Crunchy and delicious, healthy gluten-free almond biscotti are perfect for dunking in a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet wine. And whilst these twice-baked Italian-inspired cookies look rather fancy, they are very easy to make. Healthy biscotti with almonds (also known as cantuccini biscuits) are sugar-free, dairy-free and good for you too!
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Why you'll love this healthy recipe
- Deliciously crunchy and almond-y, healthy gluten-free biscotti are perfect Christmas cookies for coeliacs
- Full of the goodness of almonds, they are rich in vitamin E, and high in fibre and protein. The protein and almonds make these healthy biscotti especially satisfying
- Refined sugar-free biscotti. There's just a small amount of honey, so they are not overly sweet and are much lower carb than traditional biscuits and cookies
- Gluten-free, grain-free biscotti with almonds are also dairy-free and low in saturated fat (no butter or oil). They are also suitable for a paleo diet.
- You can vary the recipe to suit with optional add-ins
You might also like these healthy stollen bites made with almonds, honey, dried fruit and Christmas spices. Or browse more healthy Christmas recipes.
Ingredients
Ground almonds are used in place of flour in these grain-free, gluten-free biscotti cookies. They add a lovely rich flavour.
You can also make biscotti with almond flour if you can't get ground almonds.
If you want to grind your own almonds, use blanched almonds and process until finely ground.
Coconut flour adds a lovely natural sweetness (without tasting of coconut!). Although there's only a small amount in the recipe, a little goes a long way, as coconut flour is super absorbent. Measure the quantity carefully.
Tip: store coconut flour in the fridge. Why not try these delicious coconut flour blueberry muffins, they are simple, satisfying and easy to make. You can also make fruit crumble with coconut flour.
Whole almonds make these biscotti a real treat. You could use other nuts if you prefer such as pistachios or hazelnuts, but make sure they are unsalted.
Honey adds sweetness to these sugar-free Italian cookies. Use maple syrup instead if you prefer, or a carb-free liquid sweetener if you want a sugar-free keto biscotti recipe.
Egg binds the ingredients and is essential. I've never tried making this gluten-free almond biscotti recipe with an egg replacer. Let me know in the comments section if you do.
Almond essence is optional. Although there's a lot of almonds in the recipe, using almond essence gives them more of a classic almond-y flavour.
If you'd prefer a more subtle flavour, you could use vanilla instead.
A pinch of salt helps to bring out the sweetness, and baking powder adds a slight rise to the mixture. Make sure that your baking powder is gluten-free.
Variations of healthy biscotti
For a festive twist, why not make healthy Christmas gluten-free biscotti with cranberries? They'll add a fruity tang and look pretty too. You could use other dried fruit, such as sultanas or raisins, if you prefer.
Or add a small amount of lemon or orange zest for a citrus twist, which goes well with almonds.
If you're a chocolate lover, why not add dark chocolate chunks to the mixture for the ultimate gluten-free Christmas biscotti? Alternatively, dip the ends of each cookie into melted dark chocolate.
How to make gluten free almond biscotti
This recipe is very easy to make, but a little different from most cookie recipes as classic cantuccini are twice-cooked. This gives them the perfect crunchy biscotti texture.
Add the whole and ground almonds, coconut flour, salt and baking powder to a bowl and stir to mix.
Make a well in the centre, and add the beaten egg, honey and almond extract.
Mix with a fork until it starts to form a dough.
Form into two log shapes with your hands. They should be about 12 x 4cm. Then place them on the tray and flatten them so they are about 2 cm high (they'll become wider!).
Bake in a preheated oven at 160 (140 fan) for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Once cool, slice the logs diagonally into 1cm slices. Use a serrated knife and a sawing action as you'll need to cut through the whole almonds.
Bake for a second time for 20 minutes at 140 degrees (120 fan). Turn partway so that they brown evenly.
Healthy gluten-free almond biscotti will still be soft when they come out of the oven but will harden up as they cool.
When cool, transfer to an airtight container. They keep very well and will stay crisp for a week or two. You can also freeze these healthy biscotti.
Serving gluten free dairy free biscotti
Biscotti or cantuccini are traditionally served with a drink for dunking as they are quite a hard biscuit. In Italy where they originate from, they are often served as a dessert to dip in vin santo which is a sweet wine.
But they are also ideal with coffee, which is my favourite way to eat them.
Gluten-free almond biscotti also make a lovely homemade gift, especially if you have a friend who is coeliac. Pop them in a clip-top jar and tie a pretty ribbon around the top.
You could make up a little gift hamper with a bottle of sweet wine or some nice coffee. And maybe tuck in some of these cocoa dusted almonds or chocolate coconut truffles.
Frequently asked questions
Biscotti are twice-baked, which makes them quite hard and crunchy. This makes them ideal for dipping or dunking into wine and coffee and also means that they keep well. If you enjoy crunchy cookies, you might also like these healthy oat crumble biscuits.
This gluten-free almond biscotti recipe is made with healthy ingredients. There's no wheat flour and no dairy - the fat in the biscuits is all healthy fat from the almonds. They are sweetened with just a small amount of honey and no added refined sugar. These healthy biscotti also have more protein and lower carbs than other types of biscuits or cookies.
Each of these healthy biscotti has just under one hundred calories (they'll vary slightly depending on the size and how many almonds are in each!). They are very satisfying because they're full of protein, fibre and healthy fats.
Yes, you can grind your own almonds to make gluten free almond biscotti. Simply add raw (unroasted) almonds to a high powered blender and blitz briefly until they turn to powder. Stop every few seconds and shake the blender. Don't over process as the almonds will start to turn to almond butter!
Other healthy treats with almonds
If you love the flavour of almonds and honey, try this irresistible healthy homemade marzipan.
Here are some other healthy treats which feature almonds. They are all made without flour and are gluten free.
You might also like these other healthy cookies and biscuits.
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Recipe
Healthy Gluten Free Almond Biscotti
Equipment
- baking tray
- baking paper or baking mat
Ingredients
- 150 g ground almonds
- 10 g coconut flour
- 75 g whole almonds
- pinch salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees (140 fan). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Add the ground almonds, coconut flour, whole almonds, salt and baking powder to a bowl and stir together.150 g ground almonds, 10 g coconut flour, 75 g whole almonds, pinch salt, ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg, honey and almond extract. Mix together with a fork until it starts to form a dough.1 large egg, 2 tablespoon honey, ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Using your hands, form the dough into two logs about 12cm by 4cm. Place on the tray and flatten to about 2cm thick.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Slice the logs diagonally into 1cm slices. Use a sawing action with a serrated knife so that you can cut through the whole almonds.
- Pop the slices back on the tray and bake at 140 degrees (120 fan) for a further 20 minutes.
- Leave to cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Make sure that the baking powder that you use is gluten free.
- Use vanilla extract if you'd prefer a less pronounced almond flavour.
- As a variation, why not try healthy Christmas gluten-free biscotti with cranberries? Or add a little lemon or orange zest. Whole almonds can be substituted with other unsalted nuts such as pistachios or hazelnuts.
- You can also make biscotti with almond flour if you can't get ground almonds. If you want to grind your almonds at home, use blanched almonds and process until finely ground.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
Megan says
Very moreish, really nutty and delicious with coffee.