Lemon biscotti is the ultimate companion to a cup of coffee or tea. This recipe results in a perfectly crunchy cookie packed with lemon flavor. The best part is they’re incredibly easy to make!
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You only need a single bowl to whip up your dough, then the rest of the work happens in the oven. The trick to the trademark crunchy texture is that it gets baked twice! First, it’s baked as a loaf. Then the loaf simply gets sliced into biscotti and baked again.
This dessert is elegant, sophisticated, and bright. Its sweet, tangy notes make it a wonderful springtime dessert!
And if you can't get enough lemon-flavored desserts, then I can recommend these delicious lemon blueberry cookies or my favorite lemon cranberry bars. They won't disappoint you!
Main Ingredients
Below are the key ingredients you’ll need to make this simple recipe:
- Lemons: You’ll be using both the lemon juice and the zest for punchy citrusy flavor.
- Almond extract: For delicate nuttiness.
- All-purpose flour: For a perfect crunchy texture.
- Confectioners’ sugar: For a silky-smooth sweet glaze.
- Lemon juice powder: For a tart, citrusy glaze.
Instructions Overview
Lemon biscotti is an elegant dessert. It’s shockingly simple to make. You whip up the dough and bake it twice! Here is an overview of the steps involved.
You’ll start by beating together all the lemon biscotti ingredients until you have a smooth dough. You’ll shape it into a log and place it onto a prepared baking sheet, lightly greased. Now it’s time for your first bake!
Once your cookie dough log is baked, you’ll let it rest for a few minutes and spritz it with some water. Then, you’ll use a serrated knife to cut the log into slices. Place the slices onto a baking sheet. Now for the second bake!
Once the cookies are golden brown, take them out and let them cool.
In the meantime, mix together your glaze ingredients and drizzle it over the lemon biscotti, then serve with a freshly brewed espresso or your beverage of choice.
Common Questions
You should cut the lemon biscotti straight up and down rather than on the diagonal. You don't want the biscotti to be thicker at one end, otherwise, they will come out flat or crumble. If you still have the issue, freeze the dough overnight before baking the biscotti.
If you prefer your biscotti slightly softer, use a little less flour and slice them thinly. Also, take care not to overcook them because the more moisture is removed from the lemon biscotti during cooking the harder they're going to come out.
If your lemon biscotti batch is too hard then you can soften them. Cover the cookies with a damp paper towel and give them 5 seconds or so in the microwave. Let them cool a little then try them. They should be a bit softer. Another way to soften them is to dunk them in your coffee of course!
There isn't any difference between the two; they're interchangeable. However, biscotti is the most commonly used term outside of Italy.
It can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature in your pantry or on your counter. They keep for up to 2 weeks, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy your tasty creations!
There are three stages at which you can freeze lemon biscotti. First, you can freeze the dough before it’s baked. Shape it into a log on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop it in the freezer. Once frozen, remove the log off the baking sheet, wrap it tightly, and place it back in the freezer. It keeps for 3 months. Thaw on the counter, then bake as per the instructions!
Second, you could freeze the dough after the first bake. Simply slice to form your biscotti cookies and then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can transfer them to an airtight plastic food bag and keep them for up to 3 months. Bake them straight from frozen, extending the bake time by a couple of minutes.
Finally, you can also freeze fully baked lemon biscotti. Remove them from the plastic food bag and thaw them on the counter. Once they are fully thawed, transfer them to an airtight container. If you need to re-crisp them, heat them up in the oven for a few minutes to rejuvenate the crunchiness!
Yes, they can absolutely be made ahead of time! They keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight container in your pantry, so you could easily make these a few days or even a week in advance. You could also make your dough a day ahead of time. Keep it in the fridge covered in plastic wrap on a prepared baking sheet. Pop into the oven when you’re ready to bake.
They are best paired with beverages for dunking! In Italy, they are typically served with vin santo after dinner! You can also enjoy them with coffee, tea, or milk. Serve with some fresh fruits as well if desired.
Chopnotch Tips
- The easiest way to grate the lemon rind is to do so before you slice it and juice it. That’s the best way to get the maximum amount of zest.
- The dough may be a little sticky. Grease your hands lightly with some oil to prevent them from sticking to the dough as you shape it into a log.
- To prevent crumbling, you want to wait 5 minutes before you slice your biscotti after the first bake. Spritz it with water and slice it with a serrated knife.
Lemon biscotti are sophisticated, simple, and so delicious!
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Recipe
How to Make
Lemon Biscotti
Ingredients
For the biscotti:
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract, or to taste
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs, large
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- grated rind of 1 medium lemon
For the glaze:
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice powder
Instructions
- Grease a baking sheet lightly.
- Beat together grated rind of 1 lemon, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, ¾ teaspoon almond extract, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder in a bowl until well-combined and creamy.
- Next, beat in 2 eggs and 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Add in 2 cups flour and stir with mixer at low speed until you have a smooth dough.
- Place dough onto a greased baking sheet and shape it into a log. Straighten it and smooth the sides.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 25 minutes. Take out from the oven and allow to cool for 20 to 25 minutes at room temperature. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 325 F.
- Fill a spray bottle with water and spritz the log lightly, covering the top and all the sides.
- After 5 minutes, cut the log into ½" slices crosswise using a serrated knife. Make sure to cut evenly perpendicular to the pan otherwise the biscotti will topple over during the second bake.
- Set the biscotti on the prepared baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until the edges start turning golden for 30 to 35 minutes. Once done, take out from the oven and cool on a rack.
- Mix together all the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the biscotti.
Notes
- The easiest way to grate the lemon rind is to do so before you slice it and juice it. That’s the best way to get the maximum amount of zest.
- The biscotti dough may be a little sticky. Grease your hands lightly with some oil to prevent them from sticking to the dough as you shape it into a log.
- To prevent crumbling, you want to wait 5 minutes before you slice your biscotti after the first bake. Spritz it with water and slice it with a serrated knife.
