Crunchy Gluten-Free Almond Biscotti (Dairy-Free)

Crunchy gluten-free almond biscotti that’s studded with chopped almonds, baked till golden brown, and perfect for snacking on with a steeping mug of tea or a big cup of coffee. Make a batch or two of this almond biscotti recipe for homemade gifts or just for enjoying during the Christmas and holiday season! These Italian twice-baked cookies are also dairy-free, but honestly, no one would even know!

Jump to:

• One of My Favorite Christmas Cookies
• What is Biscotti?
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients You’ll Need:
• Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
• How to Make Gluten-Free Biscotti (Step by Step)
• Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks
• Recipe FAQs:
• Other Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
• Holiday Recipes to Indulge In:
• Almond Biscotti Recipe (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

One of My Favorite Christmas Cookies

Christmas is never complete without cookies, and among my favorite cookies are almond biscotti.

As a kid, I was more excited about tearing into a box of biscotti during the holiday season than I was of opening the presents under the tree. Not even the twinkly Christmas lights could detract from my mission – eating as many biscotti as fast as I could.

Studded with chopped almonds or other nuts or even raisins, these crunchy cookies are simply heavenly.

However, traditional biscotti may not always be gluten-free, so I wanted to create a gluten-free version that Juan, who is Celiac, can also enjoy.

What is Biscotti?

Originating from the Italian city of Prato, Tuscany, biscotti (plural for biscotto), also known as cantucci, are basically dry and crunchy almond biscuits. Biscotti dough is usually made with flour, eggs, sugar, and almonds, and do not include neither yeast nor fat (oil or butter).

The word “biscotti” in Italian literally means twice-cooked, and that’s basically the essence of the recipe.

The dough is first molded into an oblong-shaped log that is baked, allowed to cool, and then sliced breadth-wise. The cut pieces are then laid on their sides and baked on both sides until cooked through and crunchy.

Why This Recipe Works

• Simple Ingredients: All you need to make these Italian cookies are a handle of ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen (nothing fancy required!).

• Easy to Make: The process for baking this gluten-free biscotti recipe is simple – mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients to form the dough. Once shaped, bake the dough and then slice it before baking once more. That’s it!

• Super Crunchy: If you enjoy a crunchy cookie, these gluten-free almond biscotti are just for you, and you’ll want to munch on them all holiday season long.

• Delicious Almond Flavor: Made with almond flour and filled with almonds, these cookies are full of natural almond flavor (no almond extract needed!). If you’re a big fan of almonds like I am, then you’re in for a treat!

• Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free: Best of all, these delicious biscotti are totally gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or have gluten and lactose intolerances can still indulge and enjoy them without worries!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making these delicious gluten-free almond biscotti.

(For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:

• Almond Flour: I used blanched almond flour in this gluten free biscotti recipe, but you can also use homemade almond meal for this. Just bear in mind that almond meal will make the biscotti slighter browner in color as compared to blanched almond flour. If you are allergic to almonds, you may swap out the almond flour for equal amounts of brown rice flour.

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I like using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch) which results in a lighter texture. I do NOT recommend using a blend made of heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour as that will result in a denser texture. To make this recipe completely grain-free, you can substitute the gluten-free all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup almond flour and 1/2 cup tapioca starch.

• Baking Powder: This gluten-free biscotti uses baking powder as its leavening agent to help the dough rise, so make sure you add it in! If you are Celiac or gluten intolerant, make sure to use gluten-free baking powder.

• Sugar: I used light brown sugar in this almond biscotti recipe, but feel free to use normal white sugar or dark brown sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I strong recommend that you use Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index, and will not raise your blood sugar).

• Eggs: Eggs are required as a binder in the recipe, but I believe you should be able to use an egg-replacer or aquafaba to replace the eggs if you cannot eat eggs.

• Chopped Almonds: I wanted to really bring out the taste of almonds so I used chopped almonds for this biscotti recipe, but feel free to replace them with other chopped nuts.

How to Make Gluten-Free Biscotti (Step by Step)

1. Preheat and Line

Preheat oven to 350F (180C) and line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

2. Chop Almonds

Roughly chop the almonds in pieces.

3. Whisk Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the almond flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and light brown sugar until combined.

4. Prepare Dough

Add the beaten eggs to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and mix well until you get a homogeneous and sticky dough.

5. Add Chopped Almonds

Stir in the chopped almonds until they are evenly distributed.

6. Shape Dough into Rectangle Log

Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and shape it into a rectangle-shaped flat log approximately 5-inches wide. Smooth the top of the dough with wet hands or a wet spatula.

7. First Bake

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the dough feels firm to the touch, then remove it from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 280F (140C).

8. Cut into Slices

Once the log is cool enough to handle, place it on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut it into 1-inch thick slices.

9. Second Bake

Place the gluten-free biscotti cut side down on the silpat-lined/parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the almond biscotti and bake it for a second time for another 10 minutes on the other side until firm and golden brown.

10. Let Cool

Let the almond biscotti cool completely before serving or storing.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks

• Use a Silpat/Parchment Paper: Make sure you use a silpat or parchment paper to line the baking sheet to ensure that the dough doesn’t stick to the baking sheet during the first bake. I personally prefer using a silpat because it’s reusable and the dough never sticks. However, if you only have parchment paper, go ahead and use that.

• Let Dough Cool before Slicing: After the first bake, be patient and allow the log to cool for at least 10 minutes before you slice it into pieces. If the log has not sufficiently cooled down yet, it may break easily when you cut it, so be patient!

• Cut into Thinner or Thicker Slices: I like slicing the dough into 1-inch thick slices, but feel free to cut it into thinner pieces so you get more biscotti, or into thicker pieces if you like your biscotti a little thicker.

• Optional Add-Ins: If you prefer, feel free to add raisins, orange zest, or even dark chocolate or white chocolate chips to mix things up!

Recipe FAQs:

Other Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:

• Soft Pumpkin Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Coconut Macaroons (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Buckwheat Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Almond Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• 8 Amazing Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes

Holiday Recipes to Indulge In:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!