GLAZED LEMON BISCOTTI

Read Time: 6 minutes
by Karen
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My glazed lemon biscotti are a delightful twist on the classic Italian treat. These twice-baked cookies boast a perfect balance of zesty lemon flavor and a sweet, glossy glaze that adds an irresistible touch. Each crunchy bite is a symphony of citrus notes, complemented by the buttery richness of the biscotti base. They are baked to golden perfection, creating a satisfying crunch that makes them an ideal companion to your morning coffee or afternoon tea. If you’ve never tried making biscotti cookies before I encourage you to try it. They are extremely easy to make.

What Are Biscotti?

If you’ve never had these Italian cookies before you’re definitely missing out. Originating in Italy biscotti are a type of biscuit or cookie that is cooked until they are hard and crisp. Smaller versions are often called cantucci. Because of their crispness, they are popular dunking biscuits. Traditionally Italians like to dip them in their Vin Santo (a type of dessert wine) or their coffee. Are you a dunker? I have to admit that I’m not a fan of dunking however biscotti are still one of my favorite accompaniments to a cup of coffee.

In Italy, biscotti are traditionally almond-flavored but you can really make almost any flavor you want. These lemon are one of my favorites.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

For the biscotti:

Butter – You want to bring your butter to room temperature before using it.
Granulated sugar
3 eggs – For best results bring your eggs to room temperature before using. Take them out of the fridge at least an hour before baking or drop your cold eggs in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes to bring them to room temperature quickly.
Lemon juice – I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Lemon zest – For zest always use unwaxed lemons.
Baking powder

For the glaze:

Icing Sugar
Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice will give you the best flavor.

How Do You Make Biscotti?

If you’ve never made these biscuits before it’s really quite easy. The English translation of biscotti means twice cooked. “Bis” meaning two times and “cotto” meaning cooked or baked. And that’s exactly what you do. After making the dough you lay it out whole in a log shape and bake. After the first baking, you cut the dough into slices and bake again to get that crispness that biscotti are known for.

Make batter – Cream the butter and sugar in a medium-sized bowl until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and zest and stir until it’s evenly incorporated. Add the eggs 1 at a time beating well after each one. In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold until just combined.
Shape dough – Dust a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet lightly with flour and add the dough mixture to the tray. Gently form the dough into a log about 6 inches wide. The dough will be a little sticky so add a little more flour if needed to help shape. Once your log is almost the length of the tray gently press down until the dough is about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 30 minutes at 350F or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Turn oven down to 300F.

Cut dough – Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 1-inch wide slices diagonally. Place the slices on their side and bake for another 20 minutes before turning and baking on the other side for another 15 minutes (20 if you prefer a very crip biscotti). Allow the biscotti to cool before adding glaze.

Slied biscotti cookies on a cookie sheet about to go into the oven.

Prepare glaze – In a small bowl add the lemon juice to the icing sugar in 1/2 cup increments until you have the desired consistency. Only add as much as you need. The glaze should be fairly thick but still pourable. It should coat the back of a spoon while allowing some drip.

Glaze cookies – For best results place biscotti on a wire rack placed on top of the parchment paper-lined baking tray so that the glaze does not pool on the bottom of the biscotti. Using a piping bag or just a spoon drizzle the glaze over the biscotti and let cool completely before serving.

A sheet of biscotti cookies being drizzled with a lemon glaze.

Frequently asked questions;

Is biscotti better with butter or oil? While some traditional recipes call for eggs only and no butter or oil, there is no hard rule when making biscotti. Both wasy are acceptable. However, keep in mind that biscotti made with butter or oil may be a little softer and will not have the same shelf life that those made without do. 

What do Italians dip their biscotti in? Biscotti are made for dipping and Italians love to dip their biscotti or cantucci into sweet red wines like Vin Santo or Marsala. Many consider it the perfect way to end a meal. That being said you will also often see Italians dipping their biscotti into their espresso or cappucino.

Cantucci;

You can also use this same recipe to make the smaller-sized cantucci. Just divide your dough in half and make two logs that are 3 inches wide before baking.

Variations;

You can also use blood oranges or even just regular oranges in place of the lemon. If you make orange-flavored biscotti try topping them with a dark chocolate glaze. You can also add pistachios or almonds for added flavor. Just add them to the dry mixture before you combine them with the wet ingredients.

How To Store Biscotti;

Biscotti will stay fresh and crisp in a cookie jar or sealed container for up to 5 days. For a longer shelf life, you can also freeze biscotti. After baking allow them to cool and then freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet or plate overnight and then place in a sealed container or freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.