About This Recipe
Honey sweetens these almond biscotti alongside a smaller amount of granulated sugar. Orange zest gives the dough a citrus note without a glaze. The first bake sets the logs; slicing and a second bake dry the cut faces. Plan for a short rest between bakes and a full cooling period before storing them.
Recipe
Honey Almond Biscotti with Orange Zest
Bake honey almond biscotti in logs, slice while warm and bake again to dry the cut faces. Includes the rest between bakes and complete cooling.
9Ingredients
Yield: 12 servings
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 140 g raw almonds
- 113 g honey
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 100 g whole eggs without shells
- 4 g baking powder
- 2 g table salt
- 3 g orange zest
- 4 g vanilla extract
Ingredient amounts scale; instructions show the original batch. Cooking times and pan sizes may need adjustment. Season to taste. Honey grams use US measures at 20°C and 17.5% moisture, a density estimate; weigh your honey for precision.
Instructions
- 1Toast the almondsHeat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Spread the almonds on a tray and toast for 7 to 9 minutes, until fragrant. Cool enough to handle, leaving them whole. Reduce the oven to 325 F (160 C) and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- 2Mix the honey doughWhisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, honey, sugar, orange zest and vanilla until blended. Stir the wet mixture into the flour, then fold in the almonds. The dough will be sticky.
- 3Shape two logsDivide the dough in half on the lined tray. Using clean, lightly damp hands, shape two logs about 25 cm long, 5 cm wide and 2 cm high. Leave at least 8 cm between them for spreading.
- 4Bake the logs and restBake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the surfaces are golden and the logs feel firm. Transfer the tray to a rack and rest for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 300 F (150 C).
- 5Slice and bake againMove the warm logs to a board. With a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, cut on a slight diagonal into about 24 slices, roughly 1.3 cm thick. Arrange cut-side down on lined trays. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the slices over and bake another 10 minutes until the cut faces feel dry. Allow a little longer for thicker slices.
- 6Cool before packingCool on racks for about 45 minutes. The slices become firmer as they cool. Divide into 12 servings of two biscotti, grouping small end pieces with a larger slice. Store airtight only after the cookies are completely cool. The total includes almond toasting, both bakes, the rest and cooling.
Estimated nutrition per serving
201.43 calories · 6.82 g fat · 30.6 g carbohydrate · 5.7 g protein · 112.82 mg sodium
Serving: 1 of 12 servings
Calculated from ingredient weights and USDA FoodData Central: 168894, 170567, 169640, 169655, 171287, 172803, 173468, 169103, 173471. Estimates use ingredient input weights; actual portions, brands and cooking losses vary. Omitted nutrient values are unavailable, not zero.
The Two Bakes Have Different Jobs
The first bake gives the dough enough structure to slice. The second dries the exposed crumb. A log that has only had its first bake is still a soft cookie inside, even if its surface is golden.
MIT OpenCourseWare's biscotti lesson describes returning the cut slices to the oven and notes that they become harder on cooling. This honey-and-orange formula uses that twice-baked method with its own measured ingredient balance.
Flavor intensity uses an editorial culinary scale: 1 is mild and 5 is bold. These are tasting suggestions, not laboratory measurements.
Sources: UC Agriculture and Natural Resources: cooking with honey; USDA FoodData Central: Nuts, almonds; MIT OpenCourseWare: twice-baked biscotti method.
1 = mild, 5 = bold. Editorial pairing guidance, not laboratory measurements; jars vary.
- Clover
- Toasted almonds and orange
- Wildflower
- A fuller honey biscotti
- Orange blossom
- Citrus and almond
Get the Honey Buyer's Cheat Sheet (free PDF)
16 varieties on one page — color, flavor, best use and what a fair price looks like — from the 304 honeys we track.
Keep the Almonds Whole
Whole almonds leave visible cross-sections in the sliced cookies. Toast them first, then cool them enough that they do not warm the egg mixture. Watch closely near the end of toasting because a hot tray continues to color the nuts.
Use a serrated knife to saw gently through the warm log. Pushing straight down can split a slice where the blade meets an almond. The 15-minute rest helps the log hold together without becoming fully cold and brittle.
Honey and Orange in the Dough
Clover honey keeps the citrus and almond flavors clear. Wildflower makes the honey more noticeable. The zest goes into the dough, while the juice is left out so the stated flour and egg balance stays consistent.
The honey supplies part of the sweetness throughout the cookie. These slices do not need a honey dip after baking. For a softer option to serve alongside them, try honey oatmeal cookies.
Dry the Cut Faces, Then Cool
Try to cut similar thicknesses so the second bake finishes evenly. Turn each slice to expose both faces to the oven. End pieces can dry sooner; move them off the tray when ready.
The cookies continue to firm on the rack. Pack them only when cold and keep them separate from moist cakes. Offer them with coffee, or make a cookie plate with honey cookies and honey brownies.
Portions and Ingredient Estimates
The estimate uses 12 servings, with two of the 24 slices per serving. Group uneven end pieces by weight if you want similar portions. All the almonds, honey and sugar are included.
A chocolate coating is not part of this formula. Additions or a different number of slices need a new portion calculation. The estimate uses the listed ingredient weights before baking and does not model water lost in the oven.
Choosing the Honey
Use Clover Honey or Wildflower Honey for the flavor described in this recipe. See our honey selection guide for other culinary choices.
