Easy Dairy-Free Almond Biscotti is a simple recipe for classic, crispy, twice-baked homemade Italian almond cookies, made with oil instead of butter.
About this recipe...
Easy Dairy-free almond biscotti are classic, crispy Italian cookies packed with pieces of real almonds.
Traditionally made with whole almonds, they're actually customizable-feel free to use whole, chopped, or blanched almonds depending on your texture preference!
And for added sweetness, feel free to include chocolate chips!
Made with oil instead of butter or margarine, these treats are budget-friendly, easy to prepare, and make a terrific grab-and-go snack for work or school.
Plus, their amazing crispiness makes them perfect for dipping in your morning coffee, tea, or in a cold glass of milk as an afternoon snack.
A little info and history
The term "biscotti" comes from the Latin word biscoctus (meaning "twice-baked"), but it became the generic term for any type of cookie or biscuit in Italy.
However, in the US, the term "biscotti" is used to describe the dry, oblong, twice-baked Italian cookie specifically.
While both biscotti and traditional cantucci are dunked in beverages, traditional cantucci are typically dipped into Vin Santo (a sweet Tuscan dessert wine) at the end of a meal.
In the US, biscotti are more commonly enjoyed dipped into espresso or coffee.
Biscotti originated in ancient Rome as practical travel food for sailors and soldiers since the double-baking process dried them out, and they resisted mold.
The modern almond biscotti (cantucci) became popular during the Renaissance in Tuscan (Prato). Cantucci are made without any fat (i.e., no oil or butter), unlike biscotti, which commonly does use a fat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for dairy-free chocolate chip biscotti
Are these biscotti dairy-free?
Yes! This almond biscotti recipe is made without butter.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
This recipe is specifically formulated to use oil. Swapping it for butter would change the moisture balance and make them dairy, so sticking to the oil ensures the intended crunchy texture.
Does this recipe use dairy-free margarine instead of butter?
No. This recipe only uses oil for the fat.
What kind of almonds work best in biscotti?
You can use whatever you prefer! Traditional recipes use whole almonds for a classic look and crunch, but you can also use chopped, sliced, or blanched almonds depending on your preferred texture.
Can I add chocolate chips to this almond version?
Yes, absolutely. If you want a sweet twist, you can easily fold in chocolate chips alongside or in place of some of the almonds.
Why are biscotti baked twice?
Biscotti are baked twice to remove excess moisture. The first bake sets the dough log, and the second bake (after slicing) gives them their signature dry, crunchy texture that is ideal for dipping.
How do I store these homemade biscotti?
Store your cooled biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature. When kept sealed in a cool, dry place, they will stay crisp and fresh for up to two weeks.
Can I freeze biscotti?
Yes, you can freeze baked biscotti in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw completely at room temperature before serving.
General FAQs and information about baking:
Why do recipes have salt in the ingredients of baked goods?
Even though salt tends to make foods, well, salty, it actually plays other roles in baking as well.
For example, the right amount of salt balances flavors in baked goods; it can bring out the sweetness of sugar and, at the same time, prevent them from tasting overly sweet. It also can help dull the bitterness of cocoa.
Salt prevents baked goods from tasting bland, while it balances the richness of the fats. It also helps develop flavor in yeast breads and works with proteins to strengthen gluten and make it more elastic.
Salt also slows down yeast fermentation because it prevents the yeast from eating up the sugars too quickly, which otherwise would cause the dough to rise too fast and then ultimately collapse, causing bread to come out flat instead of fluffy.
Salt helps baked goods stay a little fresher for a little longer and helps delay mold from growing on them.
What is the difference between white granulated sugar and brown sugar?
The short answer is that while white granulated sugar is just pure sweetness, brown sugar is white sugar with molasses mixed into it.
Here is how that change affects your baking:
- White sugar is neutrally sweet. Brown sugar tastes like rich caramel or toffee.
- White sugar makes things crisp and light. Brown sugar traps moisture, making baked goods (like brownies) dense, soft, and extra chewy.
- Brown sugar is dark and wet; white sugar is dry and clear.
Tip: If a recipe calls for brown sugar and you're completely out, you can make your own by thoroughly mixing a tablespoon of molasses into a cup of regular white granulated sugar, and that will give you light-brown sugar. If you want dark brown sugar, you need to mix in more molasses.
What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?
Baking soda and baking powder are both synthetic leavens that help baked goods rise, but there is a difference between them.
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, which needs another ingredient that is acidic in order to be activated. When the baking soda touches the acid, it creates a carbon dioxide gas, which helps the baked good rise. Baking soda is between 3 and 4 times stronger than baking powder, and if too much baking soda is used, your baked good will end up with a metallic flavor.
Baking powder is baking soda that is already mixed with an acid and a stabilizer and will be activated by moisture and heat. Nowadays, baking powder is called double-acting because it activates twice-once when it gets wet (when you mix the ingredients together) and again when it heats in the oven.
Replacing one with the other can be tricky, and it's not recommended. However, if you have no choice, then do solid research for substituting one for the other for the baked good you are preparing so you don't ruin it.
What do eggs do in baking?
Eggs are made up of two parts: the whites and the yolks (the yellow).
Egg whites are made up of protein that sets when heated and helps baked goods hold their structure. The yolks are made up of fats and vitamins and help ingredients bond.
Eggs also help baked goods rise as well as keep them moist.
It is important to have the right amount of eggs when baking, because if there are too many eggs in a recipe, this can cause a rubbery, dense texture, and if there are too few eggs, this can cause a crumbly, dry texture.
The different parts of the egg will provide different textures to baked goods; using the entire egg in baking will provide moisture and help the baked good rise evenly, using extra yolks will create richer, denser textures, and extra whites will add fluffiness but may create a drier texture.
What is the difference between butter and margarine?
Butter is a dairy product that is made by churning heavy cream until the fats separate from the milk (i.e., buttermilk). Margarine, however, is made from vegetable oil. Butter generally has a lower melting point than margarine as well as a lower water content (and the soft tub margarines have a higher water content than bar margarines).
Using butter in baking cookies can create a crisper, more flaky cookie, while cookies will come out softer and more cakey when made with margarine. It is also generally believed to be better to "cream" using butter rather than margarine.
Using butter adds a kind of toasted nut flavor to baked goods, while margarine doesn't add flavor (however, sometimes with margarine, one might have a waxy feel on the roof of one's mouth after eating something with a high margarine content).
If one wants to make a dairy-free baked good that calls for butter, a dairy-free margarine is a good substitute.
What is the difference between dairy-free margarine and vegan butter?
Vegan butter and margarine have similarities. In fact, all vegan butter is a type of dairy-free margarine. The difference between them is in the content and the baking performance.
Vegan butter is made from fats such as coconut oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter and behaves like butter in that it creates more flaky and crisp textures and has a toasted nutty flavor, while margarine is typically made with the less expensive vegetable oils.
What is the difference in using oil vs. butter or margarine?
Both margarine and butter are solid fats at room temperature, and both contain more saturated fats than oil.
While margarine and butter will change from a solid to a liquid when heated, they will change back to solids when cooled again. Oil stays liquid at all temperatures. Oil also coats flour better in the preparation process before baking.
Butter "creams" better than margarine, but one cannot cream oil at all.
When converting a recipe from butter or margarine to oil, the general conversion rate is 1 to ¾ (although if you are doing more than one batch, you might need to reduce the oil because I have found that baked goods come out oily in this case).
And when converting from oil to margarine or butter, typically the ratio is 1 to 1¼, and from margarine or butter to oil, the ratio is typically 1 to ¾.
What is the difference between real vanilla extract and imitation vanilla?
Real vanilla is made from soaking vanilla beans in alcohol, imitation vanilla is synthetic, and real vanilla costs quite a bit more than imitation. Whether or not there will be a taste difference in your baking depends on the baked good, so do some research before you decide.
I personally always use the imitation as long as I have a really good brand because it's not worth it to me to spend the extra money.
If you like this recipe...
Try:
Easy Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe
Easy Dairy-Free Almond Biscotti Recipe
Easy, delicious, and dairy-free almond Italian cookies.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup chopped or sliced almonds (any kind)
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon almond extract (or imitation)
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract (or imitation)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Place the flour, sugar, eggs, oil, almond extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Add in the almond pieces and mix well.
- Take the dough, place it on a cookie sheet that has been lined with baking (parchment) paper, and form it into two loaves approximately 3" wide, leaving a few inches between the loaves for room to spread (you can add some sliced or chopped almonds to the top, if desired).
- Place in an oven that has been pre-heated to 350°F, and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the loaves are no longer sticky, are slightly firm, and have a light golden color.
- Remove from the oven and let cool (if you slice when it is hot, the slices may fall apart).
- Cut the loaves width-wise or diagonally into slices that are between ½" - ¾" in width.
- Lay the slices on their side on a cookie sheet that has been lined with baking paper, and put back in the oven for 10-15 minutes.*
Notes
*Some people bake for 10 minutes on each side, but I haven't found the need to do that.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 108Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 85mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
