| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 40 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Inactive: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 50 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle. Cream the mixture until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to mix well before each addition. Add the orange zest and basil and blend on low speed, about 30 seconds.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the standing mixer and beat until combined. Fold in the almonds.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Using floured hands, shape the dough into logs. Brush off the excess flour. Place the logs on the baking sheet, spaced 5 inches apart.
- Flatten each log into a 2-inch-wide strip. Bake the logs, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until browned and set, about 30 minutes. Transfer the logs to a cooling rack and cool, about 15 minutes.
- Reduce the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Transfer the logs to a work surface. Cut each log diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices using a serrated knife. Arrange the slices, cut-side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the slices, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer the slices to the cooling racks and let cool.
- The biscotti can be made 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 435 |
| Total Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 63 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 25 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Cholesterol | 111 mg |
| Sodium | 270 mg |
Reviews
1st biscotti I’ve ever made and is my favorite
Love the basil orange flavor
Love the basil orange flavor
Made this the first time with the dried basil…it was good, but couldn’t taste the basil. Second time made it with fresh basil… perfect! Yummy. What I love about this recipe is that it didn’t take long to make and did not make eighty biziliion cookies. Perfect amount!
very easy and delicious. I was afraid to add the basil, I am glad I did, delicious. I did not have oranges, so I added orange extract instead of the orange zest. I will try with the orange zest soon. Can’t wait to do these again. Thanks Melissa, not only are you a great star, but also a great teacher!
I love making biscotti – an elegant cookie that is easy. This recipe certainly met my expectations! I was intrigued by the combination of orange and basil but leery as I am not a huge basil fan. It does not have a strong basil flavor, in fact the basil blends so well with the orange (hubby didn’t even recognize the basil!. I used fresh basil since I had some on hand. A definite keeper!
I like this recipe but skipped the basil. I added a dash of pure almond extract; but vanilla would be nice also. I used to make biscotti on a baking sheet making two logs. I invested in a biscotti pan (not a big investment and now make one normal sized biscotti. I also dipped it in a chocolate ganache.
I have made this several times and it is always fabulous and delicious! This is a fairly easy recipe and also makes a simple, yet elegant gift.
My notes:
a I usually double the recipe anymore, as they disappear so fast.
b Always refrigerate the dough before shaping. I do put a little bit of oil or butter on my fingers when handling the dough because it can be sticky. Just pat with your fingers to shape quickly and do not overwork the dough.
c I say basil is optional, though I always put it in.
(The orange flavor is lovely enough by itself, but even more so with the sliced almonds.
d Adding 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips is also nice.
My notes:
a I usually double the recipe anymore, as they disappear so fast.
b Always refrigerate the dough before shaping. I do put a little bit of oil or butter on my fingers when handling the dough because it can be sticky. Just pat with your fingers to shape quickly and do not overwork the dough.
c I say basil is optional, though I always put it in.
(The orange flavor is lovely enough by itself, but even more so with the sliced almonds.
d Adding 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips is also nice.
A real keeper! I also omitted the basil and added a half cup of chocolate chips! Perfection! Thank you Melissa!
loved this receipe…i did not use the basil the first time i made them…but they were really good…making them again now…thanks…
wow this was so easy fun and wonderful to eat love them but I expect nothing else from Melissa she is wonderful and I was cheering her on to win the food network when she was on. This is a wonderful cookie.
This was amaazingly easy and tasty. As someone else noted, you do need a good bit of flour to shape the VERY sticky dough. Also, I didn’t think my family would go for the basil, so instead I put in some dried cherries. Very, very yummy!