Gluten-Free Raisin Pistachio Biscotti Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Gluten-Free Raisin Pistachio Biscotti Recipe (1)

Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes
Rating
4(165)
Notes
Read community notes

I use a mix of almond flour and either millet flour or cornmeal for these. They are irresistible. If you soak the raisins in amaretto before you make the biscotti there will be a slightly bitter edge to the flavor. As in other whole grain biscotti I use some butter here, which makes for a more delicate cookie, requiring a slightly thicker slice than a wheat flour cookie.

Featured in: Gluten-Free Raisin Pistachio Biscotti

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have

    10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers.

    Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Print Options

    Include recipe photo

Advertisem*nt

Ingredients

Yield:3½ to 4 dozen biscotti

  • 120grams (approximately ⅔ cup) golden raisins
  • 125grams (approximately 1 cup) millet meal or fine cornmeal
  • 60grams (approximately ½ cup) cornstarch
  • 150grams (approximately 1¼ cups) almond flour
  • 10grams (approximately 2 teaspoons) baking powder
  • 1gram (approximately ¼ teaspoon) salt
  • 55grams (2 ounces) butter, at room temperature
  • 125grams (approximately ⅔ cup, tightly packed) organic brown sugar
  • 110grams eggs (2 large)
  • 5grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
  • 2grams (½ teaspoon) almond extract
  • 100grams (approximately ¾ cup) chopped lightly toasted pistachios

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (45 servings)

79 calories; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 31 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Gluten-Free Raisin Pistachio Biscotti Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Place the raisins in a bowl and cover with warm water (or see variation below). Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain and set the raisins on paper towels.

  2. Step

    2

    Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a medium bowl, mix together the millet flour or cornmeal, cornstarch, almond flour, baking powder and salt.

  3. Step

    3

    In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater with a rubber spatula and add the eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract. Beat together for 1 to 2 minutes, until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until well blended. Add the pistachios and raisins and beat at low speed until mixed evenly through the dough.

  4. Step

    4

    Divide the dough and shape into 2 wide, flat logs, about 10 inches long by 3 inches wide by ¾ inch high. Make sure they are at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake 50 minutes, until dry, beginning to crack in the middle, and firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes or longer.

  5. Step

    5

    Place the logs on a cutting board and carefully cut into ½-inch thick slices. Place on two parchment-covered baking sheets and bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes. Turn over and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the slices are dry and lightly browned.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: You can bake the logs a day ahead and slice and double bake the cookies the next day. Biscotti keep for a couple of weeks in a tin or a jar.

Ratings

4

out of 5

165

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Diana

IF making these for someone w celiac (vs. gluten sensitive), please understand that even a food like cornmeal, which has no inherent gluten, will often have enough minascule gluten traces (from being processed on equipment that is also used for glutenous grains) to cause trouble. Bob's Red Mill segregates equipment and also does DNA testing to ensure their GF flours are truly GF. Also, for literal celiacs, wait 24 hrs after baking w regular flour; particles settle.

FrankW`

These were simple to make and I did it all in a food processor. Nice consistency wonderful flavor and perfect balance between crunch and moisture, meaning more crunch as there should be in a biscotti. Next time I will try soaking the golden raisins in amaretto just to try the difference in taste.

Marilyn T

Followed the recipe exactly and was looking forward to the results, but the biscotti were very dry and crumbly and not worth the effort, in my opinion. I've made biscotti with other recipes and thought I would try something different, but these biscotti didn't make the cut. I'm not sure why the recipe is rated four stars (but has no comments)?

Peter Nelson

Used only 80g sugar—plenty sweet! Would benefit from some flavor: orange rind, anise seed, or even reduce the sugar further and make it savory with rosemary. The cornmeal was a good texture.

Anne Elser

Substituted cranberries for raisins and the texture came out perfect. I dunno, these are a little bland and I’d like to have more of the almond flavor present, or something. Can’t wait to try them with my morning coffee tomorrow!

Lauren E.KP

My husband was recently diagnosed with celiac. I made these with homemade dried cranberries, pistachios and buckwheat and almond flour. Added cinnamon and nutmeg to the dry mix. Delightful!

Debby

after reading the cooking notes I added an extra egg. I used red mill whole grain corn flour instead of cornmeal. Added half the raisins and added chocolate chips. I think this is a great gluten free biscotti and plan to make this again

Jess

Came out very gritty, so next time will grind the cornmeal in the Cuisinart to make it more powdery. Used coconut oil in place of butter and that worked fine. Added orange zest and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice. Next time will use 2 teaspoons of spice.

katie russo

I made these as directed, but barely got through the last steps as they were so crumbly as to be unworkable. I’ve decided to stop there and use what I can to make a rhubarb and apple crumble tomorrow!

kate

Good, but crumbly. Will have to pack them carefully for transport. Needs the least bit of citrus I think.

Shari O"D

I made these last night with cornmeal. The dough was wet - maybe I should have dried out the raisins more. I added additional cornmeal as I was shaping the loaf. They were crumbly. But. They are delicious. I will continue to work with this recipe because the flavor is really worth it.

Deb

So so so good. Made with cornmeal (a finer grind would be slightly better but mostly I don’t care) and thanks to earlier comments, added a tsp of cardamom. Soaked dried cranberries in whisky and hot water. Delicious!

Gluten-free raisin pistachio biscotti

I used corn flour instead of fine corn meal. The dough was rather sticky but not impossible to work with. When cutting the logs into slices of biscotti, the dough was crumbly as noted. I think the pistachios are partially to blame. I would like to remake this recipe without the nuts. As far as flavoring goes, I soaked the raisins in warm triple sec and added the zest of one orange, a pinch of cardamom and the vanilla from one vanilla bean to the dough and it had a lovely flavor.

Debby

after reading the cooking notes I added an extra egg. I used red mill whole grain corn flour instead of cornmeal. Added half the raisins and added chocolate chips. I think this is a great gluten free biscotti and plan to make this again

Carla

Better to soak the raisins in advance. Look for FINE corn meal

Carla

Better to use a stand mixer.

Peter Nelson

Used only 80g sugar—plenty sweet! Would benefit from some flavor: orange rind, anise seed, or even reduce the sugar further and make it savory with rosemary. The cornmeal was a good texture.

Lauren E.KP

My husband was recently diagnosed with celiac. I made these with homemade dried cranberries, pistachios and buckwheat and almond flour. Added cinnamon and nutmeg to the dry mix. Delightful!

Rana

Really good recipe! I have forgotten to put the starch at the last minute, it still turned out to be firm and did not fall to pieces at all!A little cardamom goes great with these biscottis!

wookie

This recipe turned out to be a crumbly mess, and I have no idea or understanding as to why.

Leah

I loved these, not at all crumbly for me like some of the other notes, but I handled them very minimally in the mixing and during baking, which may have helped. A great naturally gluten free recipe.

Alex

These were so delicious. I substituted arrow root for the cornstarch because I didn’t have corn starch. Great recipe!

Private notes are only visible to you.

Gluten-Free Raisin Pistachio Biscotti Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my biscotti dough dry? ›

When mixing the biscotti dough, you may find that it's dry and crumbly. Persevere. Use your hands to gently squeeze the batter until it begins to form a dough. If it's really dry, you may need to add an extra egg or some other liquid related to the recipe such as extract or liqueur.

Why is my biscotti crumbly? ›

A: Overbaking the logs of dough during the first baking can make the slices crumble as you are cutting them. Also, even if the logs of dough are perfectly baked, they will crumble if they are sliced while still warm, so be patient. The logs crumble when you use a dull knife, too.

Why didn't my biscotti spread? ›

If the temperature of your ingredients isn't just right, you won't get the results you want - like when your cookie dough refuses to spread out evenly on the baking sheet. This could be caused by too-cold butter or eggs that haven't been brought to room temperature.

What makes biscotti unique? ›

It is known for its crisp, dry texture and long shelf life. The name “biscotti” is Italian for “twice-cooked,” referring to the traditional method of baking the cookies twice, first in a log shape, then slicing and baking them again, which gives them their characteristic dry, crunchy texture.

Can you fix dough that is too dry? ›

This may seem obvious, but don't just dump more water into your bread dough. To incorporate more water into the mixture, add only 1 tablespoon of additional liquid at a time, kneading the dough just until it comes together. Too much kneading and the dough might not be dry anymore, but now it's tough.

Is butter better than oil in biscotti? ›

Yes, you can substitute oil for butter in biscotti. However, there are a few things to keep in mind: The texture and flavor of the biscotti may be slightly different with oil. Butter has a richer flavor and can contribute to a crisper texture, while oil may result in a softer, less crispy biscotti.

What to do if biscotti dough is too dry? ›

Only thing I can think of is to run it through a food processor to pulverize it and then add a bit of oil, water, and an egg before baking again. Or add water, let it soak in, then add an egg or two to the soft crumbs before baking again.

Should you refrigerate biscotti dough before baking? ›

You guessed it, add the dry ingredients to the large bowl with the wet ingredients. Fold in the pistachios, cardamom, and vanilla extract. Because the dough can be sticky and hard to form, it's important to chill the batter for a good 30 minutes before baking the first time.

What does baking soda do in biscotti? ›

Make sure that your baking powder isn't expired. Baking soda – baking soda helps the biscotti rise and spread. Make sure that your baking soda isn't expired. Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe.

What happens if you forget baking powder in biscotti? ›

Baking soda is a leavening agent. It creates air bubbles (technically, carbon dioxide) in your batter, when heated. Without it, your baked goods will not rise to the desired levels and the airy texture you're looking for will be adversely affected.

How do you know when biscotti are done? ›

“How do I know when they're done?” Let's turn to the Cookie Companion again. “Once the biscotti have been sliced and baked for the time directed, take the pan out of the oven and probe the side of a biscotto … If the biscotto feels soft, like a piece of cake, give it another 5 minutes in the oven.

What is the difference between Italian and American biscotti? ›

Biscotti can be either the traditional Italian type which is very crunchy and intended for dunking in coffee, tea, or wine. Or they can be the softer American type, eaten like any cookie. The Italian type keeps longer and has no butter, so they are much lower calorie and very low fat.

Are biscotti healthier than cookies? ›

In terms of health regular cookies are a high-calorie treat because of their higher moisture content, which also causes them to contain more fats and sugars. However, because of their drier texture, biscotti usually have lower fat and sugar content. However, it is vital to practice portion control, for both options.

What is the nickname for biscotti? ›

Biscotti, also known as cantucci, are twice-baked Italian cookies made of almonds and originated in Prato, Tuscany, in the 14th-century, where almonds were abundant.

How can I moisten dry cookie dough? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Why is my dough drying out? ›

Why does the dough dry out? If the storage container you proofed your dough balls in was not completely sealed, there's a good chance that air has been circulating the dough, causing it to dry out or form a skin. This is typical of long proofing times, either in the out of the fridge when the seal isn't secure.

How do you keep dough from drying out? ›

“Shape the dough and pop it into a greased loaf pan. Use a cover that won't touch the dough itself but will keep the surface moist. A shower cap or bowl cover is perfect. In a pinch, you can lay greased plastic wrap over the dough's surface.”

Should biscotti dough be crumbly? ›

You want just enough air pockets to add some crispiness and texture, but not so many that you get a lot of crumble in your biscotti instead. Don't overmix the batter. You just want to see all of your ingredients come together and that's it!

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dean Jakubowski Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6656

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dean Jakubowski Ret

Birthday: 1996-05-10

Address: Apt. 425 4346 Santiago Islands, Shariside, AK 38830-1874

Phone: +96313309894162

Job: Legacy Sales Designer

Hobby: Baseball, Wood carving, Candle making, Jigsaw puzzles, Lacemaking, Parkour, Drawing

Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.