If you’ve ever wanted to make biscotti but felt intimidated by the shaping and slicing drama—this one’s for you. We’re ditching the traditional log and going loaf-style. Yes, you heard that right: this biscotti bakes in a loaf pan, sliced and baked again for that crunchy texture. It’s small-batch, nutty, lightly sweet, and has a secret flavor twist that coffee lovers will adore.

I had made several Biscotti before and although I find the process quite easy, I wanted to try a different approach this time to make it even easier and less messy. I thought why not bake it in a loaf pan! This way, we can skip the measuring and shaping. Want to see how to do this new method? Have a look at this short video.

What is Biscotti?

Biscotti is a twice baked cookie or biscuit (as other people may call it) which originated from Italy. It is a dried out cookie, sometimes sliced thick and sometimes slicked thinly. It could be plain, with nuts or with dried fruits. The cookie is shaped into a log or rectangular shape then baked until cookie is slightly browned. It is then sliced and baked the second time to further dry it out and make it crunchy crispy. Because of it’s dried out texture, this cookie is the perfect cookie for dipping in coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

Making a Biscotti is a relatively simple process, although it requires baking the cookie twice, the entire process is still pretty simple and easy.  One of the characteristic of Biscotti is its dried out crunchy texture, and this is the reason why this cookie is bake two times. Although we want a dried out crunchy crispy Biscotti, we certainly do not want a broken tooth when you bit on the Biscotti, we want to make friends by sharing this cookie, not enemy. So let us stay away from hard Biscotti, agree?

Just so you know, I actually have my fair share of making rock-hard Biscotti, and I learned my lesson and vowed never to repeat it again. After carefully and patiently making this cookie over and over again, I finally ended up with a Biscotti that I can share with you and with my friends. This is one cookie that I love to add when I am making edible gifts. For once, they last longer and even taste better the following day.

Why Loaf-Pan Biscotti Deserves a Spot in Your Baking Rotation

Traditional biscotti can be a bit of a production—shaping the dough into logs, baking, cooling, slicing, and baking again. This version simplifies things by using a 7-inch loaf pan. No shaping stress, no uneven edges. Just slice and bake into crisp perfection. It’s ideal for small kitchens, quick cravings, or gifting a cozy batch to friends. This is the first time that I tried this method and I have to say I think I would be using this more often than the traditional way. Definitely way easier!

The Flour Duo: Almond + Cake = Biscotti Bliss

Instead of the usual all-purpose flour, this recipe uses a mix of almond flour and cake flour. Almond flour brings a rich, nutty depth, while cake flour keeps things light and tender. The result? Biscotti that’s crisp but not tooth-breaking, with a delicate crumb that still holds up to dunking. Love this combination. If you do not have both, you can use all-purpose flour but expect a bit of difference in texture and crunch.

Pecan, for Flavor & Texture

Chopped pecans are folded into the batter for a subtle crunch and extra nuttiness. They toast beautifully during baking and add a rustic charm to every slice. You can chop them fine or leave a few chunky bits for texture contrast but I do not recommend putting half or whole pecans as the cookie might break during slicing. You can also use chopped Almond or Pistachio as substitute. This is very flexible.

A Little Surprise Ingredient: A Hint of Coffee

Here’s where things get interesting. This was a last minute addition and I thought why not? A spoonful of instant coffee powder goes into the mix—not enough to overpower, but just enough to add warmth and depth. It’s the kind of flavor that makes people pause mid-bite and say, “Wait…what is that?” in the best way.

Small Batch, Big Flavor: Perfect for Snacking to Gifting

This recipe makes just enough for a cozy batch—about 10 to 12 thinly biscotti slices, depending on thickness. It’s perfect for a weekend bake, a thoughtful gift, or a stash of crunchy treats to enjoy with your afternoon tea. No leftovers to worry about, and no massive cleanup.

Slice, Bake & Crisp

Once your loaf is baked and cooled slightly, you slice it into biscotti-sized pieces and return them to the oven for a second bake. This step gives them that signature crunch. Because the loaf is compact, the slices are uniform and easy to handle—no crumbling, no fuss.

Ingredients for Very Nutty Almond Biscotti

• Cake Flour – while a lot of recipe uses all-purpose flour to make biscotti, I decided to use cake flour for this recipe. Cake flour is lighter and my aim for this cookie is to have a lighter crumb, dried out and crunchy but not rock-hard. If you do not have cake flour, you can use all-purpose flour. I have made this using all-purpose flour when I made the plain version of this.
• Almond Flour – to give a nice almond flour, I opted to use almond flour. Almond flour also make biscotti slightly soft, I really do not like a hard biscotti.
• Salt – always good to add salt for taste
• Baking Powder – this will give the biscotti a slight rise, but not too much.
• Baking Soda – for crisp and browning
• Chopped Pecans – Make sure to chop the pecan in small pieces, no need to roast the pecan before using
• Olive Oil– A lot of recipe uses butter, I like using oil instead to avoid a rock-hard biscotti. If you like to use butter instead, you can do that too but the texture will slightly change. Taste wise, we all know butter taste better than oil.
• Sugar– to add sweetness, nothing much. I wouldn’t recommend using liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup as it will make the dough too wet and it will take longer to dry out.
• Coffe Powder– for flavoring. This is totally optional but I like to steal in a hint of coffee flavor in this Biscotti. You can substitute with 1/2 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
• Egg – Room temperature egg is VERY important so that it mix well when you beat it. Simply submerge the egg in warm water (NOT hot) and leave it for 5 minutes or you can take it out from refrigerator 30 minutes before using it.

How to Make Pecan Almond Biscotti

As I said earlier, making a Biscotti is a simple process and you can also see that in the video. Here is the quick summary, check the Instructions below for the details.

1. First is to beat the wet ingredients – Oil and sugar first then add the egg, vanilla extract (if using).
2. Once done, gradually sift the dry ingredient into the wet ingredients. Add the chopped pecans and mix until distributed.
3. Transfer in a Loaf Pan: Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and press the dough. Smoothen the top for easier slicing later.
4. Pre-Bake at 300F for 45 minutes. This is the first baking. The cookie should be set and still slightly soft but not too soft that it will fall apart when slicing it. Press the top, if it feels firm, that is a good sign.
5. Once cooled, slice into 1/8-inch and arrange in a cookie sheet. I was able to make 28 thinly sliced Biscotti.
6. Bake each side of the cookie at 300F for 20 minutes on one side and 15 minutes on the other side. The cookie should be dry and lightly browned. It will get harder as it cools down.
7. Take out from the oven and let cool completely. The cookie will harden as it cools. Take a bite and enjoy, no need to worry in breaking your tooth because this Biscotti has a nice light crumb, crunchy but not hard.
8. Chocolate Dip. For an extra treat, you can half the Biscotti in melted chocolate. Totally optional but highly recommended.

Tips in Making Biscotti

Although making Biscotti is quite simple, I have compiled few tips to make sure you end up with a delicious Biscotti just like what is shown in the photo.

1. Sift the Dry Ingredients: Sifting aerates the flour, thus giving a lighter crunchy Biscotti
2. Room Temperature Egg – Room temperature egg mix easily as compared to cold egg. Leave the egg on the counter at least 30 minutes before using it, or submerge the egg in warm water for 5 minutes before using it.
3. Add Dry Ingredients in Two Addition – Adding the dry ingredients gradually will avoid over mixing, and sifting it again will help create a light cookie crumb.
4. Manual Mixing – I know we all love convenience, but skip using the mixer when you are mixing the dry ingredient to wet ingredients as it will definitely knock-down or deflate the air that was build up from creaming the egg. I only used the mixer few seconds and switch doing it manually to avoid deflating the batter.
5. Flour the Working Surface as well as  Your Hand – For easy handling of the cookie batter, generously sprinkle flour on your work area and your hands will make the shaping easier and less sticky. If you have a bench scrapper, that will help a lot too.
6. Let it Cool Before Slicing – The Biscotti is only halfway cook, so it is still soft especially when hot. Cutting the Biscotti while hot could break it apart.
7. Use a Serrated Knife in Cutting – To get a nice clean cut and to avoid breaking the Biscotti, a serrated knife is recommended.
8. Be Patient – Biscotti is a twice baked cookie, so do not take a short cut on this. The second baking is what will make the Biscotti dry and crunchy. Bake it twice, let it cool completely to allow it to harden. It is worth the wait, promise 🙂

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoon mild Olive Oil (or any flavorless oil)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract (or Almond Extract) – optional flavoring
• 3/4 cup Cake Flour (sifted)
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoon Almond Flour (sifted)
• 1/4 cup sliced Almonds

TIP: Almond Flour can be substituted with cake flour. The texture will be slightly different but it will still be ok. Almond Flour gave a nice grainy texture that dries up nicely when baked in a low temperature. This gave the lighter and airy Biscotti texture that snaps when you break.

Instructions:

• Prep: Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a stand mixer, mix the olive oil and sugar on medium speed until blended. Switch the machine to low, and add the egg and vanilla extract (if using) and continue to mix until well blended and pale in color.

• Dry Ingredients + Wet Ingredients: Sift the the dry ingredients onto the wet ingredients and mix until partially blended, with remaining raw flour showing.

• Add the Chopped Nuts: Add chopped pecans and mix to distribute throughout the batter. Expect the dough to be slightly sticky but is manageable to shape.

• Spread in the Pan:  Spread the cookie batter in aparchment lined 7-inch loaf pan. Smoothen the top.

• Pre-Bake the Log: Place the log in the pre-heated 300°F oven and bake for about 45  minutes, or until the dough is just cooked through and the side is lightly browned. Remove from oven lift to check if still sticks to the parchment paper. If it does, return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes more until the bottom is baked and it no longer sticks to the parchment paper. Let cool about 10 – 15 minutes.

• Slice the Biscotti: Make sure that the cookie is properly cooled before cutting, do NOT cut while still warm as it could break. This cookie is quit fragile and light because it uses cake flour and oil (instead of butter). Carefully lift the parchment paper and place on a cutting board. Using a sharp, thin, preferably serrated knife. Slice to 1/8 thick (or 1/4 for thicker piece).

• Bake Until Lightly Browned: Arrange the sliced cookie in the baking sheeBake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip the Biscotti to cook the other side. return to the oven and bake for another 5- 10 minutes. The edges of the Biscotti should be nicely browned while the center is lightly pale and soft. It will get harder as it cool. If you wait for the entire cookie to harden during the baking time, that means it will even get harder when it cool down. For drier crunchier cookie, you can add 5 more minutes each side, but not too much. Check 5 minutes beforethe end time as almond based cookie brown faster than all-purpose flour cookie.

• Cool and Store: Cool the Biscotti on a rack. You can enjoy the Biscotti as is at this stage if you do not want to coat the bottom with melted chocolate. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks or freeze for several months.

Recipe Notes:

• Don’t skip sifting the flour. Sifted flour tends to give a lighter Biscotti cookie.
• If you do not have Almond flour, you can replace it with cake flour, but bear in mind that the texture will be slightly different. Almond gave the light grainy crumb to the Biscotti.
• You can use semi-sweet, dark or white chocolate for dipping

Serving Ideas: Dunk, Drizzle or Devour

These biscotti are lovely on their own, but they shine when paired with a hot drink. Try dunking them in espresso, chai, or even hot chocolate. For a fancy twist, drizzle with melted dark chocolate or dip one end for a café-style finish. They also make a charming addition to a holiday cookie box.

Holiday Baking Inspiration Videos:

Checkout my video collection of cookies and other treats that are great for holiday gift giving or for everyday baking. All the recipes can be found in my website. Enjoy!

Featured Posts:

• [VIDEO] Orange Biscotti
• [VIDEO] Small Batch Very Nutty Almond Biscotti
• Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscotti
• [VIDEO] Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti
• [VIDEO] Pecan Almond Biscotti

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