Cantuccini

These Italian almond biscuits, known as cantuccini, are the perfect accompaniment to your morning coffee or after-dinner dessert wine.

With their crunchy exterior and chewy interior, these sweet treats are addictive and pairs beautifully with a variety of flavors.

Ready Time

1 hrs 15 mins

Yields

10 servings

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup chopped almonds

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Beat in the almond extract.

Gradually mix in the flour mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Stir in the chopped almonds.

The dough will be slightly sticky, but don’t worry about that! Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces.

Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten it slightly into a disk shape. Place the disks onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cantuccini.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

Remove the cantuccini from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Your cantuccini are now ready to be dunked in your favorite coffee or dessert wine!

Notes

As these cantuccini are quite delicate, make sure to handle them gently when transferring them to the baking sheet and when storing them. You can customize the flavor of your cantuccini by substituting the almond extract with another extract of your choice, such as lemon or orange.

If you want a crisper cantuccini, bake them for 20-22 minutes instead of 18-20.

However, keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking. Store your cantuccini in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Freeze them for longer storage.

For a more rustic look, bake the cantuccini for 15-16 minutes, or until they’re lightly golden on the bottom but still pale on top. Experiment with different types of nuts or flavorings, such as hazelnuts, pistachios, or cinnamon, to create unique variations of these Italian treats.

Cantuccini are traditionally dunked in vin santo, a sweet dessert wine, but feel free to get creative and try them with coffee, tea, or your favorite hot beverage.