Gluten Free Biscotti

These Gluten Free Biscotti are crunchy, crispy and delicious! Authentic Italian biscotti which are completely gluten free, packed with pistachios and cranberries. These twice-baked biscuits are super easy to make as well as gluten and dairy free!

These easy Gluten Free Biscotti are such an easy bake, and my Christmas Biscotti are studded with festive pistachios and cranberries.

But this easy biscotti recipe is so simple, you can customise it however you like, making plain biscotti or even adding chopped almonds or hazelnuts.

Biscotti (also known as Cantuccini) are an authentic Italian biscuit hailing from Tuscany. ‘Biscotti’ means ‘twice-cooked’, which refers to the method of baking these easy biscuits.

The dough is first baked in a log shape, before being cooled, sliced and then slowly dried in a warm oven to create crispy and delicious biscuits.

But don’t be put off by the double bake – this cranberry and pistachio biscotti recipe is honestly the easiest bake ever!

I’ve never seen gluten free biscotti for sale in the UK shops before, so it’s nice to be able to whip up these treats so we don’t have to miss out!

Ingredients

There’s a printable recipe card for this gluten free biscotti recipe below. But for the shopping list here are the main ingredients you’ll need.

• Plain Gluten Free Flour: You’ll need a plain gluten free flour blend for this recipe, I usually use FREEE by Dove’s Farm plain flour.
• Ground Almonds: These should be gluten free but check for may-contain warnings. For a nut-free version, replace with the equivalent weight of gluten free flour.
• Baking Powder: Always make sure you use a gluten free baking powder.
• Xanthan Gum: This is essential for a pliable gluten free dough, and ensuring your biscotti don’t crumble to dust!
• Caster Sugar: Use baker’s sugar in the US.
• Chopped Pistachios: Or any nut of choice – hazelnuts, almonds or pecans work well.
• Dried Cranberries: Or any dried fruit of choice such as chopped apricots or cherries.
• Eggs: I use large UK eggs which is XL in the US.
• Almond Extract: Or swap for vanilla extract if you prefer.

Because this biscotti recipe doesn’t use any fat, it is dairy free as well as gluten free.

How to Make Gluten Free Biscotti

There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free biscotti recipe is to make.

Add the gluten free flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, ground almonds, caster sugar, pistachios and cranberries to a large mixing bowl and stir together well using a wooden spoon to combine.

Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, add the almond extract and lightly beat with a fork.

Pour into the flour mix and using a wooden spoon, beat together – it will start to form a sticky dough.

Use your hands to bring the dough together, scoop into some clingfilm and then pop in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to cool.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180’C / Fan 160’C / Gas Mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set to one side.

Unwrap the cooled dough and place onto a lightly floured work surface. Flour your hands and use to shape into a thick log, approximately 12-inches long. Place on the lined baking sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until it is firm to the touch and lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and leave on a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, turn the oven down to 140’C / Fan 120’C / Gas Mark 1.

When the biscotti has cooled enough to handle, carefully use a serrated knife to cut it into slices around 1-2cm thick. Use a sawing motion for the cleanest cut!

Lay the biscotti slices down (cut-side-up) on your baking sheet and return to the oven.

Bake for 15-20 minutes on one side, carefully flip the biscotti over, then bake for another 10-15 minutes. They should feel firm and dry without being too brown.

Remove from the oven and remove the biscotti from the tray directly onto a cooling rack.

It’s important to remove them from the tray as this can cause them to soften. Leave the biscotti to cool completely to room temperature before storing or eating.

To store your biscotti:

These gluten free biscotti can actually last a couple of weeks if stored properly. Ensure they are in an airtight container at room temperature and they should stay lovely and crisp.

Variations

Of course I adore this festive biscotti recipe, but it’s super easy to use this as a base to make a number of different variations! Why not try:

• Plain Biscotti: Simply omit the cranberries and pistachios for a plain gluten free biscotti. You can also swap the almond extract for vanilla, if you prefer – or add both for a vanilla almond biscotti.
• Almond Biscotti: Add some chopped, blanched almonds to your biscotti mixture.
• Chocolate Chip Biscotti: Swap the cranberries and pistachios for 100g milk or dark chocolate chips instead.
• Hazelnut Biscotti: Try adding chopped hazelnuts in place of the pistachios.
• Cinnamon Biscotti: Replace the almond extract with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.
• Cherry Biscotti: Some dried chopped cherries with dark chocolate chips would be absolutely dreamy!
• Chocolate Coated Biscotti: Once the biscotti have cooled, drizzle them with melted chocolate or half-dip them then dry on a cooling rack before storing.

If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. You can also share your creations in my Facebook group! And please do leave a 5* review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me and really helps support my website.