Prefer to bake with almond flour? Try my almond flour sugar cookies, almond flour cupcakes, and almond flour cake next. I was raised in a house where biscotti was a holiday staple. My mom would make a batch every week, and I think she was the one eating most of them! She liked to test new versions of her classic gluten-free biscotti, and one of my favorites was her almond biscotti recipe. Now that I’m hosting Christmas this year, I can’t wait to make them.
Why I love this recipe
Naturally sweetened with honey. Honey adds a subtle earthiness and gives the biscotti a gorgeous golden color. Fun to customize. My base recipe has pistachios and cranberries, but you can make a variety of other flavors. I’ll explain more later on. Perfect for dunking. I prefer black coffee since the biscotti are fairly sweet, but almond milk hot chocolate works too! Crispy, crunchy, and snappable. Just like this classic Italian cookie should be! Naturally gluten-free. And I’ll even give you tips on making them vegan.
Ingredients needed
Almond flour. Not all almond flours are created equal, so stick with blanched almond flour instead of almond meal, which is made with flecks of almond skin and yields a darker, crumbly consistency. Pistachios and almonds. You can use just one or the other if you prefer. Baking soda. Gives the biscotti some rise and leavening. Salt. Elevates the flavor of the other ingredients. Cinnamon. For a delicate cinnamon flavor. Eggs. Room temperature eggs are best. Honey. For natural sweetness and moisture. Agave nectar can also be used, but I found maple syrup to be overpowering. Butter. Stick with unsalted butter softened to room temperature (since we’re already adding salt). Almond extract. To enhance the almond flavor! Alternatively, use vanilla extract. Dried cranberries. Optional, but I like them for flavor and color. Make sure they’re unsweetened.
How to make biscotti with almond flour
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Step 1- Prep. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven. Step 2- Mix the dough. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In another large bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Gently whisk the dry into the wet and mix until you have a smooth dough. Fold in the cranberries. Step 3- Shape. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Form two rectangular loaves about 1 inch in thickness. Step 4- Bake. Place the loaves on the pan and bake until golden. It’s okay if the biscotti isn’t super crispy yet. Let them cool briefly, and reduce the oven heat. Step 5- Second bake. Slice the loaves into equal slices and place them on the baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp. Let them cool on a wire rack.
Arman’s recipe tips
Make them vegan. Substitute the eggs for flax eggs (1 tablespoon of flax seed with 3 tablespoons of water per egg), use dairy-free butter and milk, and sub honey for agave. Adjust the bake time. Biscotti is a very forgiving recipe, and you can make them as thin, thick, long, or small as you desire. Just remember, the thinner you slice them, the less cooking time they’ll need. Use a sharp, serrated knife to slice the biscotti for the second bake. Don’t crank up the heat! As tempting as it may be, you need the second bake to be at a lower temperature. Almond flour can easily develop a burnt taste if overbaked. Prefer shiny biscotti? Brush a beaten egg over the loaf before slicing it.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover biscotti at room temperature in a sealed container for 1 month.
Chocolate. Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and increase the honey by 2 tablespoons. Omit the dried fruit. Cranberry orange. Sub out half the nuts with extra cranberries and add 1 teaspoon of orange extract and 1 teaspoon of orange zest. Chocolate covered. Dip each of the biscotti in melted dark chocolate chips. Espresso. Add 1 teaspoon of espresso extract and omit the cranberries. Lemon. Add 2 tablespoons lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon extract.
To freeze: Place the biscotti in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight.
Frequently asked questions
More holiday desserts
Gluten-free Christmas cookies Peanut brittle Gingerbread blondies
