Best Vanilla Almond Biscotti

Wonderfully crispy, crunchy Vanilla Almond Biscotti (Cantucci)! It’s a satisfyingly firm cookie but not teeth-breaking hard.

Almond Biscotti stacked on a white plate.

Why You’ll Love These

As I’ve said before, I’m obsessed with biscotti. They are the perfect treat for morning or afternoon coffee or tea. 

This recipe is easily adjusted to accommodate almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, or cashews.

It’s actually a great biscotti base dough that you can add in whatever you wish!

We also love making our Italian sesame cookies, Amaretti cookies, and crispy gingersnap cookies to have on hand for afternoon snacking or with coffee for breakfast.

Recipes Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – Always measure the flour properly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.
  • Granulated sugar – These cookies only use one cup of sugar which makes them just sweet enough.
  • Unsalted butter – I only use unsalted butter so I can control the salt.
  • Eggs – This recipe calls for large eggs at room temperature. Eggs bind the dough and when they are at room temperature they combine with the other ingredients better.
  • Baking powder – Baking powder gives rise to cookies.
  • Salt – Salt helps enhance the flavor and balances out the sweetness.
  • Vanilla extract – We recommend pure vanilla extract to compliment the almond flavor.
  • Almond extract – This recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of almond extract to really bump up the flavor.
  • Whole almonds – Slivered almonds or chopped almonds also work, but we like the chunks of almonds in each cookie.
Almond Biscotti dough shape into 2 logs on parchment lined baking sheet

How to Make Vanilla Almond Biscotti

This biscotti recipe is super easy to make just a little time-consuming.

Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the almonds on the sheet pan and lightly toast for about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Increase the oven temperature to 350ºF.

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add the room-temperature eggs and mix to combine.

Add the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time to the butter/egg mixture and stir until just combined.

Stir in the almonds.

Almond Biscotti on white plate with coffee and cream pitcher

Dampen your fingers and divide the dough in half. Then shape the dough into 2 – 4″x10″ logs on a baking sheet prepped with parchment paper.

Brush the tops of the dough logs with egg wash (optional).

Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden. Baking times may vary for your oven.

Remove from the oven and let cool enough to be handled for about 10-15 minutes.

Carefully transfer to a cutting board.

With a serrated knife, carefully slice the logs into 3/4 inch thick slices and arrange them on the baking sheet cut side down.

Bake again for 15 minutes, remove and turn each slice over to the other cut side and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden and dry.

Almond Biscotti on stacked white plate

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy every last one of them yourself or share with a friend! I may or may not have eaten all of these myself.

Tips

  • Measure the flour properly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.
  • Use room temperature eggs.
  • The dough is a little sticky, dampen your fingers to shape the logs.
  • Let the biscotti logs cool for about 5-10 minutes after the first bake before slicing. This will help prevent crumbling and breaking.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice the biscotti. This also helps prevent breaking and achieve a clean slice.
  • Slicing the biscotti also cuts the whole almonds, so don’t worry that there will be whole almonds in every bite.
  • Let the cookies cool completely before serving. They firm up as they cool.

Variations

  • If you love the classic flavor of anise in biscotti you can use up to 1 teaspoon of anise extract and reduce the almond extract to 1 teaspoon.
  • If you like a thinner biscotti slice it into 1/2 inch wide slices. Bake them for about 5-10 minutes per side.
  • If you like a less firm biscotti reduce the second baking time to 5-10 minutes.

FAQ

Storing

Store at room temperature in an air-tight container or resealable bag for up to 2 weeks.

Freezing

Place in an air-tight freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

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Almond Biscotti stacked on a white plate.

Best Vanilla Almond Biscotti Recipe

Wonderfully crispy, crunchy, and loaded with almonds! A perfect treat for morning or afternoon coffee or tea.
4.50 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cookie, Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 168kcal
Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole almonds with skin, lightly toasted
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Eggwash

  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300F. Place the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 350F.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
    2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • In a large bowl, stir together sugar, butter, vanilla, and almond extract. Add eggs and mix to combine.  Add the flour mixture 1/3 at a time to the butter/egg mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the almonds.
    1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, melted, 2 teaspoons almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, room temperature, 1 cup whole almonds with skin, lightly toasted
  • Dampen your hands and shape dough into 2 4"x10" logs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Beat the egg with the teaspoon of water. Brush on the egg wash.
    1 large egg, beaten, 1 teaspoon water
  • Bake about 30-35 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer the baking pan to a wire rack and cool for 10-15 minutes, cool enough to handle.
  • Using a very sharp, serrated knife, cut logs into 3/4 inch slices and arrange on the baking sheet, cut side down. Bake biscotti again for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn each piece over to the other cut side and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden and dry.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Let the biscotti logs cool for about 5-10 minutes after the first bake before slicing. This will help prevent crumbling and breaking.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice the biscotti. This also helps prevent breaking but helps give a clean slice.
  • Let the cookies cool completely before serving. They firm up as they cool.
Storing – Store at room temperature in an air-tight container or resealable bag for up to 3 weeks.
Freezing – Place in an air-tight freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

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3 Comments

  1. You really didn’t mean to bake these 4 times, did you? Instructions 7 &. 8 seem similar. I stopped after #7 and they were great.5 stars

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