Biscotti are twice-baked Italian cookies that are simple to prepare and keep well for gifting. There are two main styles: the traditional Italian biscotti, which is very crisp, and the American version made with butter for a softer, more tender bite. This buttery orange biscotti recipe is versatile — flavored with orange liqueur and fresh orange zest — and can be made two ways: an orange-rosemary version with toasted pine nuts, or a chocolate-dipped version finished with chopped nuts.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
We like recipes that can be adapted into different flavor variations. The base dough here is enriched with butter, orange liqueur, and orange zest. From that same dough you can make a savory-sweet orange-rosemary biscotti by folding in pine nuts and chopped rosemary, or make a chocolate-dipped version that’s dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate and sprinkled with chopped pine nuts.
Key Ingredients
A few ingredients are important to the flavor and texture. Quantities appear in the recipe card below.
- Orange liqueur (triple sec or Grand Marnier) adds concentrated citrus aroma. For an alcohol-free option, use orange extract plus a little milk.
- Fresh orange zest brightens the orange flavor and pairs with the liqueur.
- Unsalted butter enriches the dough and gives the American-style biscotti a tender crumb.
Optional Mix-Ins
- Toasted pine nuts (pignoli) add texture and a buttery note.
- Finely chopped fresh rosemary offers a subtle herbal contrast to the orange.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips are recommended for melting; dark chocolate can work but may be trickier to melt evenly in a microwave.
How To Make Biscotti (American Style with Butter)
Overview and tips; full details are in the recipe card below.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and dust it generously with flour.
MAKE THE DOUGH: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a larger bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, orange liqueur, and orange zest and beat until smooth. Fold in the dry ingredients gently with a spatula—avoid overmixing. If making the orange-rosemary version, stir in toasted pine nuts and chopped rosemary now. For the chocolate-dipped version, leave the dough plain and proceed.
FORM INTO LOGS: Divide the dough and shape into two equal logs, about 10 x 2 inches and roughly 3/4-inch high. Keep your hands floured to prevent sticking. If making the orange-rosemary version, brush the formed logs with egg wash; skip the wash for the chocolate-dipped version.
FIRST BAKE: Bake 25–30 minutes, turning the pan once for even color. Logs should be golden and slightly cracked. Cool 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 325°F.
SLICE: Use a serrated knife to cut logs diagonally into 3/8-inch slices. Arrange on fresh parchment about 1/2 inch apart.
SECOND BAKE: Bake 10 minutes, flip each biscotti, then bake another 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
FOR THE CHOCOLATE-DIPPED BISCOTTI
COOL: Let the baked biscotti cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
MELT CHOCOLATE: Place chips in a microwave-safe cup and heat at 50% power for 1–1½ minutes, stirring. Continue in 15-second bursts, stirring until smooth.
DIP AND FINISH: Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Dip one end of each biscotti into the melted chocolate, set on the paper, and sprinkle with chopped pine nuts. Let the chocolate harden before storing or serving.
Recipe Notes
ALCOHOL-FREE OPTION: Substitute 1/2 teaspoon orange extract for the liqueur and add 2 teaspoons milk.
SPLITTING THE DOUGH: To make one log of each variety, halve the quantities of pine nuts, rosemary, and chocolate chips. After combining wet and dry ingredients, remove half the dough for the chocolate-dipped log. Mix pine nuts and rosemary into the remaining dough and brush it with egg wash before baking. Baking times remain the same.
How to Store Biscotti
Because these biscotti contain butter, they won’t keep quite as long as non-butter versions.
Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days. You can refrigerate or freeze them; bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
5 Tips For Making Perfect Biscotti
- Keep hands well-floured when shaping sticky biscotti dough, or work with slightly wet hands to prevent sticking.
- A wet spatula is useful for smoothing and shaping the logs evenly.
- Allow the baked logs to cool before slicing to get clean, even slices.
- Lightly spritzing cooled logs with water (King Arthur Baking tip) softens the crust and reduces crumbling when slicing.
- Adjust the second bake time to your preferred crispness. Test after the suggested time and continue baking in 5-minute increments until you reach the desired texture.
Buttery Orange Biscotti (Two Ways)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, (see notes for alcohol-free option)
- Zest of 1 large orange, about 1-1/2 tablespoons
For the orange-rosemary version:
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
For the chocolate-dipped version:
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, dust with flour, and set aside.
-
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
-
Cream butter and sugar in a larger bowl. Add eggs, vanilla, orange liqueur, and orange zest and beat until light and smooth.
-
Fold in the dry ingredients gently with a spatula. If making the orange-rosemary version, stir in pine nuts and rosemary now. If making the chocolate-dipped version, continue without mix-ins.
-
Spoon dough onto the prepared sheet in two equal portions and shape into 10 x 2-inch logs about 3/4-inch high with floured hands.
-
If using rosemary-pine nut dough, brush with egg wash. Smooth logs as needed with a wet spatula.
-
Bake 25–30 minutes, turning the pan once. Remove when golden and slightly cracked; cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 325°F.
-
Slice logs on the diagonal into 3/8-inch pieces and arrange on fresh parchment about 1/2 inch apart.
-
Bake 10 minutes, flip each biscotti, then bake another 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
For the chocolate-dipped biscotti:
-
Cool biscotti completely to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
-
Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe cup at 50% power in 1–1½ minute bursts, stirring, then in 15-second increments until smooth.
-
Dip one end of each biscotti into chocolate, place on wax paper, and sprinkle with chopped pine nuts.
-
Allow chocolate to set completely before storing or serving.
Notes
For an Alcohol-Free Version
Use 1/2 teaspoon orange extract plus 2 teaspoons milk instead of the orange liqueur.
Splitting the Recipe: Orange Rosemary & Chocolate Dipped
To make a half batch of each, halve the pine nuts, rosemary, and chocolate chips. After making the dough, divide it and proceed with forming one log for chocolate-dipped biscotti and one log with pine nuts and rosemary for the orange-rosemary version. Bake as directed.
How to Store Biscotti
Because these biscotti are made with butter, they have a slightly shorter shelf life than those made without butter.
Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 10 days. You may refrigerate or freeze them; bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.