Ever seen those gigantic biscotti at Starbucks (or any coffee store)? The ones that look particularly appealing in the late afternoon, when you’re hungry and looking for a pick-me-up? Although they may hit the spot, unfortunately those biscotti–like most biscotti and cookies (sorry to say, but biscotti qualify as cookies)– will not keep you satisfied for very long, considering they are primarily made of white flour and sugar.
That’s the beauty of these biscotti. While not super low in calories, they’re made of high quality ingredients and can actually function as a healthy, sustaining snack. So pack a few of these for a sweet breakfast or snack to keep you going throughout the day.
If you’re thinking biscotti… that sounds way too fancy and complex, I understand. I’m (or more rather, was) with you. I didn’t make biscotti for 2+ years, under the assumption that they were too annoying and complex to make. After all, biscotti’s trademark characteristic is that it’s baked twice. It takes enough planning to bake cookies, now I have to do it twice?
Finally, I got my lazy butt to realize that turning on the oven for a second time a couple hours later and popping the biscotti back in was really not that hard. So don’t be intimidated and try these out.
Rustic Raisin & Walnut Biscotti
Makes about 2 dozen fairly large biscotti
Adapted from the Spunky Coconut
*You’ll notice two forms of measurement in this recipe. Classically, baking is measured in weight because it’s more exact. If you have a scale, I recommend using it. Your measurements will be more exact and bonus points– you don’t need to use (and thus clean) any measuring cups! Just place the bowl on scale and zero the scale for each ingredient.
- 3 eggs, or 2 egg + 2 egg whites (174 grams)
- 4 droppers stevia extract (alternatively 2 tablespoons or so of honey or maple syrup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups oat or whole wheat pastry flour (250 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups almond meal (167 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (30 grams)
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar, xylitol, or regular sugar (53 grams, for xylitol only, as each sweetener will weigh differently)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup raisins **If raisins are super hard, hydrate them in some water for about 10 minutes and then drain them.
Grain-Free Option
The recipe I adapted this from used entirely almond meal, so if you want a grain-free option, my guess is that you can use entirely almond meal (so 1 3/4 cup almond meal). Alternatively, I cannot vouch for exactly how the texture will turn out, but you can probably use less almond flour if would like to reduce fat/calories, although I’d be wary of doing any less than 1/3 cup.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, cinnamon, cornstarch, sugar, and baking powder with a whisk. Use your hands to break apart any clumps that may have formed from the almond flour.
In a separate larger bowl, use an electric mixer to beat eggs with stevia and vanilla until the egg whites and yolks are fully whisked together. Then slowly add in the dry ingredients (I did it in about three batches) while continuing to whisk at a low speed. The dough should be slightly sticky and clump together when you press it together.
Add in raisins and walnuts, incorporating them into the dough with your hands.
Place the dough on a well oiled/sprayed cookie sheet and begin to flatten out the dough into a uniform rectangle (often referred to as a “log), about 1/3” to 1/2” high. Put in the oven until it is slightly hard and golden, about 20 minutes.
Let the log cool entirely, and then cut into 1/2” x 6” slices using a very sharp knife. Place pieces–with the inside face down–onto the baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 and once the oven is heated, put the biscotti back in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the biscotti are slightly golden.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week or two. Serve with coffee or milk–these are perfect dipping into a warm beverage.
P.S. I haven’t yet tried it, but I’ve read that you can successfully freeze biscotti–I’ll be trying it out shortly and will let you know if it works!
