Biscotti means twice-baked, and that's the entire recipe: bake a sweet almond log, slice it, bake the slices dry. No butter in the classic version, which is why they keep for weeks and snap instead of crumble. If they seem too hard, that is because you haven't dunked them yet. They're engineered for espresso.
Everything you need
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup (143 g) whole almonds, roughly chopped
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and line a tray. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
For this step
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
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Beat the eggs with both extracts, then stir into the dry mix to a sticky dough. Work in the almonds.
For this step
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup (143 g) whole almonds
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With wet hands, shape the dough into two logs on the tray, about 25 cm long and 6 cm wide, well apart. Flatten them slightly.
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Bake 25 to 28 minutes until golden and firm on top. Cool on the tray for 15 minutes. This rest matters: hot logs shatter under the knife.
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Slice the logs on the diagonal into 1.5 cm slices with a serrated knife in a firm single stroke per slice.
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Lay the slices cut side down and bake at 160°C / 320°F for 10 minutes, flip, then 8 to 10 more until dry and lightly golden. They crisp fully as they cool.
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Worth knowing
- The 15 minute rest between bakes is where biscotti succeed or crumble. Too hot and they fall apart, fully cold and they're hard to cut cleanly.
- A long serrated knife and a single confident saw per slice. Hesitant sawing tears out the almonds.
Make it your own
- Swap half the almonds for pistachios and dried cranberries, the festive classic.
- Dip one long edge of the cooled slices in melted dark chocolate and set on baking paper.
Storing & freezing
This is the best keeper on the site: airtight for 3 to 4 weeks, and they arguably improve. They also freeze for 3 months, not that they need it.
Frequently asked
Why are biscotti baked twice?
The first bake sets the log, the second dries the slices into their signature snap. The dryness is the design: it makes them keep for weeks and stand up to dunking.
Why did my biscotti crumble when sliced?
The log was cut too hot or with a gentle sawing motion. Rest it 15 minutes, use a serrated knife, and commit to each cut in one firm stroke.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.