Almond Anise (paximadakia) Biscotti

These twice-baked cookies are sweet, crunchy, and go perfectly with a hot cup of coffee! Almond anise biscotti is so popular and one of my favorites.

Watch the Video

Biscotti are known in Greece as paximadakia. They’re a cookie commonly found in Greek and American bakeries. We made this almond anise biscotti recipe at the bakery we had for ten years, and they sold out every time we made them. So, we made them often!

With this recipe, your biscotti will be better than any biscotti you get at the store or bakery because they’re homemade and made with good ingredients.

How to roast almonds for Almond anise biscotti?

Dry roasting almonds give them a crisper texture and bring out their rich flavor. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the almonds in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, depending on how deeply you want them roasted. Give the pan a shake or stir at least once while roasting, and watch them carefully towards the end to make sure they don’t burn.

Remove the almonds from the oven and let them cool. Then, place them in a nut chopper or food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

The reason this Almond Anise Biscotti will become your favorite!

• Golden, crispy texture
• Chunks of almonds
• Sweet almond flavor
• The perfect breakfast or snack with a hot cup of coffee!

Simple ingredients

• Unsalted butter –leave on the counter for an hour before using to soften
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs –place these on the counter with your butter to bring to room temperature
• Pure vanilla extract –I’ve heard you can make your own
• Pure almond extract –the higher the quality, the better the flavor
• Salt
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Toasted coarsely ground almonds –keep an eye on them, so they don’t get too brown.
• Anise seeds

How to cut biscotti?

People often wonder how biscotti is cut without it breaking apart. There’s a trick. Biscotti are baked twice! After baking until it’s a pale golden brown, you remove the biscotti from the oven and let it cool. Then, use a sharp or serrated knife to cut the biscotti straight across or at an angle. If the biscotti starts to break apart, use a sawing motion before applying pressure to cut.

Cutting this way will give you beautiful pieces of almond anise biscotti to put back on your sheet trays for a final bake.

How to make almond anise biscotti?

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.
• Beat the butter with sugar, salt, almond, and vanilla extracts. Beat over medium-high speed until fluffy.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, nuts, and anise seeds in a large bowl and mix.
• Add the eggs to the mixer one at a time and beat until combined and fluffy.
• Add the flour mixture slowly until incorporated and a dough is formed.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and form them into logs (about 1/2 inch thick).
• Transfer the logs onto a half sheet baking (13 by 18 inch) tray that has been lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the tops of the biscotti logs with granulated sugar and lightly press the sugar into them.
• Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes until pale golden and the center of the loaves are firm.
• Set them aside to cool.
• Slice the loaves into about 1/2-inch thick slices cut on the diagonal.
• Place the slices onto the baking tray and bake (325°F) for about 15 minutes.
• Cool completely and store the cookies in an airtight container.

Serving

The very best way to serve almond anise biscotti is with a delicious hot cup of Greek coffee! However, you can dip these in white or dark chocolate for additional sweetness and contrast of creaminess with the dry cookie.

I like them just the way they are! Post your pictures and let me know if you agree. Enjoy!

Try a few of my other biscotti recipes!

• Orange & Almond Olive Oil Biscotti
• Vegan Chocolate & Pistachio Biscotti
• Greek Walnut Biscotti with Olive Oil

Continue to Content

Almond Anise Paximadia (Biscotti)

Yield: About 24

Print

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar (plus more for garnish)
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups (450 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup toasted coarsely ground almonds
• 1-2 tablespoons anise seeds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.

Beat the butter with the sugar, salt, almond and vanilla extracts. Beat over medium-high speed until fluffy.

Combine the flour, baking powder, nuts, and anise seeds in a large bowl and mix together.

Add the eggs to the mixer one at a time and beat until combined and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture slowly until incorporated and a dough is formed.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and form them into logs (about 1/2 inch thick).

Transfer the logs onto a half sheet baking (13 by 18 inch) tray that has been lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the tops of the logs with granulated sugar and lightly press the sugar into them.

Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes until pale golden and the center of the loaves is firm.

Set them aside to cool.

Slice the loaves into about 1/2-inch thick slices cut on the diagonal.

Place the slices onto the baking tray and bake (325°F) for about 15 minutes.

Cool completely and store the cookies in an airtight container.

Serve with Greek coffee and enjoy!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  TEAKHAUS Wood Cutting Board Block I Chopping Board I Wooden Cutting Boards for Kitchen I Large Cutting Board with Handle I Chopping Boards for Kitchen I Thick Cutting Board 107 24x18x1.5
• 
  KitchenAid KSM3311XAQ Artisan Mini Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, 3.5 quart, Aqua Sky Blue
• 
  Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Quarter Sheet, 2-Pack