High Altitude Ginger Walnut Biscotti

An easy recipe for high altitude ginger walnut biscotti. You’ll love the delicious flavor of these cookies with the nutty, buttery crunch of the walnuts and a hint of spicy ginger. These classic Italian cookies are perfect for dunking in tea or coffee, and they make a wonderful addition to a Christmas cookie box.

You might also love these high altitude biscotti recipes for maple macadamia nut biscotti, almond biscotti, and brown butter pecan biscotti.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy to Make. Biscotti is a simple enough baking project that anyone can master, even if you’re a beginner baker. It doesn’t require any special equipment or skills to make a delicious pan of ginger walnut biscotti. And I’ve included lots of step-by-step photos in today’s post to guide you through the process.

Long Shelf Life. One of the best things about biscotti is that because they are hard, crunchy cookies, they last for a long time. You can keep them in an airtight container or cookie jar for weeks or longer, ship them to friends and family, or make them in advance and freeze them for later, without worrying about them going stale.

Perfect for Holidays. I always make biscotti for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and when I have company for the holidays, I love to have a jar of homemade biscotti that everyone can enjoy with their morning coffee while I’m making breakfast. It’s also a delicious addition to a Christmas cookie box. You can experiment with different spices, or even trade the walnuts for any other type of nut you like.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

What are Biscotti?

Biscotti, also known as cantucci, are Italian almond biscuits or cookies. First they are baked in a loaf or slab, then sliced and baked again. Since they are twice baked, their texture becomes hard and crunchy, making them ideal for dunking into hot (or cold) drinks. Tea, coffee, or even cold milk are all great with biscotti. Almond is the traditional flavor for biscotti, but there are unlimited flavor variations you can try.

And did you know that biscotti is plural, meaning it refers to more than one cookie? The singular term for one cookie is biscotto, but biscotti is typically the only word used when referring to these classic Italian cookies.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

• Flour. All-purpose flour gives the dough structure and strength.
• Sugar. A combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar adds sweetness, while a little sugar sprinkled on top adds a crunchy, sparkly finish.
• Baking Powder. Leavening agent.
• Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
• Ginger. I used ground ginger, to add a subtle hint of spicy, without making the cookies too spicy. If you want the flavor of the ginger to be more bold, use more ground ginger, or add some chopped crystallized ginger.
• Walnuts. Adds crunch, and a buttery, nutty flavor.
• Eggs. Binds the dough together and gives it strength. You’ll also need an extra egg white to brush over the dough before baking. This helps the sprinkling of sugar to stick to the top of the cookies.
• Butter. The butter adds flavor and makes the biscotti crisp as they bake and dry.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, ginger and chopped walnuts.
• Add the beaten eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract, and stir everything together into a soft, sticky dough.

• Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 2 hours, until cold.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and line a large baking sheet (or two medium baking sheets) with parchment baking paper.
• Divide the chilled dough into three portions, dusting each portion with a little flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Roll or press each portion of dough out into a rectangular-shaped log, measuring about 3×8 inches and about 3/4 inch thick. Make sure you leave about 4 inches between each portion of dough on the baking sheet, since they will spread out as they bake. Use two baking sheets if you need more space.

• Brush the top of the dough with egg white and sprinkle with two tablespoons of granulated sugar.
• Bake the biscotti on the center oven rack for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool for exactly 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.
• Use a large spatula or cake lifter to carefully lift the slabs of biscotti onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife (I find that a chef’s knife works best) to slice the slabs into individual biscotti about 3/4 – 1 inch thick.

• Place the biscotti back onto the baking sheet, turned on their side with the cut side facing up.
• Bake the biscotti for 10 minutes. Turn the biscotti over, so the other cut side is facing up, and bake for 10 more minutes. Cool completely.
• Make sure the biscotti is completely cooled before storing it in an airtight container.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my biscotti soft instead of crunchy?

After the second bake, if your biscotti aren’t crisp after cooling completely, then they may be slightly under-baked. You can return them to the oven for a few minutes to finish drying out.

Why does my biscotti crumble when I cut it?

If you cut the biscotti while it’s too hot, it can crumble when you cut it. If it cools for too long, it can become hard and break when you cut it. Be sure to cool the biscotti after the first bake for the time stated in the recipe, no more and no less.

Do biscotti harden as they cool?

Yes, after the second bake, as your almond biscotti cools off, they will finish hardening and drying out.

Can I freeze ginger walnut biscotti?

Yes, you can. Cool the biscotti completely, then freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3-6 months.

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