Okay, we need you to be honest with us right now. Have you ever enjoyed biscotti? If you said yes, then you already know how delicious and crispy these Italian cookies are. If you said no, then you may not even know what these cookies are.

That’s alright; that’s why we’re going to give everyone an education on these cookies, just in time for National Biscotti Day—a holiday that’s celebrated every September 29th. Biscotti is basically a cookie that’s made by mixing flour, sugar, eggs, and other flavorings together and then baking it twice.

The History of National Biscotti Day

Biscotti can be traced back thousands of years to ancient Rome. At that time, people began to experiment with twice-baked bread because it tended to last longer than bread that had only been baked once.

This cookie started out as a hardtack that could be easily carried by travelers, merchants, and soldiers. It continued in this form up until the Middle Ages when Italian chefs decided to turn this shelf-stable product into a work of edible art.

Making Homemade Biscotti

Check out the following recipe and see if you want to wow your friends on this day with your own homemade biscotti.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature.
• ¾ cup granulated sugar.
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise.
• 2 eggs.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour.
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder.
• ½ teaspoon sea salt.
• 1¼ cups slivered almonds, coarsely chopped.

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Position the oven rack in the center of the oven.
• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and place them in a small bowl. Add the sugar to mix the vanilla into it evenly. Set aside.
• Cream the butter in an electric mixer until light. Then add the vanilla sugar and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until smooth.
• Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and almonds and stir them into the butter/sugar mixture.
• Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
• Divide the dough into three pieces and shape each piece into a log that’s about 1.25 inches in diameter.
• Place the logs on the baking sheet, spacing them apart from one another.
• Bake the logs for about 30 minutes or until they’re lightly browned.
• Let them cool slightly and then cut them into ½-inch diagonal pieces.
• Place the diagonal pieces cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.
• Make sure to turn the pieces over once during this second baking.
• Cool and then store them in an airtight container.

Observing National Biscotti Day

We think that most people are probably going to want to observe National Biscotti Day by enjoying some nice biscotti with their favorite beverage. As we mentioned earlier, biscotti pairs well with a number of different hot and cold beverages. It pairs well with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, eggnog, or Vin Santo—an Italian dessert wine.