Sourdough Discard Almond Biscotti

Crunchy, twice-baked Italian almond cookies enriched with a cup of sourdough discard, brightened with lemon zest. Perfect for dunking into coffee, espresso, or dessert wine.

Ingredients

• 8 oz (1 cup) sourdough discard
• 2 large eggs
• 2 oz (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large lemons, zest finely grated
• 15 oz (3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 8 oz (1 1/2 cups) toasted almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 egg, for egg wash
• Granulated sugar, for topping

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder · Olive Oil · Salt · Vanilla Extract

1. Combine the sourdough discard, eggs, olive oil, vanilla, and lemon zest in a measuring cup and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix for about 30 seconds.
2. Add the egg mixture and almonds to the dry ingredients and mix until almost combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and finish mixing by hand until the flour is fully absorbed.
3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and rest 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
4. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll each into a log about 13 inches long by 2 inches wide. Place on the sheet pan with about 3 inches between them. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sugar.
5. Bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown and firm when pressed. Cool the logs completely.
6. Using a serrated knife, slice the logs diagonally into 3/4-inch slices.
7. Lay the sliced cookies flat on sheet pans. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden, then flip and bake another 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
8. Store in an airtight cookie jar for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

The word ‘biscotti’ literally means ‘twice cooked,’ so the double bake is essential: bake the log first, cool it, then slice and toast the slices on both sides. Bake the slices longer for extra-crunchy cookies or shorter for a softer texture. Slice the logs with a serrated knife once fully cooled (cooled logs will hold up to 2 days before slicing). This recipe uses unfed sourdough discard rather than active starter, since there is plenty of baking powder for lift. Measure flour with the dip-and-sweep method to avoid overloading the dough. For a chocolate finish, dip or drizzle the cooled biscotti in melted chocolate and let set. Make-ahead: dough logs can be refrigerated several days or frozen for weeks. Store at room temperature in an airtight container (no refrigeration needed), where they keep several weeks; freeze up to 3 months and re-toast briefly after thawing to restore crunch. Adapted from Eileen Gray at Baking Sense.