Almond Biscotti Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links.
This almond biscotti recipe is the perfect blend of crunchy, nutty, and just sweet enough. Ideal for dunking in your morning coffee or late-night tea. It’s surprisingly easy to make at home and tastes so much better than store-bought.
Perfect served with a coconut or snickerdoodle latte! Become your own barista and give my favorite coffee recipes a try.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy cookies for dunking – These twice-baked cookies are sturdy and made for dipping into coffee, espresso, or tea.
- Make-ahead holiday cookie – Almond biscotti stays fresh for days and makes a great addition to cookie tins and edible gifts.
- Freezer-friendly cookie – Great for baking ahead and freezing. Just pull out a few when cravings hit.
- Giftable baked goods – These cookies travel well and look impressive, making them ideal for gifting.
This vanilla almond biscotti recipe is crisp, flavorful, and easier to make than you’d think. With simple pantry staples and a few key techniques, you’ll have that classic twice-baked crunch that’s perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. The almond and vanilla combo gives each bite a warm, nutty flavor that tastes like it came straight from a bakery.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
What makes this recipe a favorite is how well it stores and how customizable it is. You can dip them in chocolate, mix in chopped nuts, or even swap the flavorings to suit the season. Whether you’re baking for the holidays or just want something cozy to pair with your morning cup, this biscotti delivers every time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Simple ingredients, big biscotti energy. This recipe uses pantry staples with a few flavor-boosters to create that signature crisp texture and almond-forward flavor you know and love. Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour – The base of your biscotti. Be sure to spoon and level to avoid over-measuring.
- Baking powder – Gives the biscotti just a touch of lift during the first bake.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the almond flavor.
- Butter – Use unsalted, softened butter for a richer flavor and tender crumb.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness without overpowering the almonds.
- Eggs – Bind everything together and give the dough structure. Room temperature eggs work best.
- Almond extract – Key to that classic flavor. A little goes a long way, so measure carefully.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and rounds out the almond for a more complex flavor.
Once these are combined, you’ll shape, bake, and slice your biscotti into the perfect crunchy treat. No fancy ingredients, just classic flavor done right.
Jesseca’s Recipe Review
I was always a little intimidated by biscotti until I tried this almond version. Now I’m hooked. It’s surprisingly easy, makes my kitchen smell amazing, and feels fancy without the fuss. Dunked in a cup of coffee or tea? Absolute heaven. I make a batch almost every holiday season (and keep a secret stash for myself, obviously).
Tip from Jesseca:
Let the biscotti cool for exactly 10–15 minutes before slicing. Not too hot, not too cool. That’s the sweet spot for clean cuts without crumbling. And always use a serrated knife!
Variations and Substitutions
This almond biscotti recipe is a solid base, but there’s plenty of room to make it your own. Whether you want to switch up the flavor, add some texture, or use what you already have in the pantry, here are some easy ideas:
- Add-ins: Mix in ½ cup of chopped almonds for extra crunch or ½ cup of mini chocolate chips for a sweet twist. Dried cranberries or cherries also pair beautifully with almond flavor.
- Flavor swaps: Sub out almond extract for lemon or orange zest if you want a citrusy biscotti. You can also double down on vanilla for a more subtle, mellow profile.
- Dipped in chocolate: Once cooled, dip one end of each biscotti in melted dark or white chocolate. Let it set for a bakery-style finish.
- Gluten-free option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture might be slightly softer, but it still holds up for dunking.
- No butter? You can use oil instead (like canola or light olive oil), but the flavor will be slightly less rich.
Biscotti is one of those recipes that’s hard to mess up and easy to tweak. Once you’ve mastered the base, the options are endless.
Easy Almond Biscotti Recipe
Don’t let biscotti intimidate yo. It’s way easier than it looks. Here’s a simple breakdown of how to make these crisp, flavorful almond cookies from scratch:
- Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter and sugar in a mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
- Form the dough. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until a dough forms. Chill the dough for 30 minutes to make it easier to shape.
- Shape and bake. Divide the dough in half, shape into two long logs (about 16×2 inches), and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
- Slice and bake again. Let the loaves cool slightly, then slice into ¾-inch pieces. Place them cut side down and bake again for 10 minutes.
That’s it! Golden, crisp, and full of almond flavor. Perfect for dunking in your favorite coffee or tea.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, chilling helps firm the dough so it’s easier to shape into clean logs. It also prevents spreading and gives you neater slices after baking.
Absolutely. A hand mixer or even mixing by hand with a sturdy spatula works just fine — just make sure your butter is softened so it’s easy to cream.
This usually happens if it’s still too warm or overbaked during the first bake. Let it cool 10–15 minutes before slicing and always use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion.
Cut the second bake short — bake only 6–8 minutes instead of 10. The cookies will still hold their shape but have a gentler crunch.
It’s optional, but flipping halfway through helps both sides crisp evenly. If you want that golden crunch all over, it’s worth doing.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
This almond flavored biscotti is the ultimate make-ahead treat. It stores beautifully and holds its crunch for days.
- To store: Once completely cooled, place the biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and crisp for up to 2 weeks. Keep them in a cool, dry spot to prevent them from softening.
- To freeze: Baked biscotti freezes well. Let them cool fully, then layer between parchment in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp or pop them in a low oven (300°F) for a few minutes to bring back that fresh-baked crunch.
- Make-ahead dough: You can prep the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it (covered) for up to 2 days before baking. Let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before shaping, as chilled dough can be a bit firm.
Almond Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter (melted and cooled slightly)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), combine the softened butter and sugar. Mix on medium speed until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix until fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together and no dry streaks remain.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This helps firm up the dough and makes shaping easier.
- While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the chilled dough into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, shape each portion into a log about 16 inches long and 2 inches wide. Transfer both logs to the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the logs are lightly golden and set. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- Once slightly cooled, slice each log diagonally into ¾-inch pieces. Place the slices cut side down back onto the baking sheet. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, flipping halfway through if you want both sides crisp.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Hello! I have been trying to develop a homemade gluten free rusk recipe. I was thinking an easy way to do that was to do a biscotti recipe, but biscotti is sweet. I was wondering if I could omit the sugar and do the ingredients like that, but then I imagine problems would arise seeing as to how sugar is needed for the final product being crunchy and all. (If I ever follow up with this rusk recipe adapted from a biscotti recipe, I will add other flavorings and such to mimic the taste of regular rusk, but right now I am just trying to get the crunchy/cracker texture.) I’d love to know what you have to say about this. Thank you for your time.
Hi Agnes, unfortunately I can’t help with your quest to make this gluten free. I don’t have much experience and wouldn’t be able to make confident suggestions. I don’t think you should omit the sugar from a cookie recipe.
The taste was good but they were doughy still a little raw. My dough was sticky!
Hi Joanne. This dough is more sticky. Did you complete the second bake? You have to slice and bake them a second time otherwise they will be slightly under baked.
These were so easy to put together! I switched it up a bit, I subbed 1/3 cup of ground almonds for 1/4 cup of the flour, and tossed in the grated rind of half an orange. I think next time I’ll add more zest though, but it turned out delicious! This is a definite keeper of a recipe….can’t wait to see what other combo’s I can come up with lol.
Oh,I love the idea of the added orange. That will add a touch of freshness to these already delicious cookies. I’ll have to give it a try.
Hi Dotti
Did you use the same amount of almond flour in the recipe?
Thank you in advance
Made these using almond flour and Splenda . Absolutely delicious.
Hi Dottie, Thank you for sharing! I adore almond flour. I will have to give this recipe a try with your changes.
This is exactly what I have been looking for in a biscotti recipe! Not too hard, great texture and made with butter. I only softened the butter instead of melting it and could shape immediately with just a dusting of flour. I added anise oil and vanilla as well as 1/2 cup of sliced almonds. Next I’ll try pistachio with cranberries and drizzle with white chocolate. Thank you for the perfect foundation for so many flavor combinations!
Thank you for trying the recipe and for sharing your ideas! Can’t wait to try this with your suggestions.
All I have to say is YUM. We have made this recipe dozens of times and I am finally leaving a review. It is simply amazing and so easy to customize. Last time we added finely shredded coconut and it was delicious.
My partner says ‘why make them when you can buy them’ my reply, I love baking and home made us better than store bought! I’m going to make them today and hope I’m proven to be right….have a great day x
I couldn’t agree more! Homemade is so much better!
Almond biscotti were easy to make and inexpensive and yummy
Agreed! It’s still one of our favorites!
I am making these for our clients, can I put slivered almonds on top or in? also do I only bake one side down and don’t need to turn them over?
I’ll go in and adjust the recipe to make it a little easier to follow. I turn mine to keep the cooking even.
If you do turn them is it 5 minutes on each side or 29 minutes on both sides?
I meant to type 10 minutes on both sides lol
Hi Bonnie, I cook it for just 10 minutes. You can flip halfway if desired, but I haven’t found the need.
Very very nice recipe of biscotti. I am very fond of these biscottis. Shall try very soon I am sure they are going to turn out perfect, under your expert recipe
S.lalji
I make my own vanilla. It’s SUPER easy and is better than any I have ever bought.
BTW the Biscotti recipe is WONDERFUL!!
SO glad you liked it. I like making my own vanilla as well. This one uses premium vodka and vanilla beans and I love the taste but if you want to make your own it works just as well.
I stumbled across these on Pinterest and decided to give them a go. I am so glad I did! They were easy to make and super delicious. Planning on serving them for Mother’s Day. Thanks for this delicious recipe!
It is one of our favorites!
hey Jessica!! Thanks a million … I tried making biscotti for the first time using your recipe n they turned out delicious… I didn’t have the almond extract so I only used the vanilla.. Thanks again keep posting the easy yummy recipes .
I just used this recipe for my wedding favors and they were a HUGE hit. I kept the dough as one piece to make huge full size biscottis and drizzled them with a lemon icing and everyone just loved them! All night guests were asking me where they could get the recipe (so expect a bit more traffic!).
The best part was, I made them a MONTH before the wedding and they were still great! Talk about an easy, low stress favor than can be made in advanced!
First of all, congratulations! And the lemon was a genius addition to the recipe! I’ll have to give it a try.
Hi, wow it was good after a month! That’s great! Was it made and kept in the fridge or freezer? I would like to keep it on hand for my daughter instead of giving her store bought ones with preservatives. Thanks! I can’t wait to try them!
@Jesseca,
We made them the recipe was easy and we added anise with the vanilla. They were good. I fact we made extra batches and are giving them our as gifts for Christmas gifts.
Thank you
Terry
Hi Terry, This comment makes me so incredibly happy. This is our go-to holiday gift as well. I need to try the anise. Such a great suggestion.
Can’t wait to try this recipe! How many biscotti cookies does this make roughly?
It depends how thick you slice them. I typically get 30-45 cookies.
This biscotti recipe was the third one I tried and probably going to be the last as they are delish ! I add mini chocolate chips to mine ! Thanks for sharing !
Oooh biscotti? I’ve never made it before, but I think I need to try it. Looks so yummy!
Yum, I love snacking on biscotti, but have never made it myself. This one looks so good, I can’t wait to give it a try! And I need to try that vanilla asap!
Oh I love biscotti! I’m waiting until it’s a little bit colder out and I’m craving warm drinks. Then it’s on!
This sounds so good. I love biscotti with my hot chocolate. This will make a great gift for my mom too!
Hi Jesseca,
We are all smiles over here at Lágrima. So thrilled that you like the vanilla and the biscotti recipe. We read you blog post out loud – again all smiles. All the best to you!
Neil & The Lágrima Team