One more Christmas cookie recipe to “healthify” from my friend Jennie. The first recipe, Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies, were a successful healthy makeover. Next challenge, Vanilla Biscotti Cookies. When most of us think of biscotti, we think of a hard, slightly sweet, crunchy, long cookie designed for dunking. What I learned from my Italian friend, is her family's version of biscotti is not this same Americanized treat. While this cookie is firm enough to dip in coffee, it is crumbly, not crunchy, a little more delicate. Oh, and they are also small like cookies.
Biscotti means twice baked cookie. The original recipe did not indicate these needed to be baked twice, but simply said to bake until brown, which is what I did. After reviewing other biscotti recipes, I noticed the difference. Most recipes call for the dough to be baked in logs first, then sliced and baked again. This recipe is different, you form the dough into logs, cut them into cookie size pieces and then you bake them, only once.
When baking with nut flours you have to be careful about baking too long as they go from lightly brown to burnt very quickly. In fact the first dozen I baked for 10 minutes and decided that was a little too long. The second batch I reduced the time to 8 minutes and they turned out perfect! I substituted the white flour with an equal amount of almond flour and coconut flour. In most recipes, when using coconut flour, you need to increase the liquid. However, for this recipe I wanted a more “dry” cookie, so when dunked in coffee it absorbs, therefore I used no extra liquid.
Finally, I replaced the sugar with a combination of stevia and xylitol and subbed out the milk with almond milk. For the glaze, I whizzed in the VitaMix, granulated xylitol, erythritol and stevia to a fine powder. When working with alternative sweeteners, combining not only provides a synergistic effect, but it also gives it a “real sugar” taste.
Vanilla Biscotti Cookies
Original Recipe from Jennie
Healthified by Healthy Living How To
Printable Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Makes: 2 1/2 dozen
Ingredients
Biscotti Cookies
- 1 c. Unblanched Almond Flour
- 1 c. Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour
- 1 tsp. NOW Guar Gum Powder
- 1/8 tsp. NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract Powder
- 2 Tbsp. Xylitol, Non-GMO
- 3/4 Tbsp. Rumford Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
- 1 pinch Celtic Sea Salt
- 1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. Spectrum Naturals Organic Non-Hydrogenated Shortening
- 2 Large Organic Cage-Free Eggs
- 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 c. Unsweetened Almond Milk
Directions
- Sift together all of the dry ingredients.
- With a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until dough is crumb-like.
- In small bowl, mix together wet ingredients.
- Add wet ingredients to dough and mix until well incorporated.
- Split dough into two equal parts and then roll into a log 4 inches in length, 2 1/2 inches wide and about 1 inch tall.
- Slice each log into 15 equal slices, each 1/4 inch.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Place cookie slices on parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 425º F for 8 minutes.
- Remove cookies from oven, completely cool on rack before glazing.
Powdered “Sugar” Glaze
- 1/4 c. Xylitol, Non-GMO
- 1/3 c. Erythritol, Non-GMO
- 1/4 tsp. NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract Powder
- 5 tsp. Unsweetened Almond Milk
Directions
- In VitaMix or high-powered blender, add xylitol, erythritol and stevia and whiz until powdered.
- Place powdered “sugar” in bowl and add milk 1 tsp. at a time.
- Stir until thin consistency, drizzle with spoon or place in Ziploc bag, make a small snip in corner and drizzle.
