Sourdough Biscotti

Sourdough Biscotti! Crunchy almond cookies enriched with a cup of sourdough discard. These sourdough cookies are perfect for dunking into coffee, espresso or dessert wine.

a stack of almond sourdough biscotti in a table

I love biscotti because they really are easy to make and they keep for weeks. They also happen to be a great vehicle for using your sourdough discard. (Check out this recipe for Almond & Anise Biscotti if you don’t have sourdough discard available.)

If you don’t already have one, I can show you how to make a sourdough starter and how to feed a sourdough starter.

Scroll through the process photos to see how to make Sourdough Biscotti:

a glass measuring cup filled with sourdough starter, olive oil and eggs.
Combine the sourdough discard, eggs, oil, vanilla and lemon zest
two side by side photos showing how to finish mixing sourdough biscotti dough
Dump the biscotti dough out onto a work surface and finish kneading in the flour by hand. Form the dough into a ball and divide it into two equal pieces.
two side by side photos showing sourdough biscotti before and after baking.
Form the dough into two logs. Cool the baked biscotti completely before proceeding.
a sliced loaf of biscotti cookies
Slice the cooled loaves on an angle.
two photos showing biscotti before and after toasting
Line the sliced biscotti onto a sheet pan and bake until golden brown on both sides.

FAQs about Sourdough Biscotti:

Can Sourdough Biscotti be made ahead?

Yes. To work ahead, the dough logs can be wrapped and refrigerated for several days or frozen for several weeks. The baked loaves can also be held for a couple of days before slicing and baking the second time. Since biscotti keep so well, you can make the biscotti completely several days or even several weeks before you’re ready to serve them.

Do I have to bake the biscotti a second time?

Since the word “biscotti” literally means “twice cooked” you do need to bake them twice to make “biscotti”. That being said, if you want a soft cookie, the pastry police won’t come to your house if you skip the second bake.

Can Sourdough Biscotti be refrigerated?

There is no need to refrigerate biscotti. In fact, the refrigerator could make the cookies soggy. The biscotti are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

How long will Sourdough Biscotti keep?

I have kept biscotti in a cookie jar with a tight lid for several weeks.

Can Sourdough Biscotti be frozen?

Yes. But since they keep so well at room temperature there’s usually no need to freeze them. If you want to keep them more than two weeks they can be frozen for up to 3 months. You might want to re-toast them briefly after defrosting if they are less crunchy.

a sourdough biscotti cookie sitting on top of the cup of expresso
a biscotti being dunked in a cup of expresso

I know you hate to throw away that sourdough discard. Check out these recipes that use sourdough discard.

Since you’ve got your starter fed, peruse the entire list of My Best Sourdough Recipes. Have fun!

You might also want to try Sourdough Shortbread or Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies made with sourdough powder.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.

a sourdough biscotti on a cup of expresso
Print Recipe
4.50 from 90 reviews

Sourdough Biscotti Recipe

Crunchy almond biscotti cookies enriched with a cup of sourdough discard. Perfect for dunking into coffee, espresso or dessert wine.
Prep Time30 minutes
Bake Time1 hour
Resting Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
36 cookies
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Ingredients

  • 8 oz sourdough discard (1 cup)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 oz olive oil cup)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large lemons (zest finely grated)
  • 15 oz all purpose flour (3 cups, see note)
  • 12 oz granulated sugar ( cups, separated)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 8 oz toasted almonds (1 ½ cups, roughly chopped)
  • 1 egg (for egg wash)
  • sugar for topping

Instructions

  • In a glass measuring cup combine 8 oz sourdough discard, 2 large eggs, 2 oz olive oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and the zest from 2 large lemons, set aside. In a mixing bowl combine 15 oz all purpose flour, 12 oz granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon table salt. Mix the dry ingredients for 30 seconds to combine.
  • Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until almost combined. Add 8 oz toasted almonds and mix until almost combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and finish mixing by hand until all the flour is absorbed.
  • Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 1/2 sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Split the dough into 2 equal portions. Use your hands to roll each piece of dough to a log 13" long x 2" wide. Set the logs onto the sheet pan, leaving at least 3" between them. Brush the logs with egg wash and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.
  • Bake until golden brown and feels firm when pressed in the middle, about 35 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely.
  • Use a serrated knife to cut each log into 1/2" slices on a slight diagonal. Lay the cookies flat on the sheet pans and bake 10-12 minutes until toasty and golden brown (see note). Flip the cookies over and bake on the other side for another 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  • Store in a cookie jar for up to 2 weeks.

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Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
If you like your biscotti super-crunchy bake the sliced cookies for the longer time, bake for the shorter time if you like them a little softer.
To work ahead: the dough logs can be wrapped and refrigerated for several days or frozen for several weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cookies | Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!

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Recipe Rating




42 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I was able to use up leftover nuts from other baking projects as well as my sourdough discard for this. They turned out great. I froze the dough logs for a couple weeks until I was ready to have biscotti on hand and used sparkling sugar on top. Very happy with the final product!

  2. 5 stars
    I’ve made these maybe 5-10 times and they are always a huge hit, thanks v much. I tried orange zest but lemon is better. We have tried other add-ins – pistachios are always great, so was candied ginger, while chocolate chips or dried fruit were less of a hit.

  3. 5 stars
    Hello …just made these woth my sourdough discard but used ni baking powder as it has nasties in it but let my dough rise longer and they came out perfectly thankyou

  4. Love that this recipe uses a cup of sourdough discard as I always have too much left after a week. Made a batch last week and we finished the lot! Substituted almonds and lemon for hazelnuts and dates, looking forward to experimenting with other flavours like lemon and poppyseed or pecan and ginger. My “logs” didn’t hold their form as well as I thought they should and spread out a little, but actually turned out perfectly. Have tried other recipes with stickier dough, but this one works well if you knead on a well floured surface. We are used to eating South African rusks and love the hard crunch so this is a great substitute thanks!

  5. “Biscotti” is the Italian word for “cookies”. Singular “biscotto”. While the recipe is twice-baked, that is not what biscotti means. Twice baked in Italian is “due volte cotto”.

    1. @Shay, 100% true. These are cantucci but Americans have been calling them “biscotti” since the beginning, like many other names that have been used incorrectly. Still, these are good 🙂

  6. Is it possible to let the dough ferment overnight to predigest the flour? I have issues with wheat not fermented.

    1. @Annie, I made this recipe once already and did exactly that. The dough fermented for about 24 hours at room temperature, and I was super pleased with the results! I also used fresh milled whole grain. Best biscotti recipe I’ve used!

  7. Was hoping for a good way to use discard. These are a great texture, but agree with all below who share that more flour is required to get there….even if measuring by weight. However these are way too sweet, IMHO, and I can’t taste the Sourdough at all.

  8. This morning was the 7th time that I have made this recipe. This time I baked them in my King Arthur mini scone pan, which was perfect.

  9. Thank you Eileen for sharing this recipe. I had never before made biscotti. They turned out perfect. An easy to follow recipe that delivers perfection. I cannot wait to try my own variations.

  10. These are sooooo delicious!
    I was looking for a sourdough biscotti recipe to use as a base for anise biscotti and this recipe worked like a charm; It will be my “go to” sourdough biscotti recipe going forward. I used 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp almond extract plus 1 Tbsp anise seed and skipped the lemon peel. Super happy with the result. We like biscotti hard and crunchy, so once the biscotti were nicely browned I turned off the oven and left them in the oven a bit longer to harden more but not get overly brown.
    I feel this recipe will adapt well to whichever type of sourdough discard biscotti you want to make…whether the original one with lemon peel, chocolate chip, orange cranberry, etc.
    I used olive oil and thought it was a good choice for fat.
    These biscotti are 4-6 inches wide, and will be lovely for gifting in a cellophane bag. For everyday enjoyment I might split the dough into 3 logs for smaller cookies.

  11. I’ve made this recipe twice and they’ve turned out great. I used the weighted measurements and it’s perfect. They’re perfectly crispy and sweet. I saw other comments that they were too hard. Biscotti are supposed to be hard. They’re for dipping.

    I didn’t bother with the egg wash and they still turn out great. Also the trick to handling biscotti dough is to wet your hands.

    I did walnuts and chocolate chips in the last batch and it turned out great. This is my new go to biscotti base! I love being able to use sourdough discard.

  12. Update: after adding another cup and a half of flour to the recipe. It turned out perfect.
    They were great texture and great taste.

  13. First time I have made biscottis with my sourdough starter. I went over my measurements three times in my head because the consistency after combining the wet to the dry was wayyy too wet. Wasn’t even close to forming a ball. After reading a comment on how to measure flour, I decided that my best bet was to add more flour since I measure mine by a light scoop, then pouring that lightly into my one cup measuring cup, then leveling. I ended up adding another full one cup of flour plus another 1/4 cup. It was definitely the right consistency at this point. But I will have to get back on how they turn out. It’s resting right now. I am hopeful:)
    Pam

  14. I’ve made several batches of this recipe. Even one with orange peel and dried cranberries. Great recipe. Yesterday, instead of making 2 logs I tried making cookies with the dough. Came out even better!

  15. Hi! looks great! can I use butter instead of olive oil? my concern is that that taste of the olive oil will collide with the sweetness of the cookie

    1. I haven’t made them with butter so couldn’t tell you how the result will be. You don’t particularly taste the olive oil. I love the flavor of these cookies.

  16. I made it today but found the texture of the biscotti is very hard to bite. Is this the way it should be?

    The taste is actually really great, just wonder how to improve the texture or my mom (elderly) wouldn’t be able to eat it.

    Thanks!

    1. Yes, biscotti are very hard. Great for dunking into coffee or dessert wine. If you want a softer cookie, skip the second bake. Just slice and eat.

  17. Hello,
    Thanks for this recipe! I’ve made it a few times using half whole wheat and half all purpose flours
    Everybody agrees it’s very yummy
    My question is regarding the weights
    The recipe calls for 3 cups or 420 g flour
    I just verified 1 cup is 120 g so the next time I will use 360 g flour
    How has the additional 60 grams of flour affected my final product?
    (I’m accustomed to the denser results using whole wheat because I always bake that way)
    Thanks

    1. The weight of a cup of flour is not an absolute measurement. It depends on how you fill the cup. I use the “dip and sweep” method to fill the cup. That is, I “dip” the cup into the bin and overfill it. Then I “sweep” away the excess. Using this method I get 5 oz (140g) of flour. If you fluff and spoon the flour into the cup you’ll get closer to 4oz of flour in the cup. I formulate my recipes using weight measure so changing the weight of the flour will change the final result. If you are using weight measure use what is specified in the recipe.

  18. I made these today with orange zest, almonds and dried apricots. I thought they were going to be too dry to hold together after I mixed in the flour, but after sitting for 20 minutes they came together nicely. They’re delicious. I’ll be making them again!

  19. I LOVE this! This recipe was so easy, yummy and uses discard! I am going to be running out if discard now! Thanks for a great recipe!

  20. Trying this recipe this morning, only had chocolate almonds so h0pe that is a nice twist. I only used 110g of almonds and it seems like enough. Baking now and at 35 minutes, nowhere near done,

  21. Made this twice and absolutely loving it. Like it after 1st bake as well as 2nd baked. Both ways are equally yummy. If I want to add cranberries, should I use dried cranberries & how much?

    1. It’s probably possible but you’ve have to do some testing to see what works. If you can get egg replacer I’ve had good luck using that in cookies. (I’m obliged to say that as an Amazon associate I earn commission on sales.)

  22. Turned out very well, really tasty and crunchy. I love almonds so substituted almond flour for half of the plain flour and 1 tsp of almond essence for some of the vanilla essence.

    I’m not a huge fan of lemon so would reduce to zest of 1 lemon next time. But that’s just personal taste.

    A great way of using sourdough discard!

    1. Recently, I’ve made these with pistachios and dried apricots and also with almond, orange zest and anise seed. It’s a very adaptable recipe.

    2. Thank you! I was looking through the comments for something about almond flour. There was a sale recently and I have a lot on hand.

  23. These turned out perfect and are a great way to use sourdough discard. My husband says they are the best biscotti he’s ever had. Thank you for the recipe.