I was sitting on this gorgeous terrace in Positano, drinking the best cappuccino of my life and trying not to stare too obviously at the Mediterranean spread out below me, when the hotel’s pastry chef brought out a plate of almond biscotti. I’ll be honest – I wasn’t expecting much. Hotel breakfast cookies are usually pretty forgettable.

But these were different. The first bite had this incredible crunch, and the almonds tasted like they’d been toasted just right – not too dark, but deep and nutty. What really got me was how well they held up when I dunked them in my cappuccino. No sad, soggy bits falling into my cup.

The chef must have seen me getting excited about them because she came over and asked if I wanted to learn how to make them. Of course I said yes – who turns down a baking lesson in Italy?

In the kitchen, she showed me her family’s technique, and I realized I’d been thinking about biscotti all wrong. The secret isn’t just the twice-baking everyone talks about. It’s toasting those almonds first until they smell amazing, and adding just enough lemon zest to brighten everything up without making it taste like lemon cookies.

She let me help shape the dough into logs, which was messier than I expected. The dough is pretty sticky, and you have to use a lot of flour on your hands. But she told me not to worry about making them perfect – “The imperfect ones taste just as good,” she said with a laugh.

When I got home, I must have made these at least a dozen times that first month. My family got pretty tired of testing batches, but I was determined to get that same texture and flavor. Now I always have a tin of them on my counter, and whenever someone comes over for coffee, I feel like I’m sharing a little piece of that perfect Positano morning.

Almond Biscotti

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Golden, crisp, and infused with almonds and lemon zest, these classic Italian biscotti are perfect for dipping into coffee.

• Author: Don Nicholas
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 24 biscotti
• Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

• 2 cups of almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Zest of one lemon

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden and fragrant. Let them cool.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until well combined.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.
5. Fold in the toasted almonds until evenly distributed.
6. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide.
7. Place the logs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
8. Remove the logs from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
9. Using a sharp knife, slice the logs into 1/2-inch-wide diagonal slices. Lay the slices cut side down on the baking sheet.
10. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the biscotti are golden and crisp.
11. Let the biscotti cool completely on a wire rack.

Do you like this Almond Biscotti recipe? Let me know in the comments.