You’ll love this Italian biscotti recipe because it’s easy to make, tasty, crunchy, and with a pleasant almond flavor.
The recipe does not use eggs or butter. The biscotti are perfect for Christmas or an Italian-themed dinner. They are excellent dipped in sweet dessert wine or as is.
Similar recipes: vegan custard, vegan panna cotta, vegan apple cake.
What are biscotti?
Biscotti, called Cantucci or Tozzetti in Italy, are probably the most famous Italian cookies, and every Nonna has their secret recipe.
As a child, I ate (too) many of them, homemade by my Italian grandma and aunt.
After the unmissable Sunday lunch, they would come out of the kitchen with the most enormous cookie tray in the world.
This biscotti recipe is adapted from my Nonna’s recipe, so you can be assured that it tastes 100% Italian.
The recipe is without eggs or butter, so the biscotti stay crunchy longer, are lighter, and are easier to make. Plus, everyone at the table can eat them!
We recommend dipping them in Vin Santo, a sweet Italian wine, or any other dessert wine from your local area.
Fun Fact: Biscotti in Italian means “cooked twice” from “bis” (twice) and “cotti” (cooked).
Ingredients and substitutions
Find the complete recipe with ingredients and instructions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Wet Ingredients
- Almond milk is the best milk for this biscotti recipe because it boosts the nutty flavor of the biscotti. You can substitute any other milk for almond milk.
- Vegetable oil: Any will work. We recommend olive oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil.
- Sugar and powdered sugar: They are both recommended in this recipe. However, you could also use sugar. We find that the combination of both makes this biscotti recipe crunchier.
- Citrus zest: We add both lemon and orange zest. You can use just one or the other if you prefer, or you can replace it with anise seeds.
- Vanilla extract is optional, but it complements the other ingredients well. Substitute almond extract, anise extract, or cinnamon.
Dry Ingredients
- Flour: We use all-purpose flour. We have not tested these biscuits with gluten-free flour.
- Baking powder: It gives the biscotti a slight rise and crunch and makes them friable when you bite them.
- Almonds: Almonds are the most popular nut for biscotti. Substitute hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, dark chocolate chips, pistachios, raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries.
- Salt: A pinch of sea salt brings the ingredients together.
How to make biscotti
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Preheat the oven to 340°F or 170°C.
To a bowl, add 1/3 cup of almond milk, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of grated orange zest, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Whisk until well combined.
Fold 3/4 cup of almonds or your chosen add-ins in the liquid mixture.
Tip: Follow our quantities. If you add too many nuts or other flavorings, the dough will not hold them in and will fall apart while shaping.
Add 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 pinch of salt, and mix with a spatula until you get a dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly dusted worktop and knead with your hands for a minute.
You want to get to a compact dough ball without over-kneading.
Cut the dough into two parts and shape each into a long, flat log.
Arrange the two logs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 25 minutes in a preheated oven at 340°F or 170°C.
Then, take them out of the oven and let them cool down on the tray for 20 minutes.
Cut the logs diagonally into the classic biscotti shape. Use a serrated knife or bread knife.
Tip: The logs need to have cooled down for 20 minutes, or they’ll fall apart when you slice them.
Arrange the biscotti back on the baking tray, cut side facing down, and bake for ten more minutes or until golden.
The second baking will make them crispy, golden, and tasty.
Let them cool down completely on a wire rack before serving.
Serving suggestions
Biscotti are typically served on a platter with other cookies. In many homes, they are also eaten for breakfast, after lunch or dinner, mid-morning, or as an afternoon snack – basically at any time!
Try making our other delicious cookies, such as Orange Almond Cookies, Amaretti, and Red Wine Cookies.
They are all perfect for the autumn and winter holiday season or any other time when you want a delicious sweet treat.
Variations
Chocolate dipped biscotti
A crunchy cookie covered in dark chocolate is the perfect sweet treat for a special occasion.
Chocolate chips and cranberry biscotti
Substitute ¼ cup dark chocolate chips and ¼ cup dry cranberries for the almonds. Chocolate and cranberries are divine together, especially when hugged by a crunchy cookie.
Tips
Don’t add too many nuts: Do not add too many nuts, as the dough will not hold them in. It will be impossible to shape the biscotti. It’s best to stick to our measurements.
Let them cool after the first bake: If you try to cut the biscotti while they are still hot, the dough will crumble, and you won’t get clear-cut biscotti.
Don’t let them cool for more than 20-30 minutes, though, or they’ll be difficult to cut.
Storage
Make ahead: biscotti are the perfect recipe to make ahead as they keep well for weeks. You can even give them as a Christmas present!
Room temperature: Store in a tin box, glass jar, or airtight container in a cool and dry spot for 2 -3 weeks.
Add a piece of bread to the container with the biscotti. The bread will absorb excess moisture, keeping the cookies crunchy longer.
Similar recipes
HOLIDAY DESSERTS: apple cinnamon muffins, apple crumble, vegan tiramisù, vegan cinnamon rolls, vegan french toast, vegan pancakes.
For more dessert ideas, check out our compilation of 40+ vegan dessert recipes.
Biscotti
Video
Equipment
- serrated knife (bread knife)
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- ⅓ cup almond milk or other milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil such as olive oil, canola oil, or other
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
- ¾ cup almonds
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 340°F or 170°C.To a bowl, add ⅓ cup almond milk, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon orange zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.Whisk until well combined.
- Stir in ¾ cup almonds.
- Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, and 1 pinch salt.Mix with a spatula until you get a dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly dusted worktop and knead with your hands for a minute. You want a compact dough ball without over-kneading.
- Cut the dough into two parts and shape each into a long, flat log.Arrange the two logs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 340°F or 170°C then let cool down for 20 minutes.
- Cut the logs diagonally into the classic biscotti shape. Use a serrated knife or bread knife.
- Put back on the tray, flat on the cut side, and bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
- Let cool down completely before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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I love your recipes. These biscottis are one of the sweets I really missed since I am vegan. Thank you so much! You are a star! When can I expect a recipe for Panettone? 🙈
Hi Anja, thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot to me! The panettone recipe is in the works, but I will not post it until I am happy with the result- to be continued! ❤️
I’ve made these twice now, with almond and hazelnut exactly as per the recipe and also with 75g pistachio and 35g cranberries. Love these with tea or coffee and not too sweet. I find you need more than 10 minutes for the second bake but maybe I slice mine a bit too thick.
Lara, that’s wonderful- great combination with pistachios and cranberries!!
Thanks for commenting and have a great rest of your day!
Nico
It turned out fine but feel the instructions are lacking helpful details. The dough was very wet and I ended up adding at least a half cup more flour. I’m surprised no one else had this issue in the comments. It was just a sticky mess and a little frustrating.
I also found I needed to bake an additional 10 minutes. I read that biscotti made with butter or oil instead of eggs will be softer. I’m happy to make this recipe again. The video was helpful to see what the texture of the dough should have been. I just think a note and instructions for adjustments would be nice for those not as familiar with biscotti or baking in general.
Hi Leslie,
Thank you very much for your feedback. We are re-making and re-writing this recipe within the next month, and we will take your feedback into account.
Have a great weekend. Best,
Louise
Making this recipe tomorrow for a church group, slowly planting the seed that vegan foods can be delicious too. Was this recipe already updated?
Hi Marcus,
I apologize for the late reply, we wanted to shoot new photos and update the blog post first. Yes, it’s edited and ready, let me know if you have any questions.
Kindest, Louise
Quick question before I ruin my biscottis: can we use self-raising flour or wholemeal flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Hi Dalma, thanks for commenting! yes you can use whole meal flour for the biscotti- the dough just gets slightly more crumbly 🙂
we enjoyed your lovely biscotti after a very nice family dinner – they were perfect as a little after-dinner-autmn-dessert. I really appreciate the creative energy in your recipes and the love you put into them. And especially the fact that they are vegan! Thank you for posting!!! <3
Thanks so much for your kind comment- I’m delighted that you and your family shared them! Cheers 🙂
Yum! They are super crunchy and the flavor is divine! That little bit of lemon zest combined with the vanilla is the most wonderful combination! Will be making these in different flavors 🙂
Just made these today, after I saw your YouTube video. Delicious! I did end up using orange zest instead. I mixed raisin, cranberry mix with some really good chopped chocolate. I added a little bit of almond extract as well. Taste is on point! I did only half the recipe since I’m on a diet 🙁 . But will be a nice little treat with some tea, hopefully we don’t eat the entire batch though in one shot ʕ⁎̯͡⁎ʔ༄… But a very simple clear recipe that worked out brilliantly. I made one of your pasta recipes too at some point and again clear simple delicious vegan recipes. Thanks!
Thanks for the message Romeo, so happy you liked them. Orange zest and almond extract sounds so good too 🙂
These were just lovely! Thank you for this great and simple recipe! Even though I already made them (a while ago) – could you clarify wether the second bake is only one 10 minute bake or wether you turn them over and bake them 10 minutes on both sides (20 minutes total)? Thank you!
hi Stephanie, thanks for your message. so happy you like the biscotti. The second bake is only 10 minutes (or until they are lightly golden on top), no need to turn them around. I updated the post based on your feedback, hopefully it’s clearer now 🙂 Thank you!
Amazing biscotti! You would never know they are vegan. They taste just like “real” biscotti, much more so than many non-vegan biscotti that are commercially made.
Also, I used sliced almonds instead of whole almonds because that’s what I had in the house and they turned out great.
We are so happy you liked the Biscotti Julien 🙂 Thank you for the message.
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! This was a spur of the moment make, I didn’t have any eggs and came across you recipe and now I’ll never use another. This was perfect with our espresso after dinner! Thanks again!
Hi Lori,
I’m so happy you found the biscotti recipe – and even better that you liked them!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment here, and have a great weekend when you get there.
All the best,
Louise
Great recipe! Going to try it out tonight!
And maybe dip in chocolate!
Thank you!
Thanks Palkan, hope you liked them 🙂 They are delicious dipped in chocolate. We are going to publish that variation soon in an update post 🙂
Made them and let them cool for 20 minutes but they are still falling apart when tring to cut them. What could have gone wrong in the making ?
What kind of flour did you use? It could be that the flour has a low glute content. In this case you might need to knead the dough a little longer.
Easy recipe. They looked wet when we removed from the oven. Do they dry out as they cool?
Hi Penni, yes they will dry quite a bit as they cool. But they should look quite toasty and golden after the second bake 🙂
Mine didn’t come out crispy and brown and I added another 10 minutes to the bake time. I think it might be my old oven. The almonds also seemed a little underdone. Do you recommend toasted or untoasted whole almonds?
Hi Jen,
thanks for your message 🙂 Did you bake them twice, as instructed in step 8? If you did that and they are still undercooked, it might be the oven temperature.
In this case, just keep them in a little longer till golden brown. Btw, they will get crispy as they cool down, so you don’t want to overcook them.
Regarding the almonds, that’s up to you. If you like them more toasted, you can pre-toast them in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, although we don’t usually do this.
I hope this helps!
Nico
Perfect little biscotti. I will definitely be making these often.
Thank you soo much for your comment. We are super happy you like those little vegan biscotti 🙂
I just made them!!! My kids enjoy makeong them,and dipping them i chocolate. We put some walnuts and spinkles on topon them,and they areawesome!!! Thank you for the recipie
Thank you so much! I am happy your kids enjoyed making them 🙂
What’s the best way to store these?
Hi there, I always write a “storage” chapter towards the end of the post, just before the recipe box. You can find all information on storage there 🙂