Christmas

Almond Biscotti aka Whiskey Cookies

by:
December 22, 2014
4
2 Ratings
  • Makes four logs for slicing to twice bake
Author Notes

Almond Biscotti brings back Christmas baking memories; it was a holiday tradition to bake dozens of them, and because whiskey was an ingredient used we always had fun calling them whiskey cookies. Seriously! I never knew the proper name for these cookies until years later when biscotti became “a total craze!”

Except for my tweaks = orange zest, spice, almond meal, salted butter-browned and a whiskey preference this is the basic recipe my mother & grandmother made.
lapadia

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 6 oz. whole natural almonds with skins on – toasted
  • 1-1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon Chinese five spice
  • Zest from one large orange
  • 1/2 cup salted butter – optional = browned butter
  • 6 tablespoons whiskey - your choice (Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey is my favorite for these cookies)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3-1/2 cups sifted unbleached AP flour (plus extra on hand if needed for rolling)
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 large eggs
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. lightly grease two baking sheets
  2. PREP THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS
  3. Toast almonds on a baking sheet, lightly salt...let sit until needed.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, five spice and orange zest together...let sit until needed.
  5. In measuring cup with spout for easier pouring, melt the butter; take off heat, cool a bit then stir in the whiskey, almond extract and vanilla...let sit until needed.
  6. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, almond meal and baking powde...let sit until needed.
  7. COMBINING THE INGREDIENTS
  8. Beat the sugar mixture with the eggs until it is pale looking.
  9. Stir in the butter mixture.
  10. Using a wooden spoon, fold in half the flour mixture until almost incorporated. Fold in the remaining flour, and again, until the flour is almost incorporated.
  11. Add the almonds; fold the dough and almonds together, until incorporated.
  12. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
  13. FORMING THE BISCOTTI LOGS AND BAKING TWICE
  14. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into four equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a log 12 inches in length.
  15. Place 2 logs on a lightly greased baking sheet; flatten them to 1/2 inch thickness. Note: stick both sheets in the oven and half way through switch them from top to bottom.
  16. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 250° F. Let the logs cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
  17. Slice each log diagonally into 1/2-inch thick cookies. Note: If the biscotti log is crumbling then let it cool a few minutes more.
  18. Lay the sliced cookies flat onto the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes; turn cookies over and bake an additional 25 minutes – until golden brown or they are crisped to your preference. The longer in the oven the crisper they will get.
  19. Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container to help keep them crisp - should keep up to a month.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Kukla
    Kukla
  • lapadia
    lapadia
  • boulangere
    boulangere
  • Bevi
    Bevi
  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour

10 Reviews

Kukla December 23, 2014
These Biscotti Linda, sound amazing!! SAVED!
 
lapadia December 23, 2014
Hi Kukla! Thanks so much hope you enjoy them. Happy Holidays to you and yours...
 
lapadia December 23, 2014
Thanks, Sara :) I've had fun with the tweaks throughout the years, but the base of the recipe is definitely the old style I grew up with!
PS - I replied twice (at the bottom) but it didn't take, that has happened when replying to the last comment in the past. just sayin'
 
boulangere December 22, 2014
Lovely. I wonder if they'd be good dipped in some red wine. Or whiskey.
 
lapadia December 23, 2014
Hmmm, red wine I've never tried, perhaps one to try, a favorite of mine = Primitivo
http://layercakewines.com/wine/primitivo/ from the region my mom came from.
Vin Santo is good and maybe the Jack Daniels I used as an ingredient, both of those would be on the sweet side.
 
boulangere December 23, 2014
I love Primitivo!
 
lapadia December 23, 2014
Yes!!!
 
Bevi December 22, 2014
Beautiful recipe, and great instructions!
 
lapadia December 23, 2014
Thanks Bevi, I had fun writing it all out, step by step...
 
hardlikearmour December 22, 2014
These sound fantastic. Love the flavor combo you've come up with as well as the use of whiskey in the original.