Almond Flour Biscotti

Growing up, my mom was quite particular about what desserts and sweets she’d make during the holiday season. You’d be guaranteed that a trifle would make an appearance, as would some sticky toffee pudding. She’d also bake a bunch of cookies, something which is ONLY done this time of the year. While she makes classics like shortbread and sugar cookies, she also whips up her classic biscotti.

I’ve been meaning to share an almond flour biscotti recipe for quite some time. It’s one of my favorite recipes to use almond flour with, after muffins and cupcakes. After checking out my mom’s recipe, I realized I had barely any keto adaptions to make to produce identical results!

Now, these biscotti may look incredibly fancy, but I promise you they are ridiculously easy to make and use simple ingredients. The texture is light, crispy, and studded with nuts. They are pleasantly sweet with a hint of vanilla and almond, without being overpowering.

I made a huge batch for my mom and she couldn’t believe that they were made low carb- She thought I had made her exact recipe!

How do you make keto biscotti?

The Ingredients

• Almond flour- Blanched or superfine almond flour. This gives the biscotti a lighter color and texture.
• Pistachios and almonds– Chopped pistachios and almonds. You can use one or both of these nuts.
• Baking soda– Gives the biscotti a little rise and leavening.
• Salt– Just a pinch to bring out the sweetness of all the ingredients.
• Cinnamon– For a light cinnamon flavor throughout.
• Eggs– Room temperature eggs.
• Honey– If you aren’t strictly keto, you can use natural honey. If you are, use keto honey or you could even try keto maple syrup.
• Butter– Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. You can also use dairy free butter if preferred.
• Almond extract– A must for any good biscotti. You can also use vanilla extract.
• Cranberries– While not technically keto, you can add a few tablespoons for some color, without impacting the net carbs too much!

The Instructions

Start by mixing together all your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together your eggs, honey, butter, and almond extract, until fully incorporated. Next, gently fold through the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. If using the cranberries, fold them through at the end.

Now, remove the dough and form two equal sized balls. Using your hands, form each of the balls into a log or thin shape, around 1-inch in thickness. Place them on a lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until they are lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and allow the two loaves to cool for 15 minutes, before slicing them into 1/2-inch pieces. Place the biscotti onto the baking sheet and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let the biscotti cool completely.

Tips to make the best low carb biscotti

• Biscotti is a very forgiving recipe, and you can make them as thin, thick, long, or small as you desire. If you choose to make them thinner/smaller, your cooking time will be a little less.
• Feel free to switch up the nuts, and use cashews or walnuts instead.
• You must let your biscotti loaves to cool for 15 minutes, before slicing them up. The biscotti continues to cook, and there is little risk of it falling apart.
• Serve biscotti over the festive season with some hot chocolate, peppermint mocha, or a gingerbread latte!

Flavor variations

While this biscotti is a delicious classic flavor, here are some fun flavor options to change things up!

• Chocolate– Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and increase the honey by 2 tablespoons. Omit any dried fruit.
• Cranberry orange– Sub out half the nuts with extra cranberries and add 1 teaspoon orange extract.
• Chocolate covered– Dip each of the biscotti in melted chocolate chips.
• Espresso– Add 1 teaspoon espresso extract and omit the cranberries.
• Lemon– Add 2 tablespoons lemon zest and 1 teaspoon lemon extract.

Storing and freezing biscotti

• To store: Store leftover biscotti at room temperature, in a sealed container, for up to 4 weeks.
• To freeze: Place the biscotti in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.