Fig and Walnut Biscotti are a delicious hard Italian cookie recipe. Twice baked crisp Italian cantucci biscuits filled with dried figs and nuts.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Fig walnut biscotti is a delicious Italian cookie known for its crunchy texture and rich flavors.
This classic Italian cookie recipe uses traditional Italian flavors in a new way.
I was so excited when I made this batch because it was probably the best texture of biscotti I have ever made!
Biscotti cookies, also called cantucci, are great to eat on their own or dunked into coffee, tea, or even ice cream.
What is Biscotti?
Biscotti is an Italian cookie that means “twice baked.”
The key to biscotti is their twice-baked nature, which gives them a crunchy texture.
It is a very crisp cookie that is flat and long, getting its name from a double bake first as a loaf and then as slices.
There are many different flavors of biscotti, such as our Chocolate Chip Biscotti and Lemon Lavender Biscotti.
Ingredients
Full quantities and recipe details can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
These ingredients are pretty straight forward. Let’s talk about the ingredients you need to make these Italian cookies!
All Purpose Flour
Unsalted Butter – so you can control how much salt is in the recipe
Large Eggs
Granulated Sugar
Dried Figs – any variety will work!
Walnuts
Orange Zest – it is not noticeable, but brings just a touch of sweetness and bright flavor to the cookies
Vanilla Extract
Baking Powder
Salt
Instruction Overview
Photos along the way did not happen this time, so if you want to see some step by step photos check out our other biscotti recipes.
Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a large bowl with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed.
Add eggs: Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Add flavors: Add the vanilla and orange zest, and briefly mix to combine.
Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Add dry ingredients: Reduce speed to low. Add the flour, baking powder, dried figs, walnuts, and salt and mix until just combined.
Shape the dough: Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Place the logs onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the logs are starting to crack on the top.
Cool and slice: Remove the logs from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for only10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice the logs diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices.
Second bake: Arrange the biscotti slices cut side down on the baking sheet. Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the biscotti are golden and crisp.
Cool completely: Remove the biscotti from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve or store: Once cooled, serve the fig walnut biscotti with coffee, tea, or dessert wine. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Kim’s Tips
The dough for biscotti typically seems almost too dry. But this batch it was rather sticky (not sure why as it is the same base!) and it was the best texture I ever got. So regardless of how wet or not it is, they will turn out great!
The cookies will continue to crisp up when they are cooling on the baking sheet. If you want them extra crunchy and crisp, bake a couple minutes longer.
Modifications and Substitutions
If you want longer cookies, make one log that is about 4-5 inches wide instead. The baking times will also increase slightly.
Not a nut fan? Skip the nuts completely!
Toasted nuts will bring a deeper nutty flavor.
FAQs
Is biscotti a cookie or a bread?
Biscotti is a cookie.
What does the Italian word biscotti mean?
Biscotti means “twice baked” in Italian as the cookies are baked twice.
More Italian Cookies
Italian Cookies
Spumoni Sugar Cookies
Based on the popular Italian flavor combination of cherry, pistachio, and chocolate in a tye dye sugar cookie.
Fig Walnut Biscotti
Equipment
- Stand mixer or large bowl and hand mixer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring spoons
- Knife
- Silicone Baking Mats or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ Tablespoon orange zest
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped dried figs (approximately 4.5 ounces)
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a large bowl with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, combining fully before adding the other.2 large eggs
- Add the vanilla and orange zest, and briefly mix to combine.½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ Tablespoon orange zest
- Reduce speed to low. Add the flour, baking powder, dried figs, walnuts, and salt and mix until just combined.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup chopped dried figs, ¾ cup chopped walnuts
- Remove the dough from the bowl and split into two halves. The dough will be sticky but not overly wet.
- Roll the dough out into two logs approximately 12 inches long and 2 inches wide (slightly flattened with your hands). Place on a silicone mat or parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake the loafs for about 20 minutes, or until they are starting to develop cracks on the top.
- Remove from the oven and let the logs cool for only 10 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the logs, at a diagonal, into cookies approximately 1/2 inch thick.
- Place all of the slices onto the baking sheet again (touching is fine as they will no longer expand).
- Put the cut cookies back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.The cookies will feel crisp on top but still slightly "give" and push down in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack completely. They will harden more as they cool.
- Store in an air tight container up to 1 month.
