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.
Pamcakes!
I have a favorite biscotti recipe, it’s rosemary and orange-it’s fabulous! Since I am new to keto baking I looked for a straight forward recipe and this one fit the bill. I browned 2 tablespoons of butter, and added it to a 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary and the zest of an orange, to bloom them, and then I added that to the monkfruit sugar and let it sit for a few minutes to cool down. I added that to the dry ingredients stirred and then added the egg and vanilla extract- I was out of almond, but I’m sure it would be excellent. I also added a little zest into some monkfruit sugar and topped the log with it before I baked it. Super important to allow them to cool before slicing, and I find it best to use a long serrated bread knife with even pressure to prevent them from breaking. These biscottis are delicious, I hope you try it!
Pamcakes!
I forgot one thing, I use sliced almonds, again it makes the slicing a whole lot easier!
Katrin Nürnberger
Oh my, rosemary and orange sounds like a fabulous mix!
Liz Rogoff
I’ve made this recipe several times. I even Vitamix -ed my own almonds when I didn’t have flour or meal on hand. I use both pistachios and almonds, even added no sugar added dried cranberries during holidays Great recipe! Even my non keto husband enjoys!
Katrin Nürnberger
Adding the cranberries sounds great! I must try that next time (even if that's not during the holidays 😉
Anne Marie
Will any egg substitutes work in this recipe?
Katrin Nürnberger
You'd have to give it a try, I have not made them without an egg. A chia egg would probably work well here.
Wendy
Hi Katrin, I have made this recipe twice now (Keto Pistacio, Pecan Biscotti) and it tastes great but I get so frustrated trying to slice it, is there another way I could make these as the perfect shaped biscuit? I have used the sharpest knife, cleaned it between slices even made some slice indents in the top before baking? this is the first crunchy biscuit I have made since doing Keto, thay are fabulous
Wendy
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Wendy, I think the main benefit of baking the log whole is than you're then able to slice the whole nuts almonds without squashing the dough and get that traditional biscotti look with the clean nut halves showing. If you're happy to use crushed, smaller nut pieces instead of whole nuts you could chill the unbaked log in the fridge for 1 hour and then slice it before baking. You'll have to adjust the baking time (maybe turn the cookies over as well), but the end result should be just as crunchy.
Or you cut your biscotti a little thicker? I didn't do mine as thin as I originally wanted, because I worried they would break.
Hilary
Looks so good! Can I use Stevia powder in place of Erythritol?
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Hilary, I have never used stevia powder, so I'm not sure about the concentration. But the erythritol is not essential to the recipe. If your powder is pure and you only need a tiny amount, you may want to consider using a medium egg or add a little more almond flour so you end up with the same wet/dry ingredient ratio.
Barbara T
I used Costco almond flour which said superfine so I used 100 g as suggested (1 cup if my math was correct). The mixture was moist but easy to fashion into the log so probably correct. I also used half (25g) of the "sugar" Swerve granular in my case and for me that was plenty sweet enough. The almond essence is essential I thought. I baked them in a toaster oven which may have baked the biscotti faster and as is normal with almond flour I needed to watch in both stages that there was not too much browning. Slicing the biscotti resulted in a couple of broken slices but no more than I used to have with regular flour biscotti. And since before the second baking the cookies are still a bit soft you can push together any breaks. Definitely a keeper recipe. Thanks.
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Barbara, thanks so much for you detailed comment. It's always so helpful to hear how other brands and methods work out. Glad your cookies were a success!!!
Rebecca
Hi katrin, if I wanted to use coconut flour instead of almond flour what would the measurement be, and would I have to change anything else
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Rebecca, I always start with using around 1/3 the amount of coconut flour in place of almond flour and increase to up to 1/2 the amount if necessary. So, I'd try 45-50g of coconut flour to start with (it absorbs more liquid than almond flour). You MAY want to consider using a little xanthan gum as well, perhaps 1 tsp - I always find coconut flour is more fragile than almond flour. Use a slightly lower oven temperature the second time you bake them (150-160C) and keep them in for longer so they dry out sufficiently, maybe even leave them in the oven after you have turned it off. Just a thought - you could also consider using half sesame flour and half coconut flour. I think that would taste lovely (and less coconutty). Sesame flour is roughly a 1:1 replacement for ground almonds, depending on how finely it is milled.
Katrin Nürnberger
hi Linda, it's all added now. Thanks for pointing this out!
Nigel
GREAT RECIPE
Katrin Nürnberger
Thank you Nigel!!
Susan Yakus
I think you are my new best friend!! I have been dying for a crispy cookie recipe. It seems like everything I try, has a weird, cornbread texture. Also, what size egg? Does it matter? I usually use XL eggs and sometimes Jumbo. Thanks so much, Susan
Katrin Nürnberger
My eggs tend to be medium to large (I buy them from a local farm and they are never exactly the same size). Try to stick to a large one. I think if you use an xl egg you may want to increase the amount of almond flour by a bit (maybe 1-2 tbsp), just to make sure your biscotti are super crunchy