How to Snack Lighter: Classic Almond Biscotti
Biscotti are a pretty ideal snack. They’re crunchy and satisfy a sweet craving, without indulging in a total sugar bomb. Plus, these classic almond biscotti are filling and packed with protein, thanks to whole almonds and almond meal. I love a good dip, and these hard cookies are made for dipping in your favorite hot drink. Tea, coffee, matcha, whatever is getting you through the 3 pm slump, don’t go through it without these almond biscotti alongside.
How to make homemade classic almond biscotti
The ingredient list and technique for these biscotti are both pretty straightforward. While this recipe can be a bit time consuming, it’s almost entirely hands-off. This is the perfect recipe to make on a quiet weekend afternoon and enjoy all week long.
Classic biscotti recipes require double baking. First, you’ll combine all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Almond meal, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and a bit of cinnamon. Ensure that everything is well mixed before adding the wet ingredients. You want to avoid over mixing the dough after you add the eggs and vanilla and almond extracts. Lots of mixing can cause the gluten in the flour to over-activate, which means tough cookies.
After mixing the bowl until just combined, turn it out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Note that if you have a pizza stone, this is an excellent time to use it! No need for a baking sheet, you can bake the biscotti directly on the pizza stone, on a piece of parchment.
Form the dough into a log no more than 4 inches wide. This will bake for at least 30 minutes, until the log is firm and doesn’t give in when poked on top. Let this cool for a good 10 minutes, which will also help the dough firm up. Next, gently slice the biscotti with a serrated bread knife. If the dough starts to tear, rather than cut cleanly, let it cool and firm up a bit more.
Now for the second bake. Arrange the sliced biscotti on their sides on the parchment paper, either on the baking sheet or on your pizza stone. Let them crisp up for 10 minutes, flip them, and bake them for another 10 minutes. At this point, I like to turn off the oven and let the biscotti stay in until they’re perfectly crisp.
What’s the best way to store biscotti?
These biscotti store very well, especially in the freezer. As soon as they’re fully cool, pop them in an airtight container or sealable bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Though I doubt they’ll last that long. You can also easily double this recipe, which is what I almost always do.
Enjoy all week long
or store in the freezer for up to 3 months
Ingredient notes for almond biscotti recipe
The key to perfectly crisp and healthy almond biscotti is the almond meal. You can easily find it at most big supermarkets. I like Bob’s Red Mill brand. Or, you can make your own with this recipe. If you end up with more almond flour than you need, it’s best stored in the freezer for freshness.
The rest of the ingredients are probably pantry staples you already have on hand. I like toasted almonds, which have a bit richer flavor than raw nuts. You can always make your own toasted almonds in the oven.
And if you only have vanilla extract on hand, it’s quite alright to substitute the almond extract with vanilla. The biscotti won’t have quite the same almond flavor, but they’ll be just as tasty!
Classic Healthy Almond Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup almond meal
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 heaping cup toasted almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together the flour, almond meal, sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add in the almonds and mix until well combined.
Form a well in the middle of the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Crack in the eggs and add the vanilla and almond extracts. Use a fork to whisk the wet ingredients together until the eggs are completely mixed. Then fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Turn the dough out onto the prepared parchment paper and form into a log, about 4 inches wide. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the pan, then bake another 15-20 minutes, until the biscotti doesn’t give in a lot when you poke the top.
Cool the biscotti on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Use a serrated bread knife to carefully slice the loaf into sticks, about 1 inch wide. Place the biscotti back on the parchment-lined baking sheet on their side and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Flip the biscotti and bake for another 10 minutes.
Turn off the oven and let the biscotti dry out for another 20 minutes, until crispy.