Lemon Biscotti
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Sweet lemon biscotti is a twice baked cookie made with lemon zest and juice that’s drizzled with a sweet and tart lemon glaze.
I first made biscotti several years ago when I was asked to make multiple cookies for Christmas. I didn’t have a ton of time and I needed a cookie I could make ahead of time and keep in a container until the holidays.
I thought of biscotti because it’s a crisp cookie that stays fresh for up to several weeks. My first biscotti was actually made using a brownie mix. I dipped it in chocolate and it was perfection.
Since then I’ve made several different types of biscotti around the holidays. My Gingerbread biscotti is one that I enjoy gifting along with spiced tea bags. Cranberry Pecan Biscotti is delicious as a breakfast or at teat time. The one type of biscotti I make at times other than the holiday is this fun Sprinkle Biscotti.
What is Biscotti?
Biscotti is an Italian almond biscuit cookie that is from the Tuscan city of Prato. They are twice-baked, oblong-shaped, dry, crunchy, and can be dipped in a hot beverage like coffee, espresso, or tea. Biscotti come in many different flavors and can last for up to several weeks.
Lemon biscotti takes a traditional biscotti dough and adds lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract. I actually prefer the flavor of lemon extract paste to regular lemon extract which tends to taste fake to me.
One thing to know about biscotti is that it does take some time to make.  It has to be baked twice in the oven and requires a bit of cooling time in between the two bakes so make sure to leave about an hour from start to finish to make this tasty treat.
Another important thing is that you need a large serrated knife. Don’t try to use a straight edged knife because you will end up ruining the biscotti. You must use a sawing motion when cutting the biscotti before the second bake.
Can I use a different type of citrus?
You can certainly use another type of citrus. Lime, orange, or grapefruit would all be good choices for biscotti. You can even use a combination of several citrus flavors in this recipe for a Citrus Biscotti.
Ingredients:
- all purpose flour
- baking powder (this will help your biscotti rise in the oven)
- salt
- salted butter (you can also use unsalted if you prefer)
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- lemon (you will be using the zest and the juice)
- lemon extract paste (you can also use lemon extract but I prefer the flavor of the paste)
- powdered sugar (this is for the glaze on top)
To make the biscotti preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract and mix well.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Turn the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and divide in half. Shape each into a rectangle that is close to an inch thick.Â
Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Use a serrated knife and cut on a diagonal into 1/4 inch pieces. Lay biscotti on their side and bake for 8 minutes, flip, and bake for 6-8 additional minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
I really enjoyed this biscotti!  It is crisp but softens when dunked into a hot tea of coffee.  The flavor is buttery with hints of fresh lemon.
How do you store biscotti?
You can store them in an air tight container or a cookie tin for 2 to 3 weeks. I like to put parchment paper in between the layers and keep them in a cookie tin.
The glaze on top was both sweet and tart which was perfect with the crisp cookie. You can also drizzle with a white chocolate glaze if you prefer.
Lemon Biscotti
Equipment
Ingredients
For the biscotti:
- 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 Tablespoons salted butter melted then cooled
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract paste
For the glaze:
- 1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs and mix well.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Divide the dough in half and form each half into a 3/4 inch thick log (it should be 10-12 inches long and 3 inches wide).
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
- Use the serrated knife and cut 1/4 inch slices on a diagonal.
- Set the slices on their side on the baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Flip the biscotti over and cook for 6-8 additional minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Once cool combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice and mix well. Drizzle over top of the biscotti and allow to sit 15 minutes for the glaze to dry.
Notes