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.
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:
FAQs about Sourdough Biscotti:
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.
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.
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.
I have kept biscotti in a cookie jar with a tight lid for several weeks.
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.
I know you hate to throw away that sourdough discard. Check out these recipes that use sourdough discard.
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 star rating and a quick comment. Ratings and comments help my recipes show in search results. Thanks!
Sourdough Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz sourdough discard (1 cup)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 oz olive oil (¼ cup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large lemons (zest finely grated)
- 15 oz all purpose flour (3 cups, see note)
- 12 oz granulated sugar (1½ cups)
- 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 ¾" 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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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!
“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”.
I’ve added a link to my source on the use of the word Biscotti.
@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 🙂
Biscotti does indeed mean twice cooked.
Bis – meaning “twice” or “two times”
Cotti is plural for cotto – meaning “cooked”.
Is it possible to let the dough ferment overnight to predigest the flour? I have issues with wheat not fermented.
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be fine.
@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!
Amazing recipe. I make these once a week. Everybody loves them. Love it that they’re dairy free.
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.