Biscotti – A Cookie Made for Dunking
I’m a dunker. I love dunking a crispy cookie into a steaming cup of coffee (or better yet, espresso!). When I bake cookies and inevitably leave a batch in the oven too long, I don’t consider them ruined – they’re perfect for dunking. Are you a dunker? If so, you probably already love biscotti. But if you haven’t made your own at home yet, you’ll want to keep reading.
Biscotti is one of my favorite treats to dunk. These crispy Italian cookies are sort of like the crouton of the dessert world. They’re supposed to be REALLY crunchy – to the point where it’s hard to bite into them without dunking them. Truly, they are made to be dunked.
Origins of Biscotti
In Italy, biscotti are traditionally dunked in Vin Santo (a dessert wine), though outside of Italy it’s common to dip them in espresso or coffee. The word “biscotti” originates from the medieval Latin word “biscoctus” which means “twice-cooked”(from Wikipedia). When you make biscotti, you bake them twice – first in one big log, then cut up into individual cookies. Aside from making a deliciously crispy cookie, one of the benefits of double-baking is that it creates a treat that will keep for a long time – several weeks at least.
According to Wikipedia, twice-baked breads like this were a “staple food of the Roman legions”. But even if you’re not off to conquer neighboring lands, a batch of these long-lasting cookies will make a lovely addition to your cup of morning coffee or tea for weeks to come.
Left to right: Double Chocolate Sea Salt; Pistachio, Cherry, & Dark Choc; Almond; Lemon
Endless Flavor Options
One thing you’ll notice in this recipe is that there’s no butter or oil. Traditionally, biscotti are made without either. Some recipes call for it, but the addition of fat makes a softer cookie, which isn’t what we’re going for here. A simple combination of eggs, sugar, flour, and nuts (usually almonds or pine nuts) is the traditional way to make biscotti. I like to add extracts and chocolate or dried fruits to create a variety of flavors. And sometimes a chocolate drizzle, because more is better when it comes to chocolate.
This is a basic recipe for biscotti that you can adapt as you like. I’ve included a few suggestions in the recipe notes, but you can use any combination of flavors you want. Be creative! Or, take this opportunity to use up all the leftover bits of nuts or dried fruit you have in your cupboard. I’d love to hear what flavor combinations you come up with – leave a note in the comments to let me know.
Happy Dunking!
Biscotti
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 c granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp vanilla or other extract
- 2 c flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4-1 c stir-ins – chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, etc.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggs.Add sugar and mix thoroughly.Add vanilla or other extract and mix until combined.
- Add flour mixture and mix until almost combined – there will be some unmixed bits of flour throughout the dough.
- Add your stir-ins and fold in. The dough will be really sticky – that's just how you want it!
- Grease a large cookie sheet or use parchment paper.
- Form batter into a flat log about 12" long, 3" wide, and 1" tall. To keep dough from sticking to your hands, wet your hands with a little water.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until just starting to brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely (or at least 20 minutes).
- Carefully move log to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife (a bread knife works great), slice at a diagonal into 1" thick slices.
- Lay slices face up on the cookie sheet, and bake for 7-8 minutes.
- Flip slices over and bake for another 7-8 minutes. Your biscotti should be getting browned and starting to crisp up (they will continue to get crispier while they cool). Move cookie sheet to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
- At this point, you can dip or drizzle them with chocolate if you like, or just leave them be.
- Stored at room temperature in an airtight container, the biscotti should last several weeks.
Notes
- For extract, use: 1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 tsp almond, and 1/2 tsp anise extract
- For stir-ins: 1 c toasted chopped almonds (you can toast raw almonds in a 350°F oven on a cookie sheet for about 8-10 minutes, or until they smell toasty and are starting to brown)
- Replace 1/2 c of the flour with cocoa powder
- For stir-ins: 3/4-1 c chocolate chips
- Sprinkle coarse sea salt on the log before baking
- For extract, use: 1 1/2 tsp vanilla & 3/4 tsp almond extract
- For stir-ins: 1/4 c shelled, toasted pistachios (to toast raw pistachios, see almond toasting instructions above); 1/4 c dried cherries; 1/2 c dark chocolate chunks/chips
- Before adding the sugar, mix the zest of 1 lemon into the sugar, rubbing it in with your hands
- For extract: 1 1/2 tsp vanilla & 3/4 tsp almond extract
- No stir-ins
- Drizzle with white chocolate if you like, but they’re amazing without it as well
- Before adding the sugar, mix the zest of 1 orange into the sugar, rubbing it in with your hands.
- For extract, use: 1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 tsp almond, and 1/2 tsp anise extract
- Add 1T of toasted fennel seeds to the flour mixture before adding to the batter. To toast the fennel seeds, spread them out on a cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for about 5 minutes, or until they’re starting to brown a little and smell nice and toasty. You can then use them whole, or crush them up a bit before adding.
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