Have you ever had the experience of buying something from a mediocre bakery and tasting something that tasted only sweet and nothing else? If there’s one thing I love about making my own baked goods, it’s being able to make things flavorful!
As a lover of anise and almond flavors, these cookies check all my happy boxes! They are easy to make and are made with primarily healthy ingredients—yes, olive oil. They are low in sugar and oil, and best of all, they taste of something more than just sugar. They also keep for a long time.
The combination of anise seeds and almonds is genuinely perfect, and though there are many ways to make biscotti, I keep returning to this. I even made them for Christmas—decorating them by dipping them into white chocolate and giving them a sprinkle with Swedish pearl sugar. Though I must say, they are perfectly wonderful just as they come out of the oven!
Almond-Anise Biscotti
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp anise extract (optional)
- 1-½ cups coarsely chopped almonds
- 1-2 Tbsp anise seed
- White chocolate, melted (optional)
- Swedish pearl sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 300º F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with baker’s parchment paper.
Whisk all-purpose and almond flour, salt, and baking powder together in a medium bowl; set aside.
In a larger bowl, combine sugar and olive oil until well blended. Add in the vanilla, almond, and anise (if using) extracts, then whisk in the eggs. Stir the dry ingredients gradually into the egg mixture until combined, then add almonds and anise seeds.
Divide dough in half on the parchment, shaping each into a log with your hands, approximately 12” x 3”, rounding them slightly on top. The dough will be sticky, but if you dampen your fingers, it will be easier to shape. Bake for 35 minutes or until they are light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes; lower the oven temperature to 275º F.
With a sharp knife, cut the logs diagonally into ¾” slices. Lay them on their sides on the parchment-covered baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes more or until dry. Cool and enjoy with your favorite coffee drink!
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Store in an airtight container—they will keep for a long time.
If you want to dip them into chocolate, melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water (make sure it doesn’t get wet). When thoroughly melted, dip one end of each cookie into the chocolate, then lightly sprinkle with pearl sugar (or other sprinkles).
