Crisp and chewy cookies scented with orange and almond, perfect for dunking in a cup of coffee or all by themselves.

Orange Almond Biscotti

My little eight month-old is suddenly a little fireball of energy and personality and I am loving it. He’s “talking”, eats meals alongside me at the table, plays well with his toys alone, and has started to scoot around. Not to mention he does all of this with a huge smile.

He is also napping better, finally. It is a dream come true for me, especially considering for the first few months of his life he would only nap in my arms. During his morning nap yesterday I was able to bake these biscotti cookies from start to finish. If possible, it made me enjoy them even more.

Orange Almond Biscotti

The cornmeal helps give the biscotti a more chewy texture and the orange zest, almond extract, and sliced almonds give it a really nice flavor. I’m sure they would be excellent with a cup of coffee, but I couldn’t wait to dig in. I may have devoured more than is advisable during John’s afternoon nap.

Orange Almond Biscotti
Orange Almond Biscotti

baking tip:Crunchy or chewy biscotti

Really, it’s up to you! The goal of baking the cookies a second time after slicing them is to dry out the dough and make them crisp. If you’re hoping to dunk your biscotti into coffee, you may want them to be a bit more on the crunchy side. Simply bake them for an extra few minutes. However, if you want a cookie that’s chewy and only a little crisp, bake them for the amount of time indicated in the recipe.

Orange Almond Biscotti

5 from 1 review

Orange Almond Biscotti

Servings: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cool Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Crisp and chewy cookies scented with orange and almond, perfect for dunking in a cup of coffee or all by themselves.

Ingredients
 

  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (250 grams)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup yellow cornmeal (140 grams)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature (113 grams)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup almonds , sliced (90 grams)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornmeal. In another bowl, use a fork or your fingers to rub the orange zest into the sugar.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the orange sugar and butter until light and creamy. Add the eggs and mix until combined, then increase the speed to medium high and beat for 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and almond extracts.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the sliced almonds and mix in gently.
  • Divide the dough in two and shape into two logs about 1 ½ inch high onto the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes until just turning golden brown. Let cool 30 minutes.
  • Transfer the logs to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut the logs into cookies ¾ inch wide. Return to the sheet pan and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown. Let cool completely.
  • Store biscotti in an air tight container at room temperature for several days.

Notes

Note: The instructions tell you to form two logs out of the dough though you may notice that in my pictures I only have one. Two smaller logs are best to insure that the cookies bake evenly during each baking. Mine were a little doughy, I'll do two next time.
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours.
Calories: 139kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 31mg, Potassium: 81mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 138IU, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.