This delicious gluten-free almond biscotti is an absolute must try! Crispy with hints of nutty flavoring that pairs perfectly when dipped in chocolate sauce or with your favorite cup of coffee.
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As a little girl my grandmother always had biscotti cookies on hand. They were such a treat and I always enjoyed them. Traditional biscotti originated in Italy. It is known as the “twice baked cookie”. Today, I am going to share with you just how easy it is to make biscotti using almond flour.
This almond biscotti recipe is naturally gluten free just like this healthy single serve cookie. It is low carb and keto friendly. There are no fancy ingredients just pantry staples used. You might think something you need to bake twice would be complicated but this is a straightforward recipe. The biscotti comes out nice and crisp just like the ones my grandmother used to serve.
The almond flour is super fine lending to a very light and crisp cookie. By using a keto friendly sweetener, this gluten free biscotti stays low carb. Infused in the dough are hints of vanilla and lemon zest along with whole almonds to give it a boost of nutty flavor. When dipped in your favorite chocolate sauce, this almond biscotti is truly amazing. You will never go back to store bought.
If you enjoy decadent desserts that are simple to make, you might want to try these mini tiramisu cups or this coconut panna cotta. You guests will sure be impressed.
Ingredients
- Almond flour: Blanched or superfine almond flour. This will give the biscotti the lighter yellow coloring.
- Erythritol: The sweetener that is used. You can replace it with allulose, just use the same quantity. The biscotti will also be a little bit less sweet.
- Salt: To balance out the sweetness.
- Baking powder: Helps the almond biscotti rise.
- Egg: A small egg that is equivalent to 2 tablespoon of a beaten egg.
- Butter: Melted to add rich flavor and also prevents the biscotti from being too dry.
- Vanilla extract: A hint of vanilla blends perfectly with the almonds and really enhances all the flavors.
- Lemon zest: Gives the biscotti a subtle hint of lemon flavor.
- Whole almonds: Use raw, unsalted almonds that have been blanched before adding into the dough.
- Chocolate dipping sauce: Use your favorite chocolate sauce for serving.
Scroll down to the recipe card for quantities used.
Instructions
Let’s gather up our ingredients and mixing bowls to make this straightforward gluten-free biscotti. Then, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, beat the egg and mix in the vanilla extract and melted cooled butter.
Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until a dough forms. It might seem difficult to mix at first, but it will come together.
Fold in the blanched whole almonds and lemon zest.
The almonds should be evenly distributed into the dough.
Shape the dough into a thick log and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
Place the cooked log on a cutting board. Slice the log on the diagonal, pressing a sharp knife straight down into the dough.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and arrange the biscotti slices on the baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the biscotti and bake for an additional 10 minutes. If the biscotti are not fully crisp, turn off the oven and let them cool inside to achieve the desired texture.
Hint: bake the biscotti logs until just firm before slicing, then let them cool slightly. This ensures they hold their shape when sliced for the second bake, which gives biscotti their signature crisp texture.
Variations
Here are a few different ways to customize this gluten free biscotti recipe.
- Use a different extract. In place of vanilla extract, you can use either almond or rum extracts. The almond extract will give an additional boost of almond flavoring while the rum gives off a warm and buttery flavoring.
- Change the zest. Use orange or lime zest in place of lemon to change up the flavor profile.
- Use sliced almonds. Short on time? These sliced almonds don’ t need to be blanched beforehand yet still provide a wonderful crunch.
- Substitute almond flour. If you are not concerned with keeping these almond biscotti low carb or needing to be nut free, then you can swap out the almond flour for gluten free 1 for 1 flour. If you’re not concerned about keeping gluten free, you can use all-purpose flour.
- Favorite add-ins. Boost this almond biscotti with some of your favorite add ins such as chocolate or white chocolate chips, raisins, pistachios, cranberries, or any small, dried fruit.
I also think my air fryer strawberries would be a great add-in.
Tips
Top tip: Wet your hands with cold water when working with the dough. This cuts down on the stickiness of the dough and helps make molding the dough easier.
- Use parchment paper. This prevents the log of dough from sticking to the baking sheet making it easier to remove when letting cool.
- Let dough cool before slicing. After the first baking, make sure to let the log cool down for a minimum of 15 minutes. If it is still too warm, you run the risk of it breaking easily when you go to cut it into slices.
- Use a sharp knife when slicing. Press the knife straight down into the dough.
- Cut slices to your preference. You can cut thinner or thicker slices depending on what you enjoy. As a rule of thumb, 1 inch thick seems to be perfect.
- After the second baking, turn off the oven for a crisp biscotti. Let the slices just sit in the oven until they reach the desired crispness. They will still be baking.
- Let cool before serving. Transfer the almond biscotti slices onto a wire rack before serving.
Serving suggestions
Along with dipping the almond flour biscotti in chocolate, they pair so well with a cup of coffee or a warm matcha. You can even enjoy them with a delicious vanilla frappuccino.
This almond biscotti recipe can easily be topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The contrast in flavors and texture is quite wonderful. You can also spread some cream cheese frosting over top of it for a truly decadent dessert treat.
With the holidays coming around, cookie trays are quite popular. These gluten free almond biscotti would go great alongside these lemon ricotta cookies or these warm apple pie cookies. They will be a hit at your next gathering.
Storage
Almond biscotti is so easy to store. Place any leftovers in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 1 week. This will ensure they hold to their crispness. If you refrigerate them, moisture can get in and make them less crispy.
To freeze, place them in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
FAQs
The key is to let the biscotti cool first before cutting into it. You also want to use a sharp knife to make a clean cut to avoid crumbling.
Yes! The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. You will need to freeze in a freezer safe bag or container. When ready to use, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Yes, as written this recipe is keto and low carb friendly.
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Recipe
Gluten-Free Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
- ¾ cups almond flour
- ⅓ cup granular sweetener *see notes
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 small egg or about 2 tablespoons beaten egg
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup whole almonds blanched
- ½ cup chocolate dipping sauce optional (for serving)
Instructions
- Whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and mix in the vanilla extract and melted cooled butter.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until a dough forms. It might seem difficult to mix at first, but it will come together.
- Fold in the blanched whole almonds and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape the dough into a thick log and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
- Place the cooked log on a cutting board. Slice the log on the diagonal, pressing a sharp knife straight down into the dough.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and arrange the biscotti slices on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Flip the biscotti and bake for an additional 10 minutes. If the biscotti are not fully crisp, turn off the oven and let them cool inside to achieve the desired texture.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and serve with chocolate dipping sauce or dip bottoms into sugar-free chocolate.
Peggy
What if I just want to use sugar? How much would I use?
Lisa MarcAurele
I'd say try about 6 tablespoons.
Chris
One question. Is it 1/3 cup (5-1/3 tablespoons) granular sweetener or 1/3 tablespoon? I ask because in the notes you mention that the sugar or one-to-one sugar replacement equivalent is 6 to 8 tablespoons.
Lisa MarcAurele
Thanks for catching that! It should be 1/3 cup and NOT tablespoons.