The only thing better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning, is a hot cup of coffee with a biscotti. These sweet, crunchy Italian cookies are the perfect cookies for “dunking.” Unlike other cookies, they don’t crumble apart in your mug!
And, if you want to have the “authentic Italian biscotti experience,” you can dunk your biscotti in red wine — that’s what the Italian side of my family does 😊. The recipe I’m sharing with you, today, is my Grandpa Carmen’s recipe for Anise Biscotti – he’s been making these cookies for years and they are a staple treat at family gatherings. These biscotti are sweet and satisfying, and the Anise oil adds a unique and delicious flavor. If you want to indulge yourself a little at breakfast time (or after dinner with a glass of wine), this recipe is perfect for you!
A bit of biscotti history
The origins of biscotti trace all the way back to Roman times. The long, dry, finger-like wafers were popular food for travelers. Due to their durability and long shelf-life, the wafers were a staple in the diet of Roman Legions.
However, it wasn’t until the Renaissance that the flavorful Italian cookie we know and love today was brought to life. The modern biscotti is credited to a Tuscan baker who served the cookie with a local sweet wine. Unlike the biscotti of Roman times, Tuscan biscotti, called cantucci, were flavored with almonds from the lush almond groves of Prato.
Soon, Italian bakers in every province were putting their own spin on biscotti. Some popular flavors today include anisette (my favorite and the recipe I’m sharing with you!), amaretto, and lemon. Other biscotti favorites include chocolate-coated biscotti and biscotti baked with dried fruit or nuts.
Tips for making Grandpa Carmen’s Italian biscotti
Most of the ingredients for these biscotti you can probably find on-hand, but you may need to make a special stop to pick up some Anise oil. We purchased the Rosa brand of Anise oil at a local Italian shop, Frangella Italian Market, Inc. However, if you can’t find this oil near you, you can also order it online at Amazon.com. Another tip to keep in mind when using Anise oil is that it is quite potent. Be sure to only use the recommended amount so the flavor is not too overpowering.
Additionally, I’ve given recommended baking times in the directions below, but you can adjust these to achieve the texture of biscotti that you prefer. I like to slightly undercook mine so that they are a little more soft and chewy (but still great for dunking!). My grandpa, on the other hand, likes to cook them a little longer so that they are more on the crunchy side.
I hope you enjoy this delicious Italian treat! I would love to hear from you in the comments below! Let me know what you think of this recipe or what your favorite flavor of biscotti is! 😊
Authentic Italian Anise Biscotti
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- 2 sticks butter (melted)
- 3 cups sugar
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 5 cups flour
- 1 1/4 tsp. Anise oil
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F and line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined into a thick dough.
- Divide dough in half.
- Place half of the dough onto jelly roll pan and form into a long, log-like shape.
- Bake in oven for about 20 min or until firm to the touch.
- Use a knife to cut the biscotti loaf into about half-inch slices. Turn each slice on its side and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes on each side. (I used a pizza stone for this step and started preparing the other half of the dough on the jelly roll pan.)
- Repeat steps 4 through 6 with other half of dough.
- Enjoy!
Yum!! My mouth is watering reading this post!! I love these cookies!! So glad I finally got the recipe…lol!! They are delicious. I have tried other flavors like you had mentioned, some homemade and some store bought, but there is something so delicious about the Anise flavor. I love it dunked in my coffee and I actually love to dunk them in orange juice at breakfast time!! Can’t wait to make these!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Also, I love the history behind them 😊 so interesting!!
Thank you for your comment! I agree–the Anise flavor is one of the best! 😉 I’ve never dunked biscotti in orange juice before! Will have to try that next time I make them :).
Thank you! Do I melt the butter or just let it get soft? I’d love to make them for my family.
I melt the butter for this recipe. I hope you and your family enjoy the cookies!