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.
Get delicious GLUTEN-FREE recipes each week!
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:
To store the gluten-free biscotti, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Yes, of course! To freeze the biscotti, place the baked and cooled biscotti in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before eating. You can also toast the biscotti for 10 minutes at 300F in the oven to get them to crisp up slightly.
If you prefer to freeze the dough directly, follow the ingredients all the way till before baking, and then store the dough in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough completely overnight in the refrigerator before shaping into a log and then baking, slicing into pieces, and then baking again (as written in the instructions).
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!
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Almond Biscotti Recipe (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 biscotti 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
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 dairy-free too, but honestly, no one would even know!
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almond flour or almond meal
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
Instructions
- Preheat and Line: Preheat oven to 350F (180C) and line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and light brown sugar until combined.
- Prepare Dough: Add the beaten eggs and mix well until you get a homogeneous and sticky dough.
- Add Chopped Almonds: Stir in the chopped almonds until they are evenly distributed.
- Shape Dough into Rectangle Log: Transfer the dough to the silpat-lined/parchment-lined baking sheet and shape it into a rectangle log approximately 5-inches wide. Smooth the top of the dough with a wet spatula.
- 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).
- Second Bake: Once the log is cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to cut it into 1-inch thick slices. Place the pieces on one side on the silpat-lined/parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the biscotti and bake for another 10 minutes on the other side until firm and golden brown.
- Let Cool: Let the gluten-free biscotti cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
Almond Flour: I used blanched almond flour in this 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 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 GF 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 in this biscotti recipe so I used chopped almonds, but feel free to replace them with other chopped nuts.
Storing the Biscotti: To store the biscotti, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freezing the Biscotti: To freeze the biscotti, place the baked and cooled biscotti in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before eating. You can also toast the biscotti for 10 minutes at 300F in the oven to get them to crisp up slightly.
Adapted from: London Bakes
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: gluten-free almond biscotti
This is similar to an old Cooking Light recipe I have used for years to make almond biscotti. Going to try this since I am trying to cut back on flour. I suggest toasting slivered almonds and then chopping them before adding to the dough. Thanks!
Hi Carole! Thanks for the suggestion on toasted slivered almonds – sounds delish. Hope you enjoy these biscotti!
Kobe the taste and easy to make.
So happy to hear that Diane! Thanks for letting me know! Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
So easy and so tasty! I added slightly less sugar than the recipe recommends and since I didn’t have almonds on hand, I swapped them with a trailmix I had (dried cranberries, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds). I also added a teaspoon of vanilla extract and zest from one lemon.
★★★★★
Hi Alejs!
The addition of trail mix, vanilla and lemon zest sounds absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing your modifications and for the lovely note! Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon, and happy 2022!
I tried the original recipe first and was very happy with it. Then I made the recipe with ATK Gluten-Free Flour Blend and added the recommended xanthium gum. I also nixed the eggs due to my daughter’s allergies. The Bob’s Red Mill Egg Substitute was prepared per the directions, but it didn’t provide enough moisture for the dough to form and was difficult to mix in, so I added two extra tablespoons of tap water. I also used a pastry/dough blender instead of a spoon as the spoon wasn’t combining the ingredients well enough (and I didn’t want to overwork the dough). The first bake was per directions and turned out fine. I let it fully cool to room temperature before slicing. Second bake was also per the recipe, and they browned beautifully, but the center was still too soft, making the overall texture inconsistent. After my oven cooled completely, I set it to warm (170 degrees F) and put the biscotti back in for 3 hours. In the end, the center was perfectly crunchy and they did not get overly brown. I’m looking forward to trying some variations.
★★★★★
Hi Kathy! So happy to hear that you enjoyed these biscotti! You can also add in chocolate chips, pistachio nuts, even raisins if you prefer!
Hi Felicia, I just made a batch but they fell apart on me. I don’t think the dough was bound enough. Any suggestions?
Hi Gia, sorry to hear that your dough fell apart.
What gluten-free all-purpose flour did you use? Does it have xanthan gum in it? If not, you can try adding 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to ensure that the ingredients hold better together. Also, if the dough is too dry (hence causing it to fall apart), you can add water (1 tablespoon at a time until it holds together like the photos show) to it to give it more moisture and help it to hold together. Make sure to press the dough together well with wet hands or a wet spatula to make it as compact as possible.
Hope this helps!
Felicia
Yes Felicia,
These almond biscotti are very crunchy and tasty and I could easily finished one batch of these biscotti at one go. Now I have learned to enjoy them slowly and my one batch affords me a longer period of enjoyment !
Next time when you are back to SG, we can enjoy this treat together 🙂
Blessings!
Mum
★★★★★
Hi mummy, yes let’s enjoy this biscotti together the next time I’m home.
Miss you all!!
Felicia,
These are Most Excellent! I never liked the store bought. They are so hard. Only tried them once.
It’s been a year on Saturday since our Pastor passed away. They are having a breakfast after Mass. His favorite breakfast was Biscotti so I thought I’d try to make it. I bought several boxes from the store in case they didn’t come out right. Wow! These are Perfect. The only thing I did differently is I used slivered Almonds instead of coarse almonds! 5 Stars indeed!! Thank you sooo much!!
Hi Judy!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed these biscotti! So sorry to hear that your Pastor passed on, he seems like a very nice person and I’m glad you are your church friends will be commemorating him this Saturday, with his favorite breakfast biscotti! Take care, and hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
Felicia
So easy and so delicious!
I had some walnuts on hand so added those instead of chopped almonds.
I’ll definitely be making this again.
★★★★★
Hi Grace!
Walnuts in the biscotti sounds delicious! So happy you enjoyed this recipe and thank you for sharing how it went! Hope to see you on the blog again sometime soon!
Cheers,
Felicia
Hi Felicia,
I fully agree with you that these almond biscotti are truly amazing! 🙂
Another good snack to have for my teabreak! I simply love eating them with my coffee and slowly chewing them to enjoy every bite of it.
Great stuff Felicia – I love you !!!
Thank you a nd God Bless,
Mum
★★★★★
Thanks mummy! Remember we used to eat biscotti a long time ago nearing the Christmas season? Biscotti and butter cookies…yum!
Recién los hice con harina de nuez que compré en el Barrio Chino. Les puse chispas de chocolate y trozos de nuez. Solo quiero decirte que son excelentes y si encima tenemos en cuenta que son libres de gluten, son un milagro jajaja
Muchas gracias por la receta <3
Virginia!! Que alegria saber que te salieron ricos! Gracias por contar como te fue!! Que los disfrutes mucho!!! Un beso!
These biscotti look absolutely amazing, Felicia! My nana (very italian) loves biscotti but now has Celiac Disease and I bet she would LOVE these grain free almond biscotti! 😀 I’m going to send her the recipe ASAP!
Jess!! I hope your Nana will like this recipe and that the biscotti passes her Italian taste test!! Tell me how it goes if she gets about to making it!! Sending love! <3