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Lemon biscotti are a classic Italian cookie with a vibrant, zesty flavor. Also known as cantucci, biscotti are known for being twice-baked, which gives them a crisp texture. These aren’t the type of cookie you can grab from the tray and finish in two bites. They are meant to be dunked into coffee or tea and savored slowly. Using fresh lemon juice and zest makes all the difference in terms of fresh flavor and biscotti stay crisp for up to a week. Not that they’re likely to last that long!
Why You’ll Love It
Lemon biscotti are crisp, lightly glazed and full of lemon flavor from fresh lemon zest and juice.
Classic biscotti texture: The second bake dries these cookies out fully, so they snap when you bite into them and hold up when dipped in coffee or tea.
Plenty of lemon: Lemon juice and zest go into the dough, then the glaze adds more lemon over the surface, for a perfectly tangy taste.
They store well: These stay crisp for days, so a full batch doesn’t need to be eaten straight away.
If you love zesty lemon biscotti, you may also enjoy my cranberry orange biscotti, pistachio biscotti, canestrelli cookies and lemon thumbprint cookies.
Italian Lemon Biscotti Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Butter: Gives the dough richness and holds the crumb together.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps the dough logs color in the oven.
Eggs: To bind the dough and help the logs hold together when sliced. I recommend that you use room temperature eggs, as they mix in better.
Lemon juice and lemon zest: Adds that tangy lemon flavor to the dough. The zest matters especially because it carries more lemon strength than juice alone.
Vanilla extract: Softens the edges of the citrus and rounds out the dough. Pure vanilla extract is always best. I wouldn’t use anything synthetic, as the vibrant flavor just isn’t there.
Flour: Forms the structure of the biscotti.
Baking powder: Keep the dough from baking up too dense.
Powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk: These combine to make the glaze for the top. You only need the milk if the glaze needs loosening.
How to Make Lemon Biscotti
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Mix the butter and sugar: Beat them together until creamy.
Add the eggs and flavorings: Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in another bowl, then mix into the butter mixture just until a soft dough forms.
Chill the dough: Cover and chill it so it’s easier to shape.
Shape the logs: Divide the dough in half and shape it into 2 biscotti logs on a prepared baking sheet.
First bake: Bake until the logs are lightly golden and set through the middle.
Cool and slice: Let the logs cool a bit, then cut them into slices with a sharp serrated knife.
Second bake: Put the slices cut side down on the baking sheet, bake, flip and then bake the other side until dry and crisp.
Cool fully: Move the biscotti to a rack and let them cool completely.
Make the glaze: Stir the powdered sugar with lemon juice, adding a little milk only if needed.
Finish the biscotti: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled biscotti and leave it to set.
Substitutions and Variations
Unsalted butter: Salted butter can be used instead, but reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon if you’re using salted.
Extra lemony: Add a little extra lemon if you want a sharper lemon flavor. Add zest not juice, as juice will change the texture. If it’s still not lemony enough for you, a few drops of lemon extract can be added.
No glaze: Leave the glaze off if you want a plainer biscotti for dunking.
Lemon almond biscotti: Swap the vanilla for almond extract or use a little of each in these twice baked cookies. Add toasted almonds too, if liked.
Thicker glaze: Use less milk so the glaze sits in more defined lines.
Extra-crisp texture: Bake for an extra minute or two in the second bake.
More add-ins: You could add anything from finely chopped almonds to mini chocolate chips, or even dried cranberries for a festive flavor. However, I feel keeping the flavor simple with fresh lemon and vanilla is best, so nothing is competing with that tangy fresh lemon taste.
Serving Suggestions
With coffee: Try biscotti with a pistachio latte, cinnamon dolce latte or espresso.
With tea: If tea’s more your thing, try medicine ball tea or peach black tea lemonade.
With wine: Pair your lemon biscotti with a glass of Vin Santo, the Tuscan way to enjoy these cookies! Fruity or citrusy biscotti are also good with sweet Marsala wine or Moscato d’Asti. You could even serve them with homemade limoncello!
How to Store
At room temperature: Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
In the refrigerator: You can also keep lemon biscotti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Freeze: Freeze biscotti in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
Top Tips
Cool before slicing: Cutting the logs while they’re too hot makes breakage more likely.
Use a serrated knife: It cuts through the baked log more cleanly than a straight blade.
Flour your hands lightly: The dough is sticky before chilling and shaping is easier with a little flour on your hands.
Use zest to push the lemon more: Extra juice can affect the dough, but extra zest gives stronger lemon flavor without changing the texture much.
Don’t let the cookies stick: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper so the biscotti don’t stick.
Keep the glaze thick: A thin glaze runs off too fast and barely shows once set.
Italian Lemon Cantucci FAQs
Biscotti, known as cantucci in Italy, are crisp cookies. They’re shaped and baked in logs, sliced and then baked again until dry.
The dough is soft and sticky before chilling. A short rest makes shaping easier and helps the logs hold their form better.
They usually break if the logs are still too hot or if the knife presses down too hard. Let them cool a bit first and use a serrated knife.
Lemon Biscotti Recipe
Lemon Biscotti
Equipment
- Baking Sheet Large
- Electric Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Microplane or Zester
- Pastry Bag Optional
Ingredients
For the Biscotti Dough
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 Stick, softened
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, large, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest, fresh
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Teaspoon baking powder
- ½ Teaspoon kosher salt
For the Lemon Glaze
- ½ Cup powdered sugar
- 2 Teaspoons lemon juice, fresh
- 1 Teaspoon milk, only if needed
Instructions
Make the Biscotti Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition so the batter becomes smooth.
- Mix in the lemon juice and zest, and vanilla extract, until fully combined and fragrant.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms. The dough will be slightly sticky but should hold its shape.
Chill the Dough
- Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper so the biscotti release easily after baking.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide in half and shape each portion into 2 logs about 10 inches long and 2-2 ½ inches wide.
- Place on your prepared baking sheet, ensuring the logs are at least 3 inches apart.
Bake and Cool the Biscotti
- Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes until lightly golden and set in the center.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the logs cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the log into ½ to ¾ inch-thick biscotti slices and lay them cut-side down on the baking sheet.
Bake Them Again
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F, then return the biscotti to the oven and bake for 8 minutes.
- Flip each biscotti over and bake for another 8 minutes, until both sides are lightly crisp.
Cool the Biscotti
- Transfer the biscotti to a cooling rack and let them cool completely so that they finish crisping up.
Make the Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and one or two teaspoons of fresh lemon juice until thick and smooth.
- Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of milk only if needed to loosen the glaze. You can add a little more milk, a few drops at a time, only if needed to loosen more. The glaze should be thick enough to hold its shape when drizzled and not run off the biscotti.
Glaze the Biscotti
- Drizzle the lemon glaze lightly over the cooled biscotti with a piping bag or spoon, then let the glaze set for about 15 minutes.
- Serve these bright lemon biscotti alongside your choice of coffee or tea.
Notes
Use a serrated knife: It cuts through the baked log more cleanly than a straight blade.
Flour your hands lightly: The dough is sticky before chilling and shaping is easier with a little flour on your hands.
Use zest to push the lemon more: Extra juice can affect the dough, but extra zest gives stronger lemon flavor without changing the texture much.
Don’t let the cookies stick: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper so the biscotti don’t stick.
Keep the glaze thick: A thin glaze runs off too fast and barely shows once set.
Nutrition
Lemon biscotti need to be crisp enough to dunk and dry enough to keep well, and this batch does that. The dough is plain in the way biscotti dough is meant to be, with butter, sugar, eggs and flour making up the base while the lemon carries the flavor. A thin glaze on top adds a little more sweetness and another hit of lemon, but it doesn’t turn them into a frosted cookie. Biscotti, or cantucci, are best savored slowly with coffee or tea. If you love lemon, you’re going to enjoy these with their crunchy texture and tangy flavor.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
