Snickerdoodle Biscotti

By Ann Fulton

Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa. Great for holiday and hostess gifts, too!
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Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

 

Lisa is a friend who happens to be an incredible baker. Every year in early December, she begins the month-long process of baking every type of cookie imaginable and crafting deliciously beautiful boxes to share with family, friends, and co-workers.  

To say this is an undertaking is an understatement. It is truly a labor of love.

Several varieties of biscotti, all delicious, appear in the boxes. Simple as it was, the snickerdoodle biscotti caught my attention many years ago, and Lisa graciously shared the recipe. 

If you enjoy the simplicity of a sand tart, shortbread, or even Keebler Sandies along with the characteristic crunch of biscotti, Lisa’s snickerdoodle creation is a cookie to try.  

They make a lovely gift, whether given on their own or bolstered by a box of tea or gift card for a favorite latte. 

When making these cinnamon sugar-topped delights for the first time, the dough may seem dry. Lisa had mentioned this, and I noticed it the first time I made the the recipe.

Knowing my friend would not steer me wrong, I forged ahead. Indeed, the dough comes together easily with the help of your hands. Once combined, you simply turn the dough out of the bowl and press it into two loaves.  

The trick to achieving the traditional crunchy texture (perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa–even milk) is completely drying the biscotti. To do this, the loaves are baked and then briefly cooled and sliced. The slices are then baked until they are dry.  

The twice-baked method may seem complicated, but the entire recipe is really quite simple. 

Note that if you slice the cookies thicker than what is stipulated in the recipe, they will likely not become thoroughly dry and crisp. If you prefer a softer cookie, you could try this. Or if you enjoy the classic crunch and would like thicker slices, add a few minutes to the second bake.  

Following is a quick visual of the easy process:

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

A short list of pantry staples comes together in what at first seems like a dry dough.

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

But when you use your hands, the dough easily forms into a smooth ball.

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface…

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

…and then form into two even loaves. Measurements are provided to ensure perfectly cooked biscotti with no guesswork.

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

Brush with an egg white.

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

Bake once…

Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa. Great for holiday and hostess gifts, too!

Then slice and bake again.

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

Voila!

Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

A rustic cookie that’s ideal for dipping, the classic Snickerdoodle flavor makes this cookie an especially perfect holiday or hostess gift. For added appeal, package with a favorite tea, coffee, or gift card to a local cafe.  

Snickerdoodle Biscotti
Though the dough will seem somewhat dry and crumbly in the mixing bowl, it will come together and yield flavorful biscotti that are low in fat but high in flavor. Perfect with a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate!

Yield: 30 cookies (15 slices per loaf)
For the biscotti batter:
  • 2¾ cups (350g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (192g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon (14ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
For the sprinkle topping:
  • 2 tablespoons (24g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 large egg white
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  2. Measure the flour into a large bowl being careful not to pack the flour into the measuring cups. (Scoop into cups and then level with a knife to prevent getting too much flour.) Stir in the 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla, and 3 whole eggs. Add to the large bowl, and stir to combine. Your dough will be dry and crumbly.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. (Tip: It helps to flour your hands, too.) Knead and sort of mush the batter together until it is smooth and thoroughly combined.
  5. Divide in half. Shape each portion into a roll about 8 inches long, and place them several inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
  6. Flatten each roll so they are about 1 inch thick.
  7. For the topping: In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg white and then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. It may seem like too much, but sprinkle it all on, tilting the baking sheet a bit so you can coat the sides, too.
  8. Bake at 350℉ for 30 minutes.
  9. Remove the loaves from the oven, place on a rack, and cool for 15 minutes.
  10. Cut the loaves diagonally into ½-inch slices and lay them, cut-side down, on the baking sheet again. (No need to brush off the lingering cinnamon sugar.)
  11. Reduce the oven temperature to 325℉. Bake 10 more minutes, turn the pieces over, and bake 10 minutes more. The biscotti will be soft in the middle but will harden as they cool.
  12. Cool completely on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.
Notes

I’ve cut the biscotti into thicker slices that yielded 10-12 slices per loaf. You could do this if you’d prefer slightly softer biscotti. Alternatively, you could increase the second bake by a couple of minutes to ensure the thicker slices become as crunchy as traditional biscotti.

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Classic, twice-baked biscotti goes Snickerdoodle-style thanks to an easy cinnamon sugar topping. Low in fat and high in flavor, this crisp Italian cookie is perfect for dipping in coffee, tea, and cocoa!

Stored in an airtight container, the biscotti will maintain freshness for several weeks and freezes well.

Recipe first published December 12, 2012.

 

 

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Comments

  1. Carol

    Ann,
    In the photos, it looks like the cut sides are also sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar before rebaking. Can that be done?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Ann

      Great question, Carol. Yes, absolutely! Often, as I make recipes over again, I make small adjustments and using some of the cinnamon sugar on the cut sides is a good one!

      Reply
      1. Carol

        I tried it-even after a generous application of egg white before the first baking, I had a lot of egg white left over, so after they cooled, but before the second baking, I brushed each cut side and sprinkled cinnamon and sugar over the slices. We like the way they turned out!

        Reply
  2. Kathie

    Love, Love, Love Snickerdoodle anything! I’ll be making these today. It’s one of those grey/rainy days here in Michigan. Perfect day to warm up the kitchen!! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    1. Ann

      I agree, Kathie, it has such a good flavor! A perfect thing to bake on a dreary day…I hope these do the trick!

      Reply
  3. Janette Griffin

    I made these for Christmas. After half way through baking them, I knew I’d have to make another batch! My husband and I loved them! I shared the recipe with a good friend. I told her how good they were. She made them the same day i gave her the recipe. They loved them too.

    Reply
    1. Ann

      Thanks for the great feedback, Janette! I am so glad you enjoyed and passed the recipe along. I love those recipes that get a lot of mileage on them!

      Reply
    1. Ann

      Thank you, Rachel! I’ll take them with coffee or tea any day. My kids are always happy to have a cup of cocoa to enjoy with them: )

      Reply
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  5. Ali

    Ooohhh. Those looks so good. I thought I had seen it all when it came to Biscotti flavors but I have never seen Snickerdoodle 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply