An easy walnut biscotti recipe that anyone can make! These thin biscotti with walnuts are crispy, low in calories, last for ages and can be turned into a gift!
This biscotti recipe post includes a video, process photos as well as FAQs that you might find helpful.
What is biscotti?
Biscotti are dry, twice-baked biscuits that originated in Italy. The traditional recipes for these Italian cookies contain almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts or pine nuts. Nowadays people also use various seeds, glazes and flavorings.
How many calories in a biscotti?
A thin walnut biscotti is very low in calories in comparison to the classic Italian biscotti. This recipe has a good amount of walnuts, which makes it a good light snack as well.
One walnut biscotti slice contains 37 calories when following this recipe.
How to make biscotti
The prep is divided into 2 days. On day one, you make the batter by whisking egg whites and sugar, folding in sifted flour and whole walnuts. This batter goes into a loaf tin and is baked for the first time.
When ready, take it out, wrap it in aluminum foil and let cool completely before chilling in the fridge overnight.
The next day, you cut the loaf into very thin biscotti slices and bake until golden brown and crispy.
How to eat biscotti?
You can enjoy them on their own as a snack or treat or you can dunk them into your tea or coffee to soften them a bit. Because these walnut biscotti are thin, you don’t need much of an effort to bite into them!
How to store biscotti?
A cookie jar or any airtight container will do! Just leave them on your kitchen counter (or in your pantry) and enjoy whenever you feel like it!
Once they are twice-baked and cooled down completely, they will be hard – completely dried out. This means they will last for weeks when stored properly.
Wrapped in cellophane or placed in a nice box they will make a great gift for your family and friends.
What to do with leftover egg yolks?
This walnut biscotti recipe calls for egg whites only which means you will end up with some yolks. You can add them to an omelet, or use them to make mayonnaise, homemade pasta dough or shortcrust pastry!
Walnuts are tasty nuts with a ton of health benefits. They are great in cooking as well as in baking. If you are looking for more walnut recipes or recipe ideas to use walnuts, here is some inspiration for you:
- Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
- Walnut Crescent Cookies
- Goat Cheese Salad with Walnut Dressing
- Cottage Cheese Bread with Walnuts
- Chocolate Walnut Truffles
Check out our video for how to make biscotti with walnuts:
Walnut Biscotti
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites (from large eggs), see note 1
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120 grams), see note 2
- 1 cup all-purpose flour , not heaped, (120 grams), see note 3
- 1¼ cup whole walnuts (100 grams)
Instructions
- Day 1: Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius).
- In a medium bowl (that holds at least 2-quart/1.9-liter of liquid), whisk egg whites with sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in sifted flour until you get a nice smooth batter and you can’t see any egg whites.
- Next, stir in walnuts. Pour this mixture into a loaf tin lined with baking parchment. Bake for about 35-40 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius) until golden brown and hard to touch.
- When ready, wrap in aluminum foil and let it cool down completely. Chill in the fridge overnight.
- Day 2: Preheat the oven to 200° Fahrenheit (100° Celsius).
- Take the loaf out from the fridge and cut it into 1/8-inch (0.3-centimeter) slices. Place them onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 45 minutes or until dried out and golden brown.
- Let them cool off completely.
- Store in an airtight jar/container on your kitchen counter or in your pantry.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- In the post above this recipe card, you can find ideas on how to use leftover egg yolks.
- Powdered sugar (US) = Icing sugar (UK).
- Make sure not to use a heaped cup. 1 cup or slightly less than a cup of flour is the perfect amount. All-purpose flour (US) = Plain flour (UK).
- Make sure not to use old walnuts. Somewhen not stored properly can turn rancid and you will taste it in biscotti. For that reason, taste one or two walnuts before using them to make sure they are good.
- Use a sharp knife to cut them – a long serrated knife works best if you have such on hand.
- They will last for weeks when stored properly.
Toni says
These are gorgeous AND delicious! They remind me of the biscotti my Grandmother used to make. Great recipe.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you, Toni.
Shruthi says
What a simple but delicious recipe! Love the idea of making gift bags with these!!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks!
Shanna A. says
These were so yummy and the perfect treat to dip in my hot chocolate.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you for your feedback!
Angela says
What a fabulous recipe! Love that you sliced these so thin. Perfect for dunking in my coffee. YUM!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks, Angela!
Tara says
Love walnut biscotti! Yours look absolutely amazing. Beautiful pattern to the cookies made with the pieces of walnuts scattered throughout.
Eleanor says
Hello, loving this recipe! I was wondering how long the half-baked biscotti last, and how to best store them? Can I keep the foil-wrapped loaf in the fridge for around 2 days instead of overnight?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hmm, I have never kept the loaf in the fridge longer than overnight so not sure about this. As for the ready made biscotti, they can last long, weeks but need to be stored in an airtight container – moisture is not their friend. Make sure they are completely dried before storing them though!