Italian Biscotti (Cantucci)
Crunchy, almond-filled Italian treat perfect for dipping in coffee or dessert wine. Easy to make and wonderfully delicious.
Updated : 12 June, 2025
Easy
About 1 hour.
Ingredients
260 grams
Wheat flour
200 grams
Almond
180 grams
Sugar
50 grams
Butter
2
Eggs
3
Egg yolks
10 grams
Lemon zest
1
Oranges
0.2 grams
Vanillin
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Advices
Advice
Be prepared for the possibility that you may need more or less flour than the recipe suggests. Focus not on the amount of flour, but on achieving the desired dough consistency.
Preparation
Step 1
First, prepare the necessary ingredients as listed. Use high-quality flour. I use large, selected eggs. You can replace the almonds with other nuts like peanuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, etc. It's even tastier with a mix of different nuts.
Step 2
Toast all the almonds in a dry skillet.
Step 3
Pour boiling water over approximately 50g of almonds and leave for a few minutes, then drain the water. The skin will soften and easily separate. Grind the peeled almonds into a fine crumble using a coffee grinder or blender.
Step 4
Cut the remaining unpeeled almonds in half. You can also add small pieces of dried fruits like raisins, apricots, or prunes to the cantucci.
Step 5
In a bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer until smooth. Adjust the sugar to your taste.
Step 6
Add warm melted butter, lemon, and orange zest, and beat again.
Step 7
Sift in the flour and ground almonds. Mix again with the mixer until you get a thick, slightly runny dough. Add more flour if necessary.
Step 8
Add the chopped almonds and mix well with a spatula.
Step 9
Using a spatula, transfer the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Dust the dough with flour, and shape it into a long oval form about 10 cm wide and 4 cm thick. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Step 10
Remove excess flour from the baked cookies. Cut the cookies into strips about 2-2.5 cm thick using a sharp knife.
Step 11
Place the cookies on a rack with the cut side up, return them to the oven, and bake for another 10 minutes using the "top + bottom + convection" mode. If you don’t have this setting, first bake for 6-10 minutes on one side, then flip and bake for another 6-10 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Cool the baked cookies.
Step 12
Let the Cantucci cool completely. Serve with sweet Italian dessert wine, coffee, or tea. Enjoy!