Paximadia is the Greek word for the double-baked cookies we all know and love, Biscotti. This is a vegan recipe that creates the most aromatic cookies that are perfect for dunking in your coffee!
In Crete (the part of Greece that my family comes from), these are called Kalorizika. That translates to “good luck” cookies. They’re made with olive oil, orange juice (and zest), toasted almonds, and are unbelievably easy to make.
Watch the Video Tutorial Here:
Feel free to modify the flavors to create different versions of these biscotti. Here are some of my favorite flavor combinations:
- Baklava flavored paximadia: replace the almonds with walnuts (or do a combination of almonds and walnuts), add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves to the dry ingredients.
- Rose & Mastic Paximadia: substitute the orange juice with 1/4 cup lemon juice and 3/4 cup water, add 1 tablespoon of rose water to the wet ingredients, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground mastic gum to the dry ingredients.
- Substitute the almonds for your favorite nuts and dried fruit: pistachios, raisins, walnuts, pecans, figs, cranberries, or raisins.
- Almond-Anise Paximadia: Add a teaspoon of almond extract to the wet ingredients and 2 tablespoons of anise seeds to the dry ingredients.
- Dip the biscotti in melted white or dark chocolate after they’re baked.
- Substitute vegetable oil for the olive oil
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Can the Biscotti dough be frozen?
YES!! That’s one of my favorite things about this recipe. The unbaked dough keeps fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. To freeze it: form the dough into logs, then wrap in parchment and plastic wrap. Label it and freeze! When you’re ready to bake them thaw them overnight in the refrigerator then, let the dough come to room temperature. Place on baking trays and bake!
Which olive oil is best for this recipe?
I love making these using a light olive oil. Extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil tends to be a bit bitter and tastes like olives. That’s why I use the more inexpensive light (in olive taste and light in color) olive oil. Feel free to substitute vegetable oil if you prefer it or if that’s what you have on hand.
Are these biscotti extra crisp and dry?
They can be. It’s up to you! If you love dry, crisp biscotti then, all you have to do is bake them longer. I suggest baking them at a lower temperature (325 °F) for about 40 minutes. Keep an eye on them because every oven bakes differently.
For a softer biscotti (my favorite), bake the cookies at 350 °F for about 20 minutes. Easy, Peasy!
Orange & Almond Olive Oil Biscotti: Greek Vegan Paximadia
Paximadia is the Greek word for the double-baked cookies we all know and love, Biscotti. This is a vegan recipe that creates the most aromatic cookies that are perfect for dunking in your coffee!
Ingredients
The Wet Ingredients:
- • 1 cup (237 ml) olive oil
- • 1 cup (237 ml) orange juice
- • ½ teaspoon baking soda
- • 1 and ¼ cup (165 g) granulated sugar
- • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
The Dry Ingredients:
- • 3 cups (475 g) all-purpose flour
- • 3 teaspoons baking powder
- • ½ teaspoon salt
- • ½-1 cup roasted chopped almonds
- • Optional: ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ cup sesame seeds, 2 teaspoons anise seeds, or ¼ teaspoon ground mastic gum
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.
- Place the olive oil, sugar, vanilla extract, and half of the orange juice in the bowl of a mixer that is fitted with the flat beater attachment.
- Combine the baking soda with the remaining orange juice and mix together to dissolve the soda. It will foam up and rise so, keep it over the mixing bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and whisk together.
- Combine the dry ingredients except for the almonds and whisk together.
- While the mixer is running at low speed slowly add the dry ingredients until incorporated.
- Add the almonds and mix until combined.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface that is dusted with flour. Roll it on the flour so that it is no longer sticky. Do not add too much flour or the biscotti will be very dry.
- Cut the dough into 2 equal portions and roll each portion out into a log that is about a half-inch thick and 12-13 inched long.
- Place the logs on 2 baking trays that are lined with parchment paper and sprinkle the tops of the logs with either crushed almonds, sesame seeds, or granulated sugar. Press the topping into the dough slightly with your hand.
- Bake on the center rack (alternate the trays halfway through baking if using both racks so that they bake evenly) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick that is inserted in the center of the cookie comes out clean.
- Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Slice each cookie log into 10-12 slices (about 1-inch thick).
- Place the slices on the baking trays and bake them for 30-45 minutes. The longer they bake the dryer they will be. If you prefer slightly moist (soft) biscotti, bake them for about 25 minutes.
- Allow the biscotti to cool completely and serve with Greek coffee. Enjoy!
- Notes:
- The biscotti dough can be prepared without a mixer. Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl starting with a whisk then, kneading with your hands.
- The biscotti stay fresh for up to 2 weeks when stored at room temperature in airtight containers.
- The uncooked biscotti dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Form it into a log, wrap with parchment paper, then with plastic wrap and store in the freezer.
- When ready to bake the frozen dough, thaw it out overnight in the refrigerator then let it sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature and follow the baking instructions above.
- These biscotti can be flavored in many different ways:
- • Leave out the orange juice and use water instead to eliminate the orange flavor.
- • Add a teaspoon of almond extract and 2 tablespoons of anise seeds
- • Add some ground mastic with a tablespoon of rose water.
- • Spice them up with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of ground cloves with some ground walnuts. This will give them a baklava flavor.
- • Add your favorite dried fruit: cranberries, figs, raisins…
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Is it possible the oven temp should be lower on the second bake? Luckily I checked on them after 20 minutes, as they were beginning to burn, and then I remembered that with a different double-bake recipe I used the oven temperature was lower the second time.
Still lovely though, thank you for the recipe!
Hi Charlotte,
So, ovens vary and I’m so glad that you were keeping a watchful eye on them. Next time, you can reduce the temperature to 300 °F on the second bake and bake them to your desired crispness. Hope this helps and thanks so much for being here 🙂 xx Dimitra
Hi Dimitra,
Love your recipes! Grew up with these Paximadia also and remember we had some with ouzo flavor as well..how about the anise and a shot of ouzo together? Will that work ? Made the bougatsa by the way and it was delicious and so easy. Thanks so much! Eva
Hi Dimitra,
I’m Greek too and love to bake and cook. I love your recipes. I had a question about the biscottis, can I substitute regular flour with coconut flour or almond and honey instead of sugar for a healthier option?
Thank you
Panagiota
I followed the recipe exactly and it was almost a complete fail. With three cups of flour it was a batter, not a sticky dough. I added another 1.5 cups at least of flour before it resembled anything like a dough I could work with. Two cups of liquid and three cups of dry ingredients with no eggs doesn’t add up. Boxed cake mix requires less liquid for about the same dry ingredients for a cake and that included two eggs. Also in the recipe itself there’s no mention of orange zest.
I had the same problem…more of a batter than a dough! I think it must be a typo on the oil measurement as other recipes show @ 1/2 cup or less. Watching the video, the oil amount is not mentioned but it doesn’t look like a full cup in the mixing bowl. I will try again with less oil.
Hi Dimitra!
Thank you for a lovely recipe! So crunchy and flavourful! They reminded me of your ladokouloura which I love have made several times!
I over did my second bake and got more colour than intended haha brooown but with practice I’ll get there I’m sure.
I only had sunflower seeds on hand which I toasted and added instead of almonds; no real added flavour just texture.
Thank you for sharing such delicious, easy to follow recipes!
Loved the flavors in this recipe! As some others commented, my dough was quite thin/soupy. So, I added roughly 1 more cup of flour until the dough resembled that of the dough in Dimitra’s video. Despite this, the flavor was not compromised! Yum(: Printing this to make again(: ευχαριστώ!
Do you have to put bake soda
Hi I made your paximadia but found the dough very sticky to almost a runny consistency. I added almost one cup of flour. I divided my Dough into two to make half with almonds and the rest cinnamon. Even though I over dried them they are still tasty.
Thanks
Hi Dimitra, this is Maria Ioannidou, one of your dedicated fans and I’m Greek.
I followed your instructions however the dough was very sticky so I had to add more flour. They turned out very tasty but I would like to know what did I do wrong. Fyi, I used the mixer. Any tips or comments?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Maria
Hi
Your orange almond biscottis are very tasty but recipe is not right. 2 cups liquid and 3 cups flour makes a very runny dough.
These are so delicious!!!
If recipe is followed as per the instructions in the video they will come out just perfect. I’ve made these many times and get compliments each time
Thanks For sharing Dimitra 🙂
I love all your recipes, but this one clearly has a mistake! It is too liquidy. Please check it out and make the correction. The flavors are great, but the consistency is not right!