Best Italian Biscotti Recipes

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 165 degrees C ).
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time; beat until fluffy. Stir in the anise and vanilla extracts. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; Add them to the egg mixture along with the chopped almonds. Stir with a spoon and as the dough comes together, Knead by hand.
• Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each piece into a log about 15 inches long. Place logs onto cookie sheets, 2 to a sheet, the long way. Flatten the logs out until they are about 3 inches wide with a slight hump going down the middle. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, loaves should be firm. Cut the loaves into diagonal slices 1/2 inch wide, place the slices onto the cookie sheets and return to the oven. Toast on one side, then turn them over to do the other side. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes.

BISCOTTI DI PEPE - TARALLI - ITALIAN PEPPER BISCUITS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in water.
• Sift flour salt and pepper onto mixing board.
• Make a well in the center and add yeast and oil.
• Blend together and gradually incorporate into flour.
• The dough will be stiff.
• Knead 10 minutes.
• Place in oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with towel and let rise until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat oven to 375º.
• Break off small pieces of dough and roll into ropes about 6 inches long.
• Form a ring and pinch edges together.
• Place on baking sheet and let rise 20 minutes.
• Brush with oil and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

ANISETTE TOAST (ITALIAN BISCOTTI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a deep (about 1-2 inch deep) cookie sheet (such as a jelly roll pan). Mix the oil and sugar in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, vanilla, and Anisette. Add this to the sugar/oil mixture. Then add the baking powder and salt to the sugar/oil/egg mixture. Mix well. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the sugar/oil/egg mixture into the flour and mix till well combined. Add in the nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth it out. Bake at 350ºF until light brown on top and firm in the center - about 35 minutes. Once baked, cut into long, narrow slices and toast, spread out on the cookie sheet, on all sides in a 300ºF oven until crunchy (toasting time may be vary between 10-20 minutes, depending on how moist the cookies are). Be careful not to burn them. For a chocolate dipped Biscotti, melt semi-sweet chocolate and shortening over a double boiler, and dip the cooled cookies on one side into the chocolate. Place on wax paper and allow chocolate to set.

AUNT DUNETTE'S ITALIAN ANISE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Beat eggs, sugar, and oil. Mix in flour, baking powder, vanilla, and anise. Spread in greased metal ice cube trays or loaf pans. If using loaf pans, only fill 1/3 full. This recipe makes about 3 trays or pans worth.
• Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and cut in slices crosswise. Place slices on baking sheet and brown under broiler, then flip slices and brown on other side. Watch the cookies carefully, it is easy to burn them in this step. Normally the best idea is to broil with oven door open a crack and watch as they go.

ITALIAN EASTER COOKIES (BISCOTTI)

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Cream together shortening and white sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing well after each. Add 2 teaspoons anise extract and vanilla extract. Slowly add milk and mix until all ingredients are blended. Slowly add flour mixture, and mix until thick but creamy. Place dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Coat a work surface and hands with flour. Take a quarter-sized piece of dough and roll into a long narrow sausage shape. Form into desired shapes, such as "s" shapes, twists, candy canes, letters, etc. Cookies will puff up when baked, so be sure each cookie is only about the width of a pinky finger. Place cookies on a baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden in color and golden brown on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place confectioners' sugar in a bowl and add 2 teaspoons anise extract. Mix in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until icing is smooth and creamy and not too drippy. Coat cooled cookies with icing and top with sprinkles.

ITALIAN NUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together sugar,butter,anise seeds,anisette, and whiskey;(I use mixer) Beat in eggs.
• In another bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.
• Gradually add to sugar mixture, blending thoroughly,Mix in almonds.
• Cover tightly with Plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• Directly on greased baking sheets,shape dough with hands to form flat loaves about 1/2 inch thick,2 inches wide, as long as baking sheets.
• Place loaves parallel and 4 inches apart,(this make 6 loaves).
• Bake in a 375 degrees oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove loaves from oven and let cool on baking sheets until you can touch them.
• Cut diagonally into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices;Place slices close together (on same baking sheet, cut sides down} on baking sheets.
• Bake 375 degree oven for 15 more minutes or until lightly toasted.
• Transfer to racks to cool;Store air tight container.

CLASSIC ITALIAN ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, or until light golden and aromatic. Remove and set aside.
• In a large bowl, hand mix toasted almonds, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder and flour.
• In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Add the vanilla and orange zest and whisk until well-blended. Add to the flour mixture.
• Work the batter together with lightly floured hands. The mixture will be sticky, but persevere. Keep squeezing the batter with your hands until a dough starts to form. Once the dough is firm, form it into a ball. Divide the ball into four equal pieces.
• Place one piece of dough on a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, roll it into a log that is approximately 8 inches long, 2 inches wide and 3/4 of an inch high. Repeat with remaining three pieces of dough. Place two logs on each baking sheet. Brush loaves all over with egg wash.
• Bake for 40 minutes, rotating pans midway through. The tops of the loaves will be shiny and deep golden. Cool on a rack for about 20 minutes.
• Place a loaf on a cutting board, and using a large serrated knife, slice cookies 3/4 of an inch thick on the diagonal. If the cookie crumbles, let it cool for a few more minutes. Don't let it rest too long, however, or it could become too hard to slice.
• Place slices on their sides back on the baking sheets. Place in the still-warm oven with the temperature off and the door closed for 30 to 60 minutes. The longer they stay in the oven, the harder they will become. Remove from oven and cool completely before storing in an air-tight container, preferably a metal tin, which helps keep them crisp. Stored properly, biscotti will last up to a month.

LAURAS ITALIAN GOURMET BISCOTTI'S

Steps:

• 1. Mix sugar and eggs together until creamy and light.Add Crisco (any shortening is fine I prefer crisco)
• 2. Add, extracts of choice, baking powder and salt. Mix until well blended.
• 3. Now add your nuts, dried fruits or candies, blend in well. Now add the flour and mix well.
• 4. Separate into 2 balls. roll into 2,14 inch logs and push flat about 1 inch thick. Bake 350* for 30 minutes, grease pans.(I use parchment paper.)
• 5. after 30 minutes take out of oven, slice logs into 15 pieces each, let cool for 10 minutes, return to oven and bake another 10 minutes. cool on wire racks. package air tight.
• 6. I find extracts online. here are some of the flavors I make: almond joys (coconut extract, choc chips and almonds. Lime N coconut (one of my favs) 1 1/2 teas. coconut, 1/2 teas lime. zest from one lime, almonds,and lay a layer of coconut on top before you bake.. almond roca, orange cran berry choc. the flavors are endless. and if you need help or ideas check in and I will be glad to help, these are the best.. please enjoy, my just a pinch family. xoxoxo laura
• 7. ps. be careful when adding dried fruits, no more than half cup, cranberry orange is so so good and add some white chocolate. or apricot and crystalized ginger, mochas you name it you can make it. xoxoxo happy baking. try almond roca too . endless. I am here if you need me.xoxox

AUNT MARY'S ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
• Add vanilla.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and ad slowly to creamed mixture.
• Stir in lemon and orange peels, anise seeds and nuts and blend well.
• divide dough into 3 parts and shape each into long roll about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Place rolls on cookie sheet several inches apart and flatten rolls somewhat.
• Bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
• Remove and slice rolls crosswise 3/4 inches.
• Lay cut side down and bake additional 7 minutes.
• Flip to other side of cookie and bake another 7 minutes.
• Makes approx 4 dozen biscotti. ENJOY!
• Freezes well.
• Note: If you want sweeter, increase sugar to 1 full cup.

CIOCCOLATO PARADISO (ITALIAN CHOCOLATE PARADISE BISCOTTI)

Steps:

• Place nuts in a shallow pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown (do not overcook). Let cool.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg yolks, vanilla and orange zest.
• In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, mixing just until crumbly.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff soft peaks form and beat in remaining sugar, beating until stiff but not dry.
• Fold meringue into the crumbly dough, mixing until it clings together.
• Cut nuts into halves or thirds and fold in along with chocolate.
• Divide dough in half. Form into two logs on a greased and floured baking sheet making them about 1/2 inch thick, 1 1/2 inches wide and 16 inches long, sppacing them at least 2 inches apart.
• Bake in the middle of a preheated 325 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until set and golden brown.
• Transfer from the baking sheet to a rack. Let cool 5 minutes. Place on a cutting board. With a serrated knife, slice diagonally at a 45 degree angle about 1/2 inch thick.
• Place the slices upright on a baking sheet and return to the oven at 300 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes to dry slightly. Let cool on a rack. Store in a tightly covered container. Makes about 4 dozen biscotti.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI COOKIES

Steps:

• In mixer blend butter and sugar, add eggs, one at a time and mix together. Add whiskey, vanilla, anise flavor and mix.
• Sift flour, salt and baking powder and gradually add to above mixture. Blend well.
• By hand, mix in nuts and anise seed -- MIx well.
• On a greased cookie sheet, using two spatulas, make rows of dough about 1 1/2 inches wide, more or less. Use spatualr to make somewhat of a roll.
• Bake 350 degrees, about 20 minutes, until light brown. Take out and cool a bit (put next batch i9n oven.
• Slice first batch in diagonal slices, arrange cookies on each side, put back in oven and bake each side for 10-15 min ( until brown).

THE REAL ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In mixer beat eggs and anise flavoring together for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar.
• Mix in the Crisco until it turns into small pieces.
• Add the egg mixture and combine (dough will be thick and sticky).
• Lightly grease cookie sheet.
• Roll dough into logs approximately the length of your cookie sheet, 1 1/2 inches thick and 1 inch high.
• Place logs on the greased cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and slice diagonally.
• Lay cut side down in tray and bake about 10 more minutes.
• I have put almonds or walnuts (coarsely chopped) in batter and they do taste good., but I have found that if I put the nuts in dry mixture and then add the egg mixture it is so much easier.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large mixer bowl combine the eggs, egg whites, vanilla, and anise; mix until well-combined.
• Add the sugar, flour, soda, and salt; beat until a dough forms.
• Add the nuts.
• Turn the sticky dough onto a lightly floured board; knead several times.
• Divide the dough in half.
• With floured hands, form the dough into two flattish logs, about 15" long by 2" wide.
• Place the logs about 3" apart on a baking sheet that has been sprayed lighted with cooking spray.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Remove and cool for 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 275 degrees.
• On a cutting board, cut the logs diagonally into 3/4" thick slices.
• Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes; turn and bake another 10-12 minutes.
• Turn heat off and leave biscotti to crisp in the oven for another 15 minutes.
• Remove and cool completely.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI AL LA SYD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl mix the first 7 ingredients until well blended.
• Stir in the flour one cup at a time.
• When smooth, mix in cranberries & pistachios.
• Pat the dough into a smooth round dome in the mixing bowl, then cut it into quarter sections. Slowly shape each section, patting & rolling it carefully, first into a log, & then into a seamless loaf about 13" long & 4" wide. Place two of the loaves on a 15"x10" baking sheet.
• Bake loaves for 45 minutes, checking them every 15 minutes to see if the dough is spreading out & becoming too flat. If it is, reshape the loaf with a spatula.
• Remove loaves from the oven & allow them to cool. When cool, cut each loaf into 1" slices & then cut those slices in half. Place the slices back on the baking sheet, STANDING UP & SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER, then bake them for another 10 minutes or so.
• Remove cookies from the oven & cool them completely before storing them in an air tight container.

BASIC ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Sift flour and measure. Resift with sugar and baking powder onto a flat surface. Cut shortening into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Make a well in flour and break eggs into it. Add vanilla, and knead dough well for about 5 minutes until it is smooth, adding a little more flour if dough seems to soft and sticky.
• Pinch off bits of dough about the size of an apricot, and form into desired shapes. Cookies may be baked as rings, strips, or in letters, such as S.
• Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet and bake in hot 450 degree F (230 degrees C) oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Watch carefully, because they burn easily.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Cream butter, sugar and 1 tablespoon anise seed.
• Add eggs and vanilla.
• Combine flour, baking powder and 1 tablespoon Anise seed.
• Add to cream mixture.
• Add nuts, mix in, and form dough into 2 or 3 long thin rolls.
• Place rolls on a ungreased baking pan or cookie sheet and bake cookie rolls at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes , or till light brown.
• Remove from oven and cut diagonally into 1/2-3/4 inch slices.
• Put back in oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or till Biscotti is lightly toasted.
• You want the biscoti to dry slightly.
• It will look somewhat like a elongated piece of french bread, except smaller.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Mix together flour, baking powder, butter, and sugar; form a well in the center. Add eggs and lemon zest; knead until dough is smooth. Form dough into 2 inch balls. Roll each ball on a floured surface into a 7 inch rope. Twist ropes into knots; place on lightly greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Combine lemon juice and powdered sugar; drizzle over cookies. Add sprinkles, if desired.