Curious about making Biscotti at home?

These traditional, twice-baked Italian cookies are surprisingly simple to prepare and can be personalized with your favorite ingredients!

The Perfect Italian Cookie, Made Easy

These incredibly easy Italian biscotti offer a delightful contrast to the soft and chewy cookies often shared. If you’ve ever enjoyed biscotti, you know they’re not soft at all. Instead, they’re crisp and crunchy, and despite usually avoiding these textures in cookies, these biscotti are irresistibly delicious.

Making biscotti is simpler than expected (unlike the more complex cannoli). The dough is basic, customizable with favorite extracts and add-ins, and requires no special techniques. Rather than scooping, the dough is formed into two logs, baked, cooled, sliced, and baked again. For those feeling extra creative, adding a chocolate dip or drizzle is always an option, though it's totally up to personal preference—chocolate enthusiasts will surely agree it's worth it!

Ingredients:

- 10 tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter, softened

- 1 ⅓ cups (265 g) sugar

- 3 large eggs

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or anise extract, if preferred)

- 3 ¼ cups (406 g) all-purpose flour

- 1 tablespoon baking powder

- ¾ teaspoon table salt

- ⅔ cup (66 g) slivered almonds

- ⅔ cup (113 g) mini chocolate chips

- ½ cup (170 g) dark chocolate melting wafers or chocolate chips (optional, for dipping)

Recommended Equipment:

- Mixing bowls

- Baking sheet

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and well-combined.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

4. Stir in the vanilla extract (or anise extract if preferred).

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, stirring until fully incorporated.

7. Stir in the mini chocolate chips and slivered almonds.

8. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Using lightly floured hands, shape each portion into a log approximately 10-12 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 4 inches apart as they will spread.

9. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until golden brown.

10. Remove from the oven and allow the biscotti to cool completely.

11. Once cooled, slice the biscotti logs diagonally into 1 ½-inch thick slices.

12. Place the sliced biscotti cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until crisp and golden.

13. Return the biscotti to the 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Gently flip each biscotti over, then bake for another 10 minutes, until they are lightly golden brown.

14. Allow the biscotti to cool completely.

15. For added flavor, melt the dark chocolate in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled biscotti. Allow the chocolate to harden before serving—this may take longer with chocolate chips than with melting wafers.

Notes

Add-Ins

Customize your biscotti by swapping the almonds or chocolate chips for your favorite mix-ins, or leave them out entirely for a simpler version.

Anise Extract

For a classic Italian twist, add 1-2 teaspoons of anise extract or 2 teaspoons of anise seeds along with the vanilla extract.

Storing

Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight container for several months.

Classic Biscotti is Super Simple!

Video by Sugar Spun Run