Biscotti Ingredients
To make almond flour biscotti, also known as cantucci, you’ll need 5 simple ingredients:
Blanched almond flour Coconut sugar Egg (see notes for swaps) Baking powder Almond extract
I find that blanched almond flour works best for this recipe, since almond meal (which has brown flecks of skin) tends to make more soft, cake-like baked goods. If you can only find almond meal at the store, I think it’s still worth trying, but the biscotti might need to bake a little longer to dry out in the middle. Can’t find almond flour at the store? You can make homemade almond flour, too!
How to Slice Biscotti
When slicing biscotti, it’s important that the loaf is totally cool before you cut into it. Otherwise, it could mush together, or fall apart as you slice it. I recommend letting the loaf cool at room temperature briefly, then placing the pan in the fridge or freezer to cool completely before cutting into it.
If this is your first time making biscotti, keep in mind that it’s also easier to make clean slices if you leave out any extra sliced almonds. Adding sliced almonds looks pretty, but they are trickier to cut through. If your knife isn’t super-sharp, the almonds may not cut cleanly, and can create an uneven look, so this is something to consider.
What Makes Them Crispy?
Just like traditional biscotti, this recipe is twice baked to create extra-crunchy cookies. The thinner you slice the biscotti, the crispier they will be. Thin biscotti are also easier to bite into! First, you’ll bake the dough as a log at 350ºF, just until it’s lightly golden.
Then, let it cool completely, so it will slice nicely. I recommend placing the loaf in the fridge or freezer, until the bottom of the loaf is cold to the touch. Slice the log into thin strips, then lay each cookie on its side and bake at a lower oven temperature. This helps them crisp to perfection!
Baking the cookies at 250ºF ensures that they won’t burn, keeping their flavor in tact. Tip: Don’t try raising the temperature on the second bake– even 300ºF is too much and will leave you with an unappealing taste. The almond flour can take on a slightly-burnt flavor, even without looking burnt. When the biscotti are done baking, turn off the oven and let them continue to stay in the oven until it’s cool. This will ensure that the cookies totally dry out, creating a crispy texture that is perfect for dunking in coffee or tea.
Need an Egg-Free Version?
I originally planned on making this recipe egg-free, but as it turns out, it’s challenging to get the middles 100% dry without the egg. They are still delicious, but this egg-free biscotti is harder in texture, so be careful with your teeth. These are definitely the type of cookie you’ll want to soften by dunking in coffee first.
If you’d like to try an egg-free version, replace the egg with:
2 tablespoons of arrowroot starch 3 tablespoons of water
You’ll bake as directed for the first round, but for the second bake, you’ll add 15 minutes to each side. So, they’ll bake for 45 minutes at 250ºF on one side, then you’ll flip them and bake another 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the biscotti cool in there, if you can. This ensures there will be no “soft spot” in the center of the biscotti, so they’ll be ultra-crispy.
Making Chocolate Biscotti
I’ve included two flavor variations below, for both a classic almond biscotti, and a chocolate peppermint version. If you’d prefer to leave out the peppermint, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of almond or vanilla extract instead. Either way, it’s delicious!
More Almond Flour Recipes
Wondering what else you can make with almond flour? Here are some of my favorites to try!
Almond Flour Pie Crust The Best Almond Flour Pizza Crust Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies Soft Ginger Cookies Almond Flour Sugar Cookies Best Almond Flour Brownies Almond Flour Pancakes Perfect Almond Flour Cake
If you try this Almond Flour Biscotti recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how they turn out for you! Biscotti can be a bit tricky to get right on your first try, so I hope these step-by-step photos and directions are helpful. If you try anything different, please let me know how that goes, too! We can all learn from your experience. – Reader Feedback: Have you ever made biscotti before? Any other flavors I should try?
