Makes 16 Biscotti
These vegan lemon almond biscotti are classic flavors with the lemon on blast. I used to eat biscotti like these at an espresso spot in Little Italy. Just me and my journal, a coffee, and a million honking taxis on a relaxing NYC afternoon. I’m sure they loved that someone who spent like 3 bucks was taking up a table writing her memoir for two hours.
Biscotti is one of the most underrated cookies out there. It looks like it came straight from a bakery, it keeps well, it’s perfect with coffee or tea, and it’s actually really easy to make. The secret is that instead of scooping out individual cookies, you bake the dough in two big logs, slice them, and bake again. Two giant cookies instead of twenty individual ones, which means less work and more satisfaction. The double bake is what gives biscotti that signature crunch: pleasantly dry, crispy and perfect for dunking.
The slicing is the one moment that requires a little technique. Use a large sharp knife and one firm push straight down. No sawing, no back and forth. Use your bodyweight, put your back intro it. One decisive cut and you get a clean biscotti instead of a crumbled mess. It’s easy once you do it once.
This is also a fun one where you get to drizzle lemon glaze all over everything, so have your inner child or your actual child at the ready.
VEGAN LEMON BISCOTTI FAQ
What is biscotti? Biscotti is an Italian cookie that’s baked twice, once as a log, then sliced and baked again until completely dry and crunchy. The name literally means “twice baked.” That double bake is what gives them that signature crunch and makes them perfect for dunking in coffee or tea. They also keep much longer than a regular cookie because all the moisture is baked out.
Can I dip the vegan lemon biscotti in chocolate instead? If you want to dip the bottoms in white chocolate or dark chocolate after the second bake, go for it. I love the citrus chocolate combo.
How do I slice biscotti without it crumbling? One firm push straight down with a large sharp knife. No sawing, no back and forth. Use your bodyweight. Let the logs cool before slicing so they’re set enough to cut cleanly.
Can I use a different nut for this lemon almond biscotti? For sure. Pistachios are beautiful here and very Italian. Hazelnuts work great too. Lemon walnut sounds good to me. Just keep the amount the same.
Can I make these gluten free? People have had good luck with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
Can I skip the glaze? Yup. They’re great plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or dipped in melted chocolate instead.
How did I end up here? You were probably searching for a vegan biscotti recipe, vegan lemon almond biscotti, or easy vegan cookies. And you found this amazing biscotti!
Lemon Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup vegan milk unsweetened
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (golden flax is best)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil melted
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest fresh, grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sliced almonds
For the lemon glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted if clumpy
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, lemon juice and flaxseeds. Beat in the sugar, melted coconut oil, lemon zest and extracts. Mix for about two minutes until relatively smooth.
- Sift in half of the flour, along with the cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Stir just until incorporated, a few dry spots are ok.
- Mix in the almonds, then add the remaining flour and use your hands to form a stiff dough.
- Divide dough into two 5-inch by 3-inch logs. Transfer logs to baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes until puffed up. Remove from oven and cool for 30 to 40 minutes, until firm and just warm to the touch.
- Preheat oven to 350 F again. Transfer the loafs to a cutting board. Use a bread knife to slice into 1-inch slices. Do this in one swift motion, do not saw that the cookies, just press down.
- Place each cookie cut side down on cookie sheet. Bake for 20 more minutes, flipping the cookies halfway through.
- Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cook completely.
- Make the glaze by mixing everything together until there are no lumps.
- Place cooling rack of cookies over the sink. Use a spoon to drizzle the lemon glaze over cooled cookies while they are still on the cooling rack, and let the excess fall into the sink for easy cleaning. Let set in a cool room or in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.
Still have to glaze- but taste like the best biscottis from fancy bakeries!!! Going to try to make all of the cookies you share this week!
Mine didn’t come out really. The dough was pretty moist, so in the first baking they spread more than I think they should have, making two very flat rectangles. I cut them anyway and tried to see if they’d rise somehow. They were so thin, they just crumbled when I cut them. Maybe I’ll just have a plate of fragments. Do you have any ideas? They’re pretty in the picture.
These turned out great for me and were much easier to cut and flip than the chocolate hazelnut biscotti for some reason. I really liked the amount of sweetness and tartness. I was looking for something guest-worthy and these are perfect. (I didn’t have coconut oil but canola seemed to work fine in the same amount.)