These lemon biscotti are Italian cookies filled with almonds and bright lemon flavor. They are baked twice for the perfect crunchy texture. Tart lemon glaze makes the perfect finishing touch!
This Lemon biscotti is crunchy, nutty and filled with lemon zest. They are topped with a simple lemon icing. Lemon lovers will love this easy lemon biscotti recipe!
I love biscotti for a morning or afternoon treat or something to munch on after dinner. This recipe was inspired by my pumpkin biscotti recipe. Lemon brings a brighter flavor that is perfect anytime of the year!
If you are looking for more lemon cookie recipes, try my lemon shortbread cookies, lemon sour cream cookies and lemon blueberry cookies.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Almond and lemon biscotti gets its crunchy texture from being baked twice. You first bake it in log shapes. Then its sliced and baked again.
- These sharable almond and lemon biscotti pack up and store well. They are great for sharing with family and friends.
- You can make this lemon biscotti cookie recipe without any special equiptment.
- This recipe for lemon biscotti is super simple to make. No need to chill or scoop the dough.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some useful notes on the biscotti ingredients.
- All-purpose flour: I have only tested this cake with all purpose flour. Be sure not to dredge the measuring cup through the flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup to avoid using too much flour. I recommend weighing the flour using a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurement.
- Salt: Salt balances out the flavor of these cookies. Without salt, the cookies would taste bland.
- Butter: Use room temperature butter.
- 2 eggs: Use 2 large room temperature eggs.
- Lemons: Both the cookies and the icing are full of lemon zest and lemon juice! They are basically triple lemon biscotti! I recommend using fresh lemons for best flavor. Add some extra lemon zest over the glaze before it sets for extra lemon flavor!
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds a hint of extra flavor.
- Almond extract: Almond extract brings out the nutty flavor of the almonds.
- Almonds: Chopped almonds add extra flavor and crunch. I use raw, unsalted almonds. If you have a few extra minutes, toast them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 7 minutes. I like to chop my nuts finely so that they are easier to slice.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of lemon, you can use orange.
- Salted butter can be subbed for unsalted butter. Reduce the salt by 1/4 teaspoon if you use salted butter.
- Swap in pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or hazelnuts for the almonds.
- Top lemon biscotti with melted white chocolate instead of lemon glaze.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are the directions on how to make and bake easy lemon biscotti recipe.
Step One:Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium til light and fluffy.
Step Two: Add the wet ingredients. With the mixer on low, add the eggs and vanilla and almond extracts.
Step Three: Add the dry ingredients. Add the baking powder, salt and flour. Mix just until a dough forms. Avoid overmixing. Stir in the chopped almonds. If the dough is too sticky to shape into logs, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.
Step Four: Form two loaves. Divide dough in half and form into two rectangular shaped loaves about 12 by 2 inch each.
Step Five: Bake for 25 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit til lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow logs to cool on the baking sheet for Allow to cool for around 20 minutes. Transfer logs to a cutting board and lightly spray the tops and sides with a water bottle. Spray one time per section. Wait 5 minutes before slicing.
Step Six: Use a serrated knife to slice biscotti into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Step Seven: Bake the slices. Reduce heat to 325 F. Lay biscotti on baking sheet cut side down and bake 20-25 minutes until cookies appear dry.Turn once halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool.
Step Eight: Glaze the biscotti. Mix together the lemon juice, lemon zest and powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over biscotti or dip the biscotti in the glaze. Place the dipped biscotti on a baking rack and allow glaze to set.
Hint: Place a baking sheet or parchment paper under the rack to catch any drips of glaze.
Expert Tips
Tip #1: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. If you dredge the measuring cup into the flour, the flour will become compact. This can lead to a dry cake.
Tip #2: Allow the biscotti to cool for around 20 minutes after the first bake. but don’t leave them too long. If you leave them too long the dough will become hard and difficult to cut. If you cut them when they are hot the slices will crumble.
Tip #3: Use a long, sharp serrated knife to cut the biscotti. Slice in a sawing motion.
Tip #4: Turn biscotti over halfway through the second bake. This will make sure the biscotti bake evenly.
Tip #5: Transfer biscotti to a wire rack after the second bake. This will allow both sides to evenly crisp up while cooling.
Recipe FAQs
Biscotti are hard and dry. This makes them last longer. Store leftover biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. They are great to have around to nibble on!
Biscotti are supposed to be hard and crispy. They are hard and dry because they are baked twice. They are perfect for dunking in coffee or tea!
Biscotti is delicious as is, especially with a drizzle of icing. It’s also delicious with a cup of tea or coffee. Biscotti is fun to dunk in coffee, too. It soaks up the coffee flavor and softens up at the same time.
Storage
Room Temperature: Store lemon biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature. for up to 3 weeks. Place parchment paper between each layer of biscotti.
Freezer: Freeze leftover lemon almond biscotti in for up to 3 months. Defrost biscotti in the fridge or at room temperature.
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Lemon Biscotti
Ingredients
Lemon Biscotti
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 lemons, zested divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup toasted almonds (optional) finely chopped
Lemon Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest for sprinkling over the glazed biscotti
Instructions
Lemon Biscotti
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugars and the zest of 1 and a half lemons on medium til light and fluffy. (Save zest of the other half for zesting over the icing).
- With the mixer on low, add the eggs, lemon juice and vanilla and almond extracts.
- Add the baking powder, salt and flour. Mix just until a dough forms. Avoid overmixing. Stir in the chopped almonds. If you find the dough too sticky to shape into logs, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes to make it easier to shape. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured countertop. Flour your hands and knead the dough briefly to make it easier to work with.
- Put half the dough onto your baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly wet your hands and form into two rectangular shaped loaves about 11 or 12 by 2 inch each. Make sure to leave space between the two logs since they will spread when they bake.
- Bake at 350 Fahrenheit 20-25 minutes til lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow logs to cool on the baking sheet for Allow to cool for around 20 minutes. Transfer logs to a cutting board and lightly spray the tops and sides with a water bottle. Spray one time per section. Wait 5 minutes before slicing.
- Use a serrated knife to slice biscotti into 1/2 inch thick slices.
- Reduce heat to 325 F. Lay biscotti on baking sheet cut side down and bake 20-25 minutes until cookies appear dry. Carefully turn cookies over once halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
- Mix together the lemon juice, lemon zest and powdered sugar.
- Drizzle glaze over biscotti or dip an end or the tops or bottoms of the biscotti in the glaze. Place the dipped biscotti on a baking rack and allow glaze to set.
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