Wonderfully crisp and crunchy and brimming with nutty flavour, these Keto biscotti are the perfect partner for a hot cup of tea or coffee at any time of year.
Biscotti, also known as cantucci, are twice-baked, oblong Italian almond biscuits that were created in the city of Prato.
While some people associate them with the holiday season and Christmas, they're traditionally enjoyed all year round.
The word biscotto actually originates from the medieval word "biscoctus", which means "twice cooked". This rendered the cookies extra dry and crunchy and they could be stored for long periods of time.
Ingredients
Traditionally, biscotti are made with flour, sugar, eggs and almonds or pine nuts. To lower the carb count, my keto biscotti contain almond flour. I also replaced the sugar with granulated erythritol.
Here are all the ingredients:
- Almond flour - I'm using ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour in the US. If you want to use super-fine almond flour, consider reducing the amount by 1 tablespoon to prevent your dough from becoming dry.
- Sweetener - I recommend erythritol-based sweeteners. Use either pure erythritol, or a monk fruit or stevia blend. They make the crunchiest cookies. Xylitol or allulose won't set as hard.
- Baking powder
- Sea salt
- Egg - I used a large egg.
- Almond extract - In my opinion, almond extract is essential as it increases the almond flavor. Vanilla extract could be a substitute.
- Nuts - I used pistachios and pecans.
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Step 1
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl - almond flour, granulated erythritol, baking powder, nuts and the pinch of salt.
Step 2
Add the wet ingredients - beaten egg and almond extract. Stir, then knead until a dough forms.
Step 3
Roll the dough into a log shape and place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Mine was 28 centimetres long.
Step 4
Flatten into an oblong biscotti shape - flat at the bottom, rounded at the top. Bake on the middle shelf for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.
Step 5
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Then cut into biscotti slices with a serrated knife.
Step 6
Return to the oven for another 12-15 minutes to allow the biscotti to crisp up. Rotate the baking sheet if you notice that the biscuits at the back brown faster than the ones in the front.
Expert Tips
Biscotti recipes with wheat flour can be rolled into a log and will spread into the oblong shape whilst in the oven. This does not happen with almond flour biscotti. Be sure to flatten your log into the desired shape!
Almond flour lacks gluten and is therefore more fragile. Use the sharpest serrated knife you own for cutting the log. Also, to prevent the cookies from breaking, I pressed the side of the cookie I was cutting against the log to stabilise it.
Recipe FAQs
Reduce the amount of almond flour by 1 tablespoon and add 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. You may also need to increase the amount of sweetener by 1-2 tablespoons.
Butter is not an ingredient in traditional biscotti.
If you do, the cookie slices will brown more all over. To prevent this, you could try reducing the oven temperature and leave them in for longer.
I have not tried this myself, but it could work well. Flax is a great binder. I use it in my keto granola and it helps make it super crispy.
Xanthan gum helps to bind and thicken ingredients. However, it makes bakes softer. And we want our biscotti to be crunchy!
Variations
Vary the nuts. I used half pistachios and half pecans. Almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts and pistachios can be used whole. If you're using large nuts such as walnuts or pecans, break them into slightly smaller pieces first so they don't stick out of your log.
Vanilla extract. I think it's the almond extract that makes the recipe taste special. But if you don't have it, vanilla extract or powdered vanilla bean also works.
More Christmas flavor. Add 1 teaspoon of orange extract or 1 teaspoon grated orange zest. Or add winter spices such as 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon crushed cardamom and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg. ¼ cup of sugar free dried cranberries would also work well!
Chocolate. Dip one end of the keto biscotti in sugar free chocolate or drizzle melted dark chocolate (minimum 85% cocoa solids) over them. You could even add ¼ cup sugar free chocolate chips to the dough before baking.
Storage
Low carb biscotti should be stored like any other cookie: In an airtight cookie jar. They stay fresh for several weeks.
You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Keto Cookie Recipes
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Recipe
Extra Crispy Keto Biscotti
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup / 125g almond flour or ground almonds (reduce by 1 tablespoon if using extra-fine almond flour)
- ½ cup / 60g pistachios and pecans almonds and hazelnuts also work
- ¼ cup / 50g granulated erythritol
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F electric or 160C / 320F fan.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl - almond flour, granulated erythritol, baking powder, whole pistachios, crushed pecans and the pinch of salt.
- Add the wet ingredients - beaten egg and almond extract - and stir, then knead until a dough forms.
- Roll the dough into a log shape. Mine was 28 cm long. Flatten into a biscotti shape.
- Bake on the middle shelf for around 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely. The log will firm up. Then cut into biscotti with a serrated knife and lay down flat next to each other on the baking sheet. See tips for slicing in the recipe notes.
- Reheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F and return to the oven for another 12-15 minutes to allow the biscotti to crisp up.
Marian Williams
Can xylitol be substituted for erythritol as I’m in the candida overgrowth diet and erythritol is not allowed.
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, you can use xylitol instead. The cookies will turn out slightly less crunchy though.
Antonio
Followed the instructions, but when cutting the log (after it cooled) it crumbled and all fell apart.
Is there a way to make sure you can cut it into pieces without it crumbling?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, I describe my method in the post. Most of all, you need a very sharp knife. Most of my cutting disasters happened because I used bad knives that had thick blades and were not sharpened.
Michelle Gillet
Why do do sone keto biscotti recipes use butter and others like your do not ?
Katrin Nürnberger
Classic Italian biscotti do not contain butter, and I always try to stay as close to the original as possible. But of course, adding butter to cookies tastes good and I have plenty of cookie recipes on my website that contain butter. It's all about preference!
Vikki
We made this for our Christmas coffee. I used the winter spice version. I loved how simple this recipe is to throw together. The dough came together nicely. We didn’t have any issues with slicing the log. Can’t wait to try other variations!
Margy
Really nice cookies. They were so easy to make as well.
Susan Gibbs
Tastes like the real thing. I added gingerbread spices, slivered almonds and a touch of crystallized ginger. Amazing.
Suzedaruze
These are amazing. Loved the instruction pictures. Next time I make them I will double the almond flavoring.