Learn how to make crunchy Biscotti biscuits with my Easy Biscotti recipe. These twice-baked biscuits are flavoured with fresh orange zest and whole almonds. You don’t need an electric mixer – just a bowl and spoon – and they’re dairy-free too!
Oh Biscotti! ❤️ I fell in love with you at the Mercato Centrale in Florence four years ago.
These twice-baked Italian-style biscuits have a crisp, crunchy exterior, and an ever-so-slightly chewy middle. They’re perfect for snacking or dipping into your coffee or tea.
I’ve chosen classic orange and almond flavours here, but you can customise this basic recipe to make all kinds of Biscotti.
why you will love this recipe
- They’re quick and easy to make
- You don’t need an electric mixer
- Easily customisable to your favourite flavours
- They keep well in an airtight container for up to a week
recipe testing
After tasting the real thing in Italy, I’ve longed for a good Biscotti biscuit. And while I’ve tried most of the storebought Biscotti I can find around town, the closest I can get to the real thing, is my easy homemade version.
I love how simple this Easy Biscotti recipe is to make. One thing that always frustrated me with packet or store-bought Biscotti was how dry and rock-hard they were.
But when I tried them in Florence, freshly made, they actually had a slight chew in the middle. Not chewy like a Chocolate Chip Cookie, of course, but they weren’t these stale, crunchy things I had tried before.
They did have that signature crispy crust, but in the middle, they had an almost spongy, chewy texture, that made them extremely moreish.
My easy Biscotti recipe will give you exactly that. A twice-baked cookie that’s crispy and crunchy but a little chewy and packed with flavour.
I tested this recipe using both caster sugar and brown sugar. While caster sugar results in a very crisp cookie, I loved the extra flavour, colour and chew that brown sugar provides.
The best part is this recipe only requires a bowl and a spoon – no electric mixer. They’re ready in minutes and will fill up your cookie jar for the week. Win win!
What you will need
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these easy Orange Almond Biscotti. There’s no butter in them, so they’re dairy free too. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Plain flour: Or all purpose flour
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds flavour and moisture. However, I have tested this recipe with caster sugar (granulated sugar) and it works well too. If you prefer a crispier biscuit, you can opt for caster sugar, but for more flavour, colour and a slightly chewy middle, go for brown sugar.
- Baking powder
- Orange zest: Freshly grated orange zest is best.
- Almonds: You can use toasted or raw almonds in this recipe.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
How to make biscotti
This Easy Biscotti recipe is so quick and easy to make. Once you add all the ingredients into your mixing bowl, you simply mix until a soft, but slightly sticky dough forms.
Then it’s time to shape the dough and bake it. The cookies are then sliced and baked for a second time. Here’s a snapshot of how to make them (detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below):
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and fresh orange zest.
- Add eggs and vanilla and stir until a soft, sticky dough forms.
- Divide dough into two. Shape into two logs, approximately 20cm / 8-inches in length.
- Bake Biscotti for 20 minutes, then leave to cool for 5 minutes.
- Carefully slice diagonally into 1cm fingers. Bake again for 20 minutes.
flavour ideas
You can use this recipe as a base Biscotti recipe and customise the flavours. Here are some ideas of alternative mix-ins you could use instead of orange zest and almonds. Though orange and almond is a classic for a reason!
- Pistachios
- Lemon zest
- Dried cranberries
- Dried cherries
- Hazelnuts
- Chocolate chips
frequently asked questions
It can take a minute for your dough to come together, but if it’s too dry and crumbly to shape, you may have added too much flour. This can be easy to do if you use cups – I highly recommend using a baking scale to measure your flour.
When you bake Biscotti a second time, it is designed to dry out the middle of the biscuit and create a lovely, crispy crust. You’ll see the Biscotti darken in colour and firm up to the touch. And they’ll firm up even more as they cool.
Keep Biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
More cookie recipes
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Let’s Bake
Easy Biscotti
Crunchy twice-baked Orange Almond Biscotti.
Ingredients
- 175 grams (1 and 1/4 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 135 grams (3/4 cup) brown sugar (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 large orange (or 2 small ones), finely grated
- 95 grams (1/2 cup) whole almonds
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line a large baking tray or cookie sheet with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, orange zest and almonds. Stir briefly.
- Add eggs and vanilla and stir until a sticky cookie dough forms. It may seem dry at first but just keep stirring, or use your hands to bring the dough together.
- Lightly flour your bench. Divide the dough into two. Then shape the dough into two even logs, roughly 20 cm / 8-inches long and 7.5 cm / 3-inches wide.
- Carefully transfer logs to prepared trays, ensuring they are not touching each other. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove biscuits from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 160 C (320 F) standard / 140 C (285 F) fan-forced.
- Use a serrated knife to carefully slice the biscuits diagonally, approximately 1.5 cm / 1-inch wide. Arrange Biscotti (sides facing up) on baking tray lined with a new piece of baking or parchment paper.
- Bake Biscotti again for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Leave to cool completely.
Notes
Brown sugar: I tested this recipe with caster sugar and brown sugar. Both work well. I prefer brown sugar for colour, flavour and moisture, but for a crispier cookie, you can use 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar instead.
Almonds: You can use toasted or raw almonds.
Flavours: You can use this recipe as a base Biscotti recipe and customise the flavours. Other mix-in ideas include pistachios, lemon zest, dried cranberries or cherries, hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
Storage: Once cooled, keep Biscotti in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
Patty says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I can’t wait to try. I became totally addicted to the biscotti from Florence’s Central Market–one of the best places in Florence to visit. It is an unbelievable sensory experience. We had a couple bags of the assorted, along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar from the place directly across from the biscotti place, sent home to Illinois during our last trip. I recently sent them a message re shipping to Illinois. Still haven’t heard back from them. So if these are truly a bit soft in the center, they will definitely be cheaper. Can’t wait to try.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh I hear you Patty, it’s so good hey. I remember it so well! I hope you enjoy my version. It definitely can’t compare to the real thing but it’s so much better than the store bought alternatives you can get here. Let me know what you think!
Josh says
I really liked these, they were a little soft in the middle but still crispy.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad to hear that Josh!
SR says
Yaaay another easy recipe Jess! Can’t wait to try it
Jessica Holmes says
I hope you love it!