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–+ servings
Lemon biscotti with a lemon glaze on a baking tray.
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Lemon Biscotti

This easy lemon biscotti recipe comes together in a matter of minutes and is flavored with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, and topped with a sweet lemon glaze. Enjoy these crunchy lemon biscotti with a cup of tea or coffee. 
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings25 Biscotti
saltyginger.comMary-Lou

Equipment

  • Baking Tray

Ingredients
 
 

lemon biscotti

  • ¾ cup white granulated sugar
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 8 tablespoons butter (room temperature *Note 1)
  • 2 eggs  (medium-large *Note 2)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh lemon juice)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups plain flour (all-purpose/standard grade)
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ cup almonds (raw, chopped or slivered)

lemon glaze

  • ½ cup icing sugar (powdered/confectioner's sugar)
  • 4 teaspoons lemon juice (fresh lemon juice)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two baking sheets or a single large baking sheet with parchment paper or baking paper. Set aside. 
  • In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the lemon flavor into the sugar. *Note 3
    ¾ cup white granulated sugar, zest of 2 lemons
    Step 2 - Lemon zest rubbed into the sugar.
  • Add the room-temperature butter to the lemon-sugar mixture and beat together until smooth and creamy. This will take about 2-3 minutes. 
    8 tablespoons butter
  • Add in the eggs and beat until smooth and creamy. Then add in the lemon juice and vanilla (and lemon extract if using) and beat in until mixed. 
    2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    Step 4 - Eggs beaten into the creamed butter and sugar.
  • Add the dry ingredients (almonds, baking powder, salt, and half the flour) to the wet ingredients. Mix through, then add the last bit of flour and mix until a smooth dough forms. You can mix the dough by hand to make the dough smooth and cohesive.
    2½ cups plain flour, ½ teaspoon table salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¾ cup almonds
    Step 5 - Biscotti dough in a mixing bowl.
  • Divide the biscotti dough into two. Take one half, and form it into a rough sausage shape about 20-25cm (7-10 inches) long and about 3-5cm (1-2 inches) wide. Place the rolls onto the prepared lined baking tray. *Note 4
    Step 6 - Log of biscotti dough on a baking tray.
  • Bake the dough for 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool. You can lift the logs onto a wire rack if needed. 
  • Once the dough has cooled enough to handle, use a sharp knife and slice either straight across or at a slight diagonal to about 1.5 cm-2.5 cm (0.5-1 inch) thick. *Note 5
  • Place the slices, in a single layer, onto a baking sheet, and bake for the second time for a total of 25-35 minutes. I like to bake them for 10 minutes, then flip them over and bake for 10 minutes, and then prop them on the bottoms and finish off the bake for another 10 minutes. This will dry out the biscotti and give it a deep golden brown color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. *note 6
    Step 9 - baked biscotti laid out on a baking tray for the second bake.
  • To make the lemon glaze, mix together the icing sugar and lemon juice, starting with half of the lemon juice and moving up to create a nice pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cooled biscotti.
    ½ cup icing sugar, 4 teaspoons lemon juice

All temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. Decrease the temperature by 20°C/25°F or gas mark 1 for "fan" or air-fryers.

Video

Notes

  1. All ingredients must be at room temperature before baking. This can take up to an hour for refrigerated ingredients. 
  2. New Zealand size 6 eggs are around the same size as an Australian/South African Large or a US/European medium.
  3. You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer to rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
  4. If the dough is feeling a bit sticky, wet your hands before getting in there.
  5. I find that sometimes a sharp serrated knife breaks off pieces of the biscotti, and personally prefer to use a sharp chef's knife.
  6. The thickness of the slices will determine how quickly the biscotti cookies dry out in the oven. 

Small-Batch 

If you only want a small batch of biscotti, this recipe can be easily halved by clicking on the "½" button by the ingredients. Simply follow all the instructions and make a single biscotti log for the first bake. 

Storage and Freezing

Store the lemon almond biscotti at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1biscotto | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 115mg