Crispy Biscotti, studded with large chunks of toasted walnuts, sweet figs, and creamy white chocolate. Cardamom and cinnamon complete these crunchy Italian cookies.
It's a cozy, rainy day here in Montana, the kind of day you want to spend in the kitchen baking.
And since I've been contemplating the creation of this Best Biscotti Recipe for quite some time, I decided that today is the perfect day to make it happen.
The Origin of Biscotti
Biscotti are "twice-baked" Italian cookies, also known as "Cantucci." They originated in the city of Prato, Italy.
Traditional biscotti are quite different from this biscotti and most popular American biscotti recipes.
For one thing, the traditional recipes did not include yeast or baking powder. It also did not contain fat of any kind.
Instead, the main ingredients were flour, sugar, eggs, and almonds or pinenuts. This resulted in a dough that was dryer, unlike this dough, which is the opposite.
Are Biscotti Supposed to be Hard?
Yes, Biscotti
Although in America we dunk biscotti in coffee or tea, in Italy, they are also dunked into wine. I think Italians have the right idea!
The biscotti might feel soft when you first take them out of the oven, making you think they're not ready.
Not to worry, they will harden as they cool down. In fact, the reason these Italian cookies are twice-baked is so that the end result is a hard, crisp, and perfectly delicious cookie!
How Long Do Biscotti Keep?
Biscotti last Forever. Ok, that's a slight exaggeration, but seriously, I've never had biscotti go stale.
This is especially true if they are stored in a tin container. Storing the biscotti this way keeps them crisp. Just be sure they are completely cool prior to storing.
Best Biscotti Recipe (with Figs and Walnuts)
To come up with this Best Biscotti Recipe, I decided to include some of my favorite ingredients. Not only ingredients that I love, but ingredients that complement one another. Here's what made the top of my list:
- figs
- walnuts
- cardamom
- chocolate
Figs
Figs are my favorite fruit, but if I used fresh figs, they would retain too much moisture. This would prevent the biscotti from getting crispy enough. Luckily, dehydrated figs are the perfect solution and are available year-round.
Walnuts
Walnuts are one of my favorite nuts to use in baked goods. As a matter of fact, I can resist most baked goods as long as they don't contain nuts. Walnuts are also very nutritious and high in antioxidants and healthy omega-3 fats. If you prefer, you can use pistachios, almonds, or your favorite nut.
Cardamom
I consider cardamom to be the best spice on earth. I love sprinkling it in my coffee, adding some to Turkish coffee, and using it in most of my dessert recipes.
This includes Baklava, Fig Bread, and Cardamom Shortbread Cookies. So it only made sense to include cardamom in this recipe as well.
Chocolate
Chocolate, who doesn't love it? I couldn't resist adding white chocolate chips in this recipe. With the combination of figs, walnuts, cardamom, and chocolate, do you blame me for calling this recipe "Best Biscotti Recipe?"
Best Biscotti Recipe Directions
- Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and spices.
- Beat the eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla until blended. Add the sugar and mix until completely incorporated.
- Mix in the flour mixture, then fold in figs, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
- Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. With wet hands, shape the dough into a 12" log and 2½ to 3" wide.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for another 30 minutes.
- Transfer the log onto a cutting board. Using a bread knife, slice the log crosswise into 12 equal slices.
- Evenly space the biscotti on a
baking sheet and bake for another 20 minutes.
You may also enjoy the following recipes: Peach Bread Pudding, Fig Scones, Homemade Fig Newtons, and Favorite Fig Cake.
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Best Biscotti Recipe (fig-walnut)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cardamom
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- 1 T. coconut oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup dried figs
- ⅓ cup white chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
- Mix flour, salt, baking powder, cardamom, and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until blended. Add the sugar and mix until completely incorporated.
- Mix in the flour mixture, then fold in the dried figs, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
- Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. With wet hands, shape the dough into a log 12" long and 2½ to 3" wide.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes. While the log is cooling, reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Gently transfer the log onto a cutting board. Using a bread knife, slice the log crosswise into 12 equal portions.
- Evenly space the biscotti on baking sheet and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Cool completely before eating. The biscotti will harden as they cool.
Kelly Methey says
I love Biscotti! This recipe looks fantastic! Can’t wait to try it! Keep these amazing recipes coming!
HildaSterner says
It is, if I wasn't leaving tomorrow, I'd let you try some!