This easy almond biscotti recipe is a crunchy Italian cookie dipped in white chocolate, dried cranberries, and pistachios.

white chocolate dipped almond biscotti with cranberries and pistachios on a black sheet pan


 

I love everything about the holidays and munching on these chocolate dipped cranberry almond biscotti while sipping our coffee and opening presents makes for the perfect Christmas morning.

They aren’t just for the holidays. I make homemade biscotti all year long! I love this version with white chocolate, cranberries, and pistachios, but it’s also delicious with milk chocolate or dark chocolate and any combination of nuts or dried fruit you like.

If you love something just a little sweet with your morning coffee you have to make a batch and give it a try!

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Almond Biscotti ingredients

What’s in Almond Biscotti

  • Dry Ingredients – Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt
  • Eggs – You’ll need 2 large eggs.
  • Butter – You’ll use unsalted butter for this recipe.
  • Flavoring – Almond extract can be a little overpowering so we use a combination of almond extract and vanilla extract to soften the flavor.
  • Slivered almonds – lightly toasted almonds blend perfectly with these flavors. You can also try hazelnuts, walnuts, or any other nuts you like.
  • White Chocolate – You can sub milk or dark chocolate.
  • Dried cranberries – These really give the biscotti the holiday flavor.
  • Pistachios – Not only does this add to the flavor but the green pistachio mixed with the red cranberry just screams Christmas.

How to Make Almond Biscotti

Step 1 – Prepare oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.

toasted almond biscotti

Step 2 – Toast almonds. In a small skillet over medium heat toast your slivered almonds for approximately 3 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t burn!

Step 3 – Dry Ingredients. In a bowl combine the dry ingredients; all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix together well and set aside.

Almond Biscotti Recipe creamed butter

Step 4 – Cream butter. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of your mixer and mix together using the paddle attachment until it is creamy.

Step 4 – Add eggs, vanilla, and almonds – Add the eggs, almond and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and continue to mix for 30 seconds.

Step 5 – Add dry ingredients. Slowly add the mixed dry ingredients to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until the flour eggs, and butter come together to form a dough.

almond biscotti dough with toasted almonds

Step 6 – Almonds. Add the almonds to the dough and mix in with a spatula or by hand.

raw almond biscotti dough on parchment paper

Step 7 -Form dough. Divide your dough in half and place each piece on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Form each half into a 2-3-inch-wide log that is about 3/4-inch-tall.

Note: We suggest two small baking sheets that can sit side-by-side in the oven so you can make them at the same time.

almond biscotti dough on parchment paper

Step 6 – Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the dough is firm but still has a little bit of give when you press on it.

Note: If your baking sheets can’t fit-side-by-side you’ll need to bake them separately.

how to cut almond biscotti on sheet pan

Step 7 – Cool and cut. Once it is done baking, let the dough cool for 20 minutes. Then, using a serrated knife, cut the log diagonally into 1-inch wide slices.

almond biscotti on a sheet pan

Step 8 – Bake again. Place the slices back on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for another 5 minutes on each side until they are crisp.

Step 9 – Cool. Remove from oven and let cool.

almond biscotti dipped in white chocolate

Step 10 – Melt chocolate. While the biscotti cools chop up the chocolate and melt it in the microwave heating it for 15 seconds at a time until it is smooth.

Step 11 – Dip and top. Once the biscotti has cooled, dip the flat edge (the bottom when it was baking) into the chocolate and then sprinkle with finely chopped cranberries and pistachios.

Step 12 – Let sit. Let the chocolate firm up and then you’re ready to enjoy!

almond biscotti on sheet pan
Why is Biscotti So Hard?

Biscotti gets so hard because you bake it twice. It’s literally in the name. In Italian, “bis” means twice and “cotti” means baked. This removes almost all of the moisture from the biscotti, which helps to prevent mold. It dates back to ancient times when you needed your bread dry to last you on long trips.

How Do You Soften Biscotti?

We add just a little butter to our recipe which helps soften the final product just a bit but it will still have a good crunch.

Biscotti is supposed to be really crunchy because they are made to be served with coffee. Dunk your biscotti into your coffee or hot chocolate just like you would dunk cookies into milk and the biscotti will be the perfect texture for eating.

We love dunking ours in some Bailey’s Irish coffee for a special treat!
white chocolate dipped almond biscotti

Should Biscotti Dough Be Chilled Before Baking?

It is not necessary to chill your dough. However, if your dough is becoming difficult to work with because it is too sticky, you can chill it for 30 minutes before molding and baking.

Can Almond Biscotti Be Frozen?

Yes! Once you have dipped them and the chocolate has fully hardened, store in airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Store in freezer up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to use them, remove biscotti from the freezer and unwrap. Let it thaw on a platter or baking sheet until they reach room temp. This will keep any condensation from getting on the cookies and softening them.

How to Store It

You can store these in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If you are making them ahead of time you can store them in an airtight container in the freezer for 2 months. See freezing instructions above.

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Servings: 22
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cool Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Easy Almond Biscotti

This easy almond biscotti recipe is a crunchy Italian cookie dipped in white chocolate, dried cranberries, and pistachios.
white chocolate dipped almond biscotti with cranberries and pistachios on a black sheet pan
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 5 tablespoons Unsalted butter
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 teaspoons Almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Slivered almonds, lightly toasted
  • 8 ounces White Chocolate
  • 1 cup Dried cranberries, finely chopped
  • 1 cup Pistachios, finely chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a small skillet over medium heat toast your slivered almonds for approximately 3 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t burn.
  • In a bowl combine the dry ingredients; all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix together well and set aside.
  • Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of your mixer and mix together using the paddle attachment until it is creamy.
  • Add the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract and continue mixing for 30 seconds or until the mixture comes together.
  • Slowly add the mixed dry ingredients to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until the flour eggs, and butter come together to form a dough.
  • Stir in the almond slices.
  • Divide the dough in half and place it on a parchment paper -lined baking sheet.
  • Form each half into a 2-3 inch-wide log that is about 3/4-inch-tall.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes until the dough is firm but still has a little bit of give when you press on it.
  • Once it is done baking let the dough cool for 20 minutes. Then using a serrated knife cut the log diagonally into 1-inch wide slices.
  • Place the slices back on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for another 5 minutes on each side until they are crisp.
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely.
  • While the biscotti cools chop up the chocolate and melt it in the microwave heating it for 15 seconds at a time until it is smooth.
  • Once the biscotti has cooled dip the flat edge (the bottom when it was baking) into the chocolate and then sprinkle with cranberries and pistachios.
  • Let the chocolate firm up and then you’re ready to enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1biscotti, Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 59mg, Potassium: 169mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 129IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.
Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: almond biscotti, almond biscotti recipe, chocolate dipped biscotti, cranberry almond biscotti, cranberry biscotti
Handwritten signature for Kat & Melinda

This recipe was originally published on February 5, 2019. It was republished with an updated recipe and photos on December 13, 2022.