Cantucci (Italian Almond Cookies)
Cantucci or Biscotti di Prato are crunchy almond cookies from Tuscany.
Biscotti literally means twice (bis) cooked (cotti), biscotti is also the generic term for cookies in Italian.
These almond cookies are very easy to make: you shape the dough into a log and bake it. Then slice the log with a sharp, serrated knife and bake the cookies again. It’s during this step that cantucci dry out and become crispy.
I’ve divided the dough into 2 logs, if you want bigger biscotti just make one big log.
You can replace the almonds with chocolate chips, hazelnuts, pistachios or dried fruits. The possibilities are endless.
In Tuscany, cantucci are traditionally served at the end of a meal with a glass of Tuscan dessert wine, vin santo, for dipping but you can also serve them with tea, coffee or cappuccino.
Stored in a sealed container these almond cookies last for several weeks and they are also perfect to give as a homemade gift.
Cantucci or Biscotti di Prato are almond cookies from Tuscany. The are made without butter or oil and are twice baked to crisp perfection.
- 250 grams (2 cups+1 tablespoon) all-purpose flour sifted
- 165 grams (3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest or lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon amaretto or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 eggs
- 125 grams (4.4 ounces) raw unpeeled almonds
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (356 degrees F).
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the eggs, honey, orange zest, amaretto and mix all the ingredients.
- Once you have a crumbly, soft mixture, add the almonds.
- Transfer the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into 2 logs that are approximately 30 cm (12 inch) long, and 5 cm (2 inch) wide.
Wet your hands, it will be easier to shape the dough.
- Place the logs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or with a silicone mat.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove the logs from the oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.
- Place a log on a cutting board and using a sharp, serrated knife, cut it diagonally into 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) slices.
- Put the cookies back on the baking sheet and bake them for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the cantucci from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
- Store them in a sealed container for several weeks.
- Enjoy!
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I love biscotti and yours looks delicious! I would like to try one right now with my coffee!
Thank you Joanne! 🙂
These are my favorite, brings back sweet memories, my Grandma Frances used to make me three dozen for my birthday and Christmas every year. Looks so delicious! Nettie
Thank you Nettie! I’m so glad I could bring back these sweet memories 🙂
Your cantucci is picture perfect, YUM!! I had never heard of these cookies before, thank for sharing!!
Thank you Tara! 🙂
Love biscotti. These looks amazing.
Thank you Janette!
Elena I have never attempted Biscotti. This recipe looks delicious and do able. I’ll give it a try!
Thank you Diane! I hope you will like them 🙂 The recipe is so easy, I am sure they will turn out great
I have just been dreaming of Biscotti earlier! This is a sweet sign to make some soon! Love this with my coffee! Pinned and shared around. 🙂
Thank you for sharing! They are my favorite cookies to have with coffee 🙂
All I want is these biscotti and a cup of chocolate!
🙂
Cantucci have been on my to do list for a very long time. One day soon I will make these. Have pinned for later.
I hope you will like them 🙂
This is a fantastic sounding biscotti! Can’t wait to try 🙂
Thank you Nicole! 🙂
Delicious! Those pics look so amazing. I have not had Cantucci cookies before, so, this will be fun to make
Thank you Rini!
ooh these look wonderful. I have made biscotti in the past but not tried cantucci – looks similar but will try out as it seems a nice snack to have with coffee.
YUM!! I could totally go for a few of these with my coffee right now 🙂
These look great! I love biscotti! And this recipe looks fabulous!
They look gorgeous. I’m just making a hot chocolate now and wish I had a couple of these to dip in.
So this is my second recipe of yours to that I tried today, and it didn’t work out as well as the first. I made it as directed and the dough was so crumbly and simply would not come together. Do you think that could be an altitude problem? I added another egg and a tablespoon of butter and then kneaded more flour in until the consistency “seemed” right (I’ve never made biscotti before…) they are in the oven right now and I hope they turn out!
Update: they turned out great! Not too sweet and the perfect texture. I also cooked them 5 minutes longer on the first bake.
Hi Jenni! Next time try to add a couple of tablespoons of ice-cold water…Maybe your eggs were smaller than mine. I am happy at the end the cookies came out good! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made them and they are so yummy. My guest will enjoy them tonight with some Vin Santo.
I am glad you like the recipe, Janie! I hope your guests will enjoy them 🙂
Thank you so much for this great and wonderful recipe, I just made it and it looks and taste delicious.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! 🙂
I tried and this was a big hit at home and at work. I’m making them again in larger quantity for an office charity event. Wish me good luck. Cheers!
I hope everyone will love them! let me know how it goes 🙂
I have been trying this recipe so many times by now. I adore Cantucci and this recipe allows me to have them whenever I want without having to wait to be in Italy to have really tasty, home made tasting ones. :-))
I jut try to make them not too often as they don’t last a week…. not even when they are only two people to eat them.
I am glad you like this recipe, Jeane! 🙂
I made these over the weekend, shared them with my family and coworkers and we all loved them! Thank you for this wonderful recipe, I will definitely make them more often.
So glad to hear that, Diana! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
I’ve just made these! Wow! I needed Cantucci, couldn’t find them in the shops (can you buy Cantucci in the UK?), so I decided to have a go and make some. These are sooo good…!! It’ll almost be a shame to bash some of them into fine crumbs and sprinkle them onto a Monte Bianco! (If that’s a sin please moan at Jamie Oliver!!) Thank you very much for this recipe, it truly is wonderful! Happy Christmas! Xx
Hi Sarah! I saw Cantucci in Marks & Spencer but of course they are not as delicious as homemade ones.
I need to check the Monte Bianco recipe now, it sounds delicious! 🙂
Merry Christmas to you too! x
Thank you,
This is an excellent biscotti, very tasty….my husband keep eating them. Do not last for weeks…
I don’t make cantucci very often because they don’t last long! 😀
I am so glad you enjoyed them, thank you for the feedback.
These were just delicious, I was eating them for days. I was trying to find a biscotti/ cantucci recipe to adapt for ages, but none of them came out quite right. These were perfect first time. Thank you!
I am glad you liked this recipe, James! 🙂
Great recipe!
I like it even better if you roast the almonds before adding them to the dough.
I will take these cookies on my trip to italy 🙂
I am glad you liked them, Mika. Enjoy your trip! 🙂
These cookies are amazing. I just made a batch for my niece’s baby shower. They came out so good that I decided to make another. I will say though that for the “novice” baker, the recipe should include the instructions to wet your hands in order to get the dough to shape properly. Again anyone who has ever make biscotti would know enough to do so. Thanks for sharing a 5* cookie recipe.
So glad to hear that, Arlene! I will add a note to the recipe now, thank you.
Thank you! FYI: Had to make another batch since half of the originals “disappeared”.. These are addictive and so easy to make. I will make making lots of them for the holiday season and presenting them as gifts. Both my Grandmothers were excellent bakers and their specialty was Italian cookies. For that reason, I am very particular about baking cookies. Your recipe is a keeper and a traditional one that I will be proud to pass down to my family.
PS: I too roast the almonds before adding them to the Cantucci.
I am so glad you loved this recipe. I can’t wait to try them with roasted almonds! 🙂
Thank you for your feedback!
My first attempt at biscotti and they were perfect-great recipe
I am glad to hear that, Katrina! 🙂
I had a bag of cantucci and a bottle of vin santo bought as a gift so now all of the cantucci has gone (with coffee) I thought I would google these sweet yummy biscuits and BOOM! Here I am just on my way out to get what I need to make some of these bad boys can’t wait
I hope you will like them, Mark! 🙂
Great recipe! I took some liberties: I doubled the recipe, used whole hazelnuts (not enough almonds in the house), and also added finely chopped Trader Joe’s dried sweet orange slices. Well written recipe and very easy to follow! Thanks for sharing this. Will certainly make these again.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Ellanotti! 🙂
Finally good recipe for cantucci! I’ve try to make them before, 4 times, all different recipes, and ended up with sort of pancake in the oven. All those recipes involved oil or butter. Since this recipe is without any of theese, it worked! It’s easy, it’s tasty.
Thank you!
I am so glad to hear that, Yelena! Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
Second time I’ve made these following your recipe. Really yummy and I didn’t realize they would be this easy too make ☺️
Glad to hear that, Vic 🙂
Tried to leave comment before … some reason doesn’t post
I tried this and the dough really wouldn’t come together.. I did my best but baked so crumbly and actually just fell apart! I ve made dozens and dozens of biscotti recipes !! Help !!
Any tips ? Thank you !
Hi Deb! I am on holiday and the internet connection is bad… that’s why I am slow to approve comments. Sorry about that!
If the dough is crumbly, keep kneading. I promise it will become softer and stickier. 🙂 Let me know if you try again. 🙂
In the photo, the almonds appear sliced in these cookies yet the ingredients call for raw unpeeled almonds which I assume are whole. Can you clarify when you have a moment please. Merry Christmas!
Hi Maria! Merry Christmas to you too!
You are slicing the almonds when you slice the log after the first bake. 🙂
hola! desde Argentina! las hice ayer, me. salieron tal cual tus fotos y muy ricas!! Muchas gracias por tu receta
Hola Alejandra! I am glad you liked it! 🙂
That was delicious! I just made it. My Kids and I both loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Love this recipe, thank you! I usually make biscotti, but am thrilled to make cantucci instead and avoid a whole cup of oil!! The other day I substituted a third of the flour for oat flour, cut the sugar by a third, and it was still delicious. Thanks again for a recipe I will keep on enjoying.
Thank you for the feedback, Wanda! I would love to try them with oat flour! 🙂
I just made these tonight. They are so Delicious and Amazing! They are one of the best cookies that I have ever tasted and I am a cookie lover. Thank you so much for the recipe! FYI, I’m Italian-American, I’m a passionate baker (I take after my Italian grandmother), I’ve been baking since I was a child, I bake everything from scratch and I bake everything from brownies, all kinds of cookies, bread, pastry, pies, anginetti, cannoli, pizzelles, struffoli, etc. I’ve only mentioned the things that I bake because I want to strengthen how much it means when I say that I LOVE this recipe! I will be making it again and again and again! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Tina! So glad you loved this recipe! 🙂