Italian almond biscotti, also known as “cantucci” in Tuscany or “tozzetti” in Rome, is an oblong-shaped, twice-baked cookie.
The recipe often calls for nuts (almonds or hazelnut) and the addition of spices like cinnamon or anise, and in some cases, even liquor.
They are crunchy, flavorful, and perfect for dipping in coffee or tea.
If you feel brave, enjoy them dipped in Vin santo for an authentic Tuscan experience.
Today we’re going to make a modern version with almonds, dried cranberries, and orange zest.
Ingredients to make Italian cranberries & almond biscotti:
Butter: Unsalted, room temperature European butter beat with granulated sugar until airy and fluffy.
Sugar: I use granulated sugar in this recipe to get a nice and crispy cookie.
Eggs: After beating the butter and sugar, we add the eggs one by one and always a room temperature.
Baking powder and salt: We need baking powder to help the dough rise and a pinch of salt to add a little contrast.
All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour with a protein percentage between 9% and 11% works perfectly.
Flavors: I use whole almonds slightly toasted in the oven, dried cranberries, orange zest, vanilla paste, and almond extract.
Chocolate: 70% dark chocolate melted at bain marie for dipping the cookies.
How to make almond biscotti:
STEP 1:
Pour 226g of room-temperature unsalted European butter(you can use regular butter as well, but European tastes better)into a mixer bowl. Add 300 g of granulated sugar and start beating at medium speed using the paddle attachment.
STEP 2:
Sift 680 g of all-purpose flour and 2 tsp of baking powder in another bowl and set aside.
Once the butter is nice and fluffy, add the eggs one by one, waiting until the previous one is incorporated.
At this point, add the zest of 2 oranges,1 tsp of vanilla paste, and 1 tsp of almond extract.
STEP 3:
Next, we add the sifted flour and baking powder little by little and with the mixer on low speed.
At the end of this process, we should have a dough that is soft and malleable but not sticky. If your dough looks still wet, add a little bit of flour until reaching the right consistency.
STEP 4:
After that, add the toasted almonds and dried cranberries and mix everything.
Remove the dough from the bowl, divide it in 2, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
STEP 5:
After resting, place the dough on a lightly floured counter and form a 14″ log with each piece.
Move the logs to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
STEP 6:
Bake at 350° in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.
Let the biscotti cool, and then slice them diagonally using a serrated knife.
STEP 7:
Put back the sliced biscotti on the baking tray and bake for another 30 minutes at 275° until nice and crispy.
Once they are cool, dip them in melted dark chocolate and sprinkle them with chopped almonds.
How to store the biscotti:
These biscotti have a pretty long shelf life; you can store them in an airtight container for a couple of weeks or freeze them for up to 2 months.
How to serve Italian almond biscotti:
Traditionally biscotti are dipped in “Vin Santo” a type of very sweet dessert wine originally from Tuscany. Still, I love to dip mine in a hot cup of espresso in the morning, and I’ll tell you a dirty secret, they are lovely as a scoop for ice cream.
Tips & tricks:
I love this recipe because it is versatile and allows many combinations like for example;
Pistachio and dried cherry, hazelnut and fig, macadamia white chocolate matcha, and many more.
Use this recipe as a blueprint for your creativity; I can’t wait to see all your creations!
Others cookies recipes you might also like:
Italian cranberry and almond biscotti
Ingredients
- 226 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 6 eggs, whole
- 685 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 orange zest
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 120 g whole toasted almond
- 120 g dried cranberries
- 12 oz melted dark chocolate for dipping
Instructions
- Pour 226g of room temperature unsalted European butter(you can use regular butter as well, but European tastes better)into a mixer bowl. Add 300 g of granulated sugar and start beating ad medium speed using the paddle attachment.
- Sift 680 g of all-purpose flour and 2 tsp of baking powder in another bowl and set aside.
- Once the butter is nice and fluffy, add the eggs one by one, waiting until the previous is incorporated.
- At this point, add the zest of 2 oranges,1 tsp of vanilla paste, and 1 tsp of almond extract.
- Next, we add the sifted flour and baking powder little by little and with the mixer on low speed. We add also 1/4 tsp of sea salt.
- At the end of this process, we should have a dough that is soft and malleable but not sticky. If your dough looks still wet, add a little bit of flour until reaching the right consistency.
- After that, add the toasted almonds and dried cranberries and mix everything.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, divide it in 2, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- After resting, place the dough on a lightly floured counter and form a 14″ log with each piece.
- Move the logs to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake at 350° in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.
- Let the biscotti cool, and then slice them diagonally using a serrated knife.
- Put back the sliced biscotti on the baking tray and bake for another 30 minutes at 275° until nice and crispy.
- Once they are cool, dip them in melted dark chocolate and sprinkle with chopped almonds.
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