purpose flour?
Thanks,
Jack
Typically, I prefer white whole wheat flour because it has a milder flavor than regular whole wheat. It depends on the recipe, but in the case of these biscotti I think regular whole wheat will work well. Enjoy!
I have used these recipes several times and they come out perfect each time. Thank you.
Can you incorporate Almond paste? If so how would you adjust the recipe?
Thank you.
I haven’t tested this recipe with almond paste. It would need some adjusting of ingredients to do so. With this recipe as is, I’d recommend using 1 teaspoon of almond extract for almond flavor.
Wonderful recipe…I love biscotti but the store prices for decent ones are pretty much out of my budget. Tried the basic recipe tonight and wow, what a huge hit with the family! Such an easy recipe that makes everyone happy. Will be making this recipe and variations of it many more times! Once again, another EXCELLENT recipe. Every recipe I have tried from this website has been a huge hit with the family!
Made cranberry, orange and almond . Added the orange juice zest and juice for extra orange taste. Used 3Tbs more flour to adjust for the liquid, they were AMAZING!
Excellent recipe ! Easy and delicious. I made the almond and love it. Thank you!
These are SO delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly and then added chocolate chips. So so good! Thank you for this recipe!
After searching and reading many Biscotti recipes, i came across yours. It looked easy (because of your fabulous step by step guide) so I thought I would give it a try…they turned out perfect and they are absolutely delicious!! My new favourite recipe!! Thanks!!
Great recipes, I added 1 tsp of instant coffee to the chocolate recipe for an intense chocolate flavor. They didn’t last 1 week, they were gone in a couple of days, maybe I shouldn’t make them this good again. Lol.
Sounds delicious!
If you double this recipe will it still turn out as good?
Yes, I believe a double recipe will turn out well. Just be sure that your mixer can handle 4 cups of flour at once. If you use 2 baking sheets, rotate them halfway through the baking time.
Hello! Can I make the dough in advance and refrigerate it? If so, how long can I keep it in the fridge without risking ruining the texture?
You can but it does not improve the biscotti and it may not rise as much and be denser. I recommend you make it all at once.
Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe.
Followed exactly which your clear directions make easy.
People who don’t like the overly crunchy store ones just
loved these.
Sherri
I have read all the comments and can’t wait to try these—my question is, I live at 7000 feet. Is there something I need to do to adjust the recipe for this altitude?
Hi Laura, I have not baked at high altitude so I can’t share from my experience. You might find this article helpful.
Just made chocolate and almond biscotti. The Hubby gave it a thumbs up. ? I’ve tried other recipes but yours is the best so far. I’m going to pin this one for sure. Do you have a recipe for peanut butter biscotti? Hubby and I are peanut butter fans. And would love pb biscotti. Just a thought ?
Hi Kristine,
Is there a way to make these without eggs? We have an egg allergy in my house.
Thanks!
Hi Yvonne,
You can try it with a flax egg.
Made the cranberry orange today and they are delicious! Can’t wait to try the other variations. I will never buy prepackaged grocery store ones again! Thank you for sharing.
Hi, I had trouble with stickiness, I tried to wet my hands I even tried flour. It was very difficult to roll in a ball and the log. Once it was on the parchment paper it was like glued to it. I followed the recipe exactly.
I think I could’ve used more flour.
Hi Louise, I’m sorry that you had this experience. I’ve made this recipe many times and it always turns out for me. When I shape the dough into the log, I don’t place it on a countertop or other work surface. I just hold it in my hands and pat it into shape, then place it on the parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten it a bit. Hopefully those tips will help.
Hi Louise,
It was very sticky for me also, I just kept dipping my hands into water as the recipe suggested and that helped a lot 😊
What a fabulous recipe! I made a double batch of each flavor today and they all came out wonderful. I live at 7600 feet and did not change the recipe at all. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hi,
I’ve made both the cranberry orange and chocolate so far. They’ve turned out great and the flavor is excellent. My only problem is that they keep cracking excessively. I live in Boston and the air is quite dry. Could that be my problem? Any suggestions?
These were wonderful. After having a traditional biscotti (no butter/oil) recently, which was delicious, I wanted to find a recipe for one. But thinking that just a little bit of butter may make it more enjoyable for those that may not want to dip the biscotti in a liquid, just a little bit of butter may be better. I made the almond biscotti and they had just the right amount of sugar, almost like a hint) and butter. These are biscotti after all and not cookies. Even using chopped almonds was the better choice. I had seen recipes calling for whole almonds in the recipe, but they would have been nearly impossible to cut through without the biscotti crumbling. I made another popular blogger’s biscotti that had so many positive reviews, but I was very underwhelmed, which drove me to write this review.
Thanks so much for these great biscotti recipes! I will be using these and using your recipe base for any other flavor combos i may want to try.
I made this recipe and they came out great! Thanks!
I never made Biscotti before. I did the orange zest with dried crasiains and sliver almond. Came out so amazing I ended up doping them in chocolate with crushed walnuts! Thank you for this recipe. I will be adding it to my favorite backing collection.
I’ve made this recipe a few times now, love it! Helpful hint , when you cut the biscotti if you have an electric carving knife I highly recommend using it. So much easier.
I had to add an egg to the butter sugar mixture! Sugar was flying out! Can this b made in a food processor?
I haven’t tried this recipe in a food processor. I know the recipe calls for cold butter, but you could try using softened butter instead.
My first effort,great success,added lemon zest and dipped in chocolate.Thank you
I was wondering if I could substitute the sugar for Stevia in this recipe. If so, how much Stevia would I use in this recipe?
Hi Jim,
Yes you could try substituting. You will need to look for a conversion chart online because the amount depends on what particular form of stevia you have.
I baked mine 12 min on the 2nd bake and they almost burned. You don’t turn the temp down after the initial bake? That’s what most other biscotti recipes do. Have to turn to the other side to even out the colour a bit but I turned the oven temp down to 300 F
No, I don’t turn the oven temperature down for the second bake. Maybe your oven runs hot? You can adjust the temperature and/or bake time as needed.
Love biscotti dipped in wine after dinner.Favorites are Almond, Anise. Do not like the Chocolate. Biscotti is great treat all year long. Fond memories all have Biscotti as a theme.
Thank you for sharing these recipes.
Hi Kristine I’ve tried a few of these recipes and have only tweaked the mixing of nuts,extracts etc and have never had any problems with crumbling or stickiness. They have turned out great every time and this is coming from a rookie baker. Thanks for these
Hello Kristine, Have become a biscotti fan and am looking forward to making them by following your recipe. Question is, does it matter if you substitute regular whole wheat flour for “white” whole wheat flour? Does it affect the taste? Thank you.
The biscotti will taste a bit heartier, but I don’t think you will notice much difference. You can also substitute all-purpose flour, if you prefer. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
This recipe was spot on perfect! I made the almond biscotti and they were super easy and absolutely delicious. My family gobbled these up in 2 days. Thanks for sharing, I saved this recipe and I will be making again and again.
Perfect biscotti. I made the chocolate with mini chocolate chips and walnuts. Yum! I didn’t change a thing, recipe and directions are spot-on.
Why would you start with cold butter to cream with sugar? It should be softened or room temperature, no?
I have always made these with cold butter and they turn out perfectly. If you prefer to use room temperature butter you can try the recipe that way.
Cold butter flies all over the place when you try to mix it in !!love your recipes but wish you would change this to Soft Butter! I have made them all and they turned out great!
Hi Brenda, Thank you for your feedback. I have always made this recipe using cold butter (cut into 4 smaller pieces as noted in the recipe) and have had no problem combining it with the sugar using my stand mixer. I realize it may be more of an issue if you are using a hand mixer, so I’ve modified the recipe to indicate that cold or slightly softened butter may be used. I’m happy to hear that you are enjoying this biscotti recipe. 🙂
Good recipe, but a little dry. I’m wondering if the 4 tablespoons (2 oz) of butter is correct. Most recipes call for double this amount.
Yes, 4 tablespoons of butter is the correct amount. Biscotti are a drier cookie, however I find that these are less dry and crunchy than most.
Is it ok to use self-raising flour. Should I cut back on Baking Powder?
It may depend on the particular self-rising flour but you can try omitting the baking powder with self rising flour.
I made the classic and cranberry orange recipes. They turned out great. I think yours is the best recipe I’ve found. Thanks for sharing!!
So if im substituting all purpose flour for all the flour does that mean I need 2 cups of flour all together?
Yes, that is correct. You want to keep the total amount of flour the same.
This is the best biscotti recipe I’ve ever used. My family is now addicted to them so I’ve turned into a biscotti-making machine. My favorite is the cranberry orange. To add a bit more flavor, I sub in 1/3 cup of Burnt Sugar Orange Spice from Milk Street, it has orange, vanilla and cinnamon flavors.
I made these for the third time tonight but I made them gluten free this time. I used America’s Test Kitchen gluten free flour mix (recipe available online) plus a teaspoon of xanthan gum. I baked for the maximum suggested time in both steps, nice and crunchy. Wonderful, again.
Can I substitute almond flour for either flour?
I have not tested this recipe with almond flour. You may need to make other modifications to adapt the recipe for almond flour.