Last updated on April 13th, 2018
Biscotti is a deliriously-crunchy Italian cookie that screams “dunk me in something.” Infuse the dough with the bright flavors of orange zest and orange liqueur, as I always do, and you’ll find the cookies are perfect for dunking in hot coffee, tea, red wine, and even Champagne or Prosecco. Here’s the simple step-by-step video, which includes a cameo appearance by a certain four-legged cookie monster:
Think you’ll give these citrussy treats a try? You can let me know by leaving a comment. As always, I love hearing from you.
xKevin
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Here’s the printable:
These extra-crunchy Italian treats are perfect for dunking in coffee, tea, red wine, and even Champagne. Don't make me beg you to try them!
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose (or "plain") flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- The grated zest of 2 large oranges
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, or another orange liqueur (or, substitute orange juice)
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- For brushing: the white of 1 large egg, whisked until foamy
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to middle and top positions; heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer outfitted with the paddle attachment (or any large bowl, if mixing by hand), add the sugar and orange zest. Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant. Then add the butter, eggs, vanilla, and orange liqueur. Beat at low to medium speed until smooth (or whisk by hand). At low speed, gradually beat in all but 1/2 to 1 cup of the flour mixture. Add the almonds to the remaining flour mixture, and toss to coat. At low to medium speed, beat in the almonds and all the remaining flour mixture.
- Dump the dough onto a floured work surface, and with floured hands, form the dough into a rough log. Cut the log in half. Form each half into a 13-inch long, 2-inch wide log. Place the logs about 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides of the logs with the foamy egg white.
- Bake until the logs spread and turn golden brown -- about 30 minutes.Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack, and let the biscotti logs cool for 25 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
- Cut the logs at a sharp angle into 1/2-inch slices. Divide the slices, cut-side-down, between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Position the sheets on the top and middle racks of the oven, and bake for 12 minutes. Then flip the biscotti over, rotate the baking sheets, and bake for 8 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. When the biscotti achieves room temperature, it will be deliciously firm and crunchy.
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Tracy says
Main course, please!
Shirley B. says
You are just so dang adorable!! I wish you were my neighbor 🙂
Ginuzza says
Those are screaming and begging to be dipped in chocolate at one end 🙂
Can’t wait to try!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Tracy – I have a main course in mind for next week’s video.
Hi Shirley — Ah, you are too kind.
Hi Ginuzza – Chocolate, yes.
Debby S. says
Vegetarian main course would be wonderful. Or seafood…. Thanks!
JoAnne Walker says
I haven’t made biscotti in a long time. This orange version looks delicious. I will try this for our next Shriners’ meeting.
I usually make a biscuit recipe I received from a neighbor (from Italy) in 1977. She had never written the recipe down before. It’s a softer version, uses lots of eggs. Like biscotti, you can add anything you like to the dough (chocolate chips, fruits, nuts), and goes great with a cup of tea at night or breakfast.
Mary says
Main course for next week please. I agree dip one end in chocolate, Kevin I stand my biscotti up with space between so only one second baking no need to flip!
Jacqueline Guest says
Although my hubby is allergic to nuts and eggs, I’m going to make this anyway, just for me.
It looks that good!
My 14-year-old grandson and I made your butter and it was delicious. He thinks I’m a pretty cool nana to let him do stuff like make butter, science experiments that blow up, have duets with me on the harp and him on his bass sax, and play chess, plus a host of other ‘fun’ stuff. Never doubt that YOU ROCK! I have sent your site out to all my friends and explained how lovely it is on Sunday morning to sit down and have tea with Kevin. 🙂
Julie says
Yum!! They dunk well in tea or hot chocolate, too! You’ve inspired me to try making them. I think they’d make a wonderful hostess gift…Thanks!
Maraya says
That cute little cookie monster was sniffing around for way too little time!
Adding this recipe to my collection; it looks delicious.
Main dish next time, please.
Barb says
OMG sounds fabulous! I’m going to try them “plain” first then 1/2 dipped in chocolate!
Linda says
Hi Kevin – I love your recipes and the biscotti looks wonderful but I’m allergic to nuts – can they just be left out? Would I need to add more flour to compensate? I was thinking about using pine nuts, which are actually seeds, or possibly soy grits. Any ideas?
Linda Hughes says
Hi Kevin – I love your recipes and the biscotti looks wonderful but I’m allergic to nuts – can they just be left out? Would I need to add more flour to compensate? I was thinking about using pine nuts, which are actually seeds, or possibly soy grits. Any ideas?
Joanne in Zone 6b says
I like mini biscotti that I can dip into Vin Santo for dessert; this recipe will work perfectly. Thanks for the baking lesson and for the appearance of your sweet little helper!
Lynn says
Yum these sound great. I don’t have any Grand Marnier but I do have Limoncello so I’m thinking I might do a lemon version.
Nancy Bagshaw-Reasoner says
Yum! These look wonderful. Please do a main course next. Thanks, Kevin.
Peggy says
Love the Cookie Monster. Wish i could have one of your scones with a cup of freshly prepared Costa Rician coffee.
Peggy says
Oops! I meant biscotti not scones.
Linda says
Ditto on Shirley B.’s comment. I also wish you were my neighbor. I have learned so much from your postings and you are such a great teacher. Thank you for everything you offer. Since I have several lemons on hand, I may try that in the biscotti. And maybe some dried cranberries.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Linda Hughes – You can omit the almonds, or substitute them, as you suggested, with pine nuts or dried fruit. No need to alter the flour measurement.
Hi Lynn – Limoncello biscotti would be divine.
Hi Nancy Bagshaw-Reasoner – Main course next week. I promise.
Julie R says
Awe, how sweet your four legged cookie monster is = ) My mouth started watering when I saw the orange zest go in the batter during your video, oh yum ! Must try making these.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Julie R – If you make the biscotti, let me know how it turns out for you!
Ellen says
Maybe a reminder video on the correct way to use the French press for coffee?
Patricia says
I’m going to make this luscious looking biscotti this weekend, sit down all Sunday afternoon with a plate of them, tea, a good book and my dog. I loved seeing your Avery with you, even momentarily. She’s such a pretty girl and has the sweetest face. I hope you, Mr. Fox and Avery are all settling in well with each other. I’m sure she’s making her own special place in your hearts.
Anne says
Yummy. I love biscotti and I actually love making it. Many thanks for a new recipe to try!
Cynthia Gruetzmacher says
I absolutely love biscotti. My Italian grandmother always made them with anise, both oil and seeds, so I have always been partial to those. Your recipe looks scrumptious enough to break from tradition and the fresh orange flavor will be perfect for summer. Anxious to try them.
Elaine Wilmes-Pandolfo says
Yesterday was my husband’s birthday. I made your heavenly orange biscotti for him to enjoy with his daily espressos. They came out awesome! Mine are not as uniform in shape as yours but they taste divine and are nice and crunchy–perfect for my cups of tea, too. THANKS!!!!
V. Schreffler says
I so enjoy your approach-positive and forthright conversation while sharing a few things worth my time. We’ve never met but I drop your name like a cousin when I get compliments on your recipes! Biscotti is definitely going into my KJ binder- big thanks from Kitty Hawk!
Lorraine Simoneau says
Hi Kevin,
Thanks Kevin for your delicious Biscotti recipe. After dinner, I dipped a couple of them in my leftover glass of Soave wine. A wonderful suggestion. Another wonderful idea I will have to try next time, is the one from one of your followers who suggests dipping one end in chocolate.
I will follow the trend and suggest a MAIN COURSE for next week.
Best,
Lorraine in Zürich
Kathleen Nearing says
Sounds wonderful. I’ll make some this week to have with my morning coffee. BTW, I had a small dinner party on Saturday and made your recipe for Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic. It was a great success. Thank you. So… I’ll go with the trend of the prior comments and vote for a main course.
Corinne St. Martin says
Thank you for your site. It’s always been a delight for me to visit. I am a professional gardener in upstate N.Y., an artist and a graphic designer. I also love to bake! This recipe sounds delicious. However, as of a little over a year now, I have gone gluten-free. Could this recipe be done GF? I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free baking mix: https://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free-1-to-1-baking-flour.html for baking. How do you think this would work with your recipe? Do you have any tips?
DeeAnna says
Made these biscotti yesterday. The cookies are wonderfully crunchy, are just sweet enough, and have a delicate citrus aroma — what’s not to like!
I thought I had slivered almonds in the pantry, but of course I didn’t. I substituted the same amount of fresh Arizona pecans, finely chopped, for the almonds. Pecans aren’t traditional, but still play well with the rest of the ingredients.
Deborah says
Looks and sounds yummy. I’m going to dunk mine in homemade ( no instant stuff in this house!) hot chocolate! I love the flavors of orange and chocolate together. If I had one recipe for you to show us it would be your chocolate Pavlova and raspberries. I have chickens and right now they are beginning to lay again. I have an over abundance of eggs. Like six dozen in the fridge right now and all less than a week old. Need to use up them eggs. If we were neighbors I’d share my pretty organic brown eggs with you. Oh and your tarragon chicken, as well as the potato leek soup, have become regular menu items in our home. We have four legged cookie monsters at house too.
Miguel says
My wife is allergic to dairy so I used equal parts coconut oil, subbed lemon for orange, came out great!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Miguel – Glad to know your dairy-free version worked out well. Thanks for the review!
Mary Bertolo says
I made these biscotti’s but my loaves both cracked. I’m wondering what I did wrong? I’m so disappointed.
Jay says
OMG, Kevin! I just put these into the oven for their 2nd bake, and my husband & I are sampling the already-crisp end pieces. Fantastico! We’ll be taking these to a dinner party tonight, but I’m going to keep a few just for us. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
Mary says
Thank you for a very good video. I’ve never made biscotti and was hesitant to do so but your directions were so spot on I had to try it. The biscotti were delicious and everyone wanted the recipe! Hope you make more biscotti variations in the future.
Mary says
Kevin why do my biscotti crack? I’m doing exactly what you said.