Roan’s Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti Recipe

We are sharing The Perfect Biscotti Recipe made for holiday gift giving, Plus festive Biscotti Decorating Ideas

Inspired by his grandfather’s love of biscottis, his father’s love of anything Italian, and my love of anything sweet, my son Roan perfected this biscotti recipe and was sweet enough to let me share it with all of you. He even created a video tutorial to show you just how easy it can be to make the perfect biscotti. A nice break from the decadence of the holidays, this recipe hits just the right balance between sweet and savory we all love. We’re sure you will love it too.

My son Roan LOVES to cook. He’s shown an interest in cooking since he was old enough to hold a fork. He started by helping me in the kitchen with some of my favorite baking favorites. While I prefer baking sweets, Roan is more interested in cooking healthy things. Biscotti seems to be the exception to this rule.

Inspired by his grandmother and grandfather who love to take fresh vegetables from their garden and cook simple, wholesome dinners, Roan started his own garden about four years ago. He grew vegetables like his grandparents. He decided to grow his own basil so he could replicate his grandmother’s famous pesto recipe. I’ll have to share that in another post.

Roan’s grandfather originally introduced him to biscotti. Roan watched his grandfather cooking these on weekends at their ranch. It was love at first crunch.

Biscotti Makes the Perfect Homemade Christmas Gift!

• They are quite solid after baking and do not break or crumble easily. This makes biscotti ideal for wrapping up and delivering to friends and neighbors.
• Biscotti stays fresh and crunchy much longer than normal cookies and other baked goods. Wrap them in festive plastic gift bags and tie with a bow. Not only will they look beautiful, but they will still be fresh enough for you to deliver to all your friends and still have that fresh-baked taste.
• Are you struggling to find unique gifts to throw in your kids’ stockings this year? Well, this long-lasting treat makes the perfect stocking stuffer for kids of all ages. I mean, who doesn’t like sugar? Am I right?
• They put an extra special spin on your typical holiday cookie. This will make your friends feel like you went out of your way to make THEM feel extra special this holiday season. Don’t worry, they don’t have to know how easy they actually are to make.

Holiday Entertaining with Biscotti

If you are hosting your family’s Christmas this year or simply hosting the annual Christmas party, biscotti is ideal for serving guests all day long. They can pass as a decadent breakfast, an afternoon treat or a late night snack. If you’re looking for a fun activity to keep kids busy while the adults wrap presents or cook dinner, have them decorate a batch of these babies. Set out sprinkles, icing, candies, all the works. Have them compete to make the most beautiful cookie(s) and the adults can be the judges. Such a cute idea to pass the time on a cold winter day.

What is Biscotti?

Biscotti in Italian literally means twice-baked. Traditional cookies in Italy were probably created like this for two reasons. One reason is because the extra bake time takes excess moisture out of the cookies. Since moisture creates opportunity for bacteria to form, this allows the cookies to be stored for longer periods of time.

The second reason is that back then, it was harder to regulate oven temperatures. Baking once at a higher temperature and then a lower temperature ensured that the cookies were completely cooked without being overdone. The crunchy cookie also fits in nicely with the Italian practice of dipping their biscotti into coffee, hot cocoa or hot milk. Feel free to explore more about the history of biscotti.

What is the Origin of Biscotti?

The original biscotti was an almond biscuit from the city of Prato called Cantuccio. The word biscotti in modern Italian literally refers to any kind of cookie or biscuit. The cookie was known for its oblong shape and was originally dipped in Vin Santo (not coffee).

How to Make Your Own Biscotti

Biscotti Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cup chocolate chips