The Super-Easy Way to Make Biscotti

The secret to making classic, crunchy Italian cookies is simple: bake twice. Learn to make biscotti yourself with our easy how-to, bringing the taste of the café straight to your kitchen. Don’t forget to brew a hot cup of coffee for dunking!

What you’ll need:

• Ingredients for Hazelnut Biscotti
• Ungreased shallow pan
• Large bowl
• Electric mixer or spoon
• Large ungreased cookie sheet
• Sharp knife
• Cooling rack

How to:

1.  Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the hazelnuts in an ungreased shallow pan and bake uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown. Allow them time to cool. 

2.  In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, almond extract, vanilla and eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with a spoon, until well-blended. Stir in the baked hazelnuts. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently knead for two to three minutes or until it holds together and the hazelnuts are evenly distributed. 

3.  Next, divide the dough in half. On a large ungreased cookie sheet, shape each half into a 10 x 3-inch rectangle, rounding the edges slightly.

4.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the centers of each rectangle are firm to touch. Cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes and then move to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut each rectangle crosswise into ½-inch slices.

5.  Place slices cut-side down back on the cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies are crisp and light brown. Immediately remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and transfer them to a cooling rack. Serve with a hot cup of coffee and buon appetito! 

Expert tips:

• For almond biscotti, simply substitute one cup of slivered almonds for the hazelnuts.
• Biscotti cookies also freeze well! Store in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag to enjoy later. 

You can put almost any flavor twist on biscotti. Now that you’ve mastered the technique, try one of these top-rated recipes next!