I baked all the time when my kids were growing up. I never stopped completely, but I definitely slowed down when it was just my husband Billy and me. If we ate that amount of cookies all by ourselves (which we definitely could), we might be in trouble! But one day a few years back, I got the bug to perfect my biscotti, and my love for baking was rekindled. That’s why “blame it on biscotti” is my tagline for this cooking project!
This biscotti recipe with apricots, pine nuts, and honey also appeared in my cookbook, A Gift of Cookies: Recipes to Share with Family and Friends—a cookies-only treasure trove of family recipes. In my mind, this traditional biscotti recipe is a two-for-one because it’s delicious and it smells sooo good. The aroma alone is enough to put you in an amazing mood! Fresh, herbaceous, rosemary, bright citrus zest, toasty pine nuts… Oh, let’s just start cooking already!
Why are biscotti different from cookies?
Unlike cookies, biscotti are baked into a loaf, sliced like bread, then baked a second time. This draws out moisture, making them the perfect dunkable “cookie” because they’re crunchy and have a long shelf life. You can store biscotti in an airtight container for up to three weeks without refrigeration. Of course, that’s if they last that long!
Baking Tips: How to Make the Perfect Biscotti
My number one tip for making biscotti at home is to be careful not to over-bake them! I like to keep an eye on mine, and I will check on them 5 minutes before the baking time is up, just in case. Factors like humidity can affect your baking too, after all. Because this recipe has honey in it, it tends to brown more quickly than sugar. I highly recommend keeping an eye on your biscotti too!
Try Some More of My Family’s Favorite Biscotti Recipes Too!
Apricot, Pine Nut and Honey Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1½ teaspoons Mary's Cognac Barrel Aged Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
- 1½ cups pine nuts, lightly toasted
- ½ cup dried apricots, diced
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, as needed
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, honey, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and rosemary, if using.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the oil mixture. Mix until the flour mixture is incorporated.
- By hand, fold in the pine nuts and diced apricots. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the chilled dough in half. Place one half of the dough in the center of each prepared baking sheet. Using damp fingers, form the dough into logs about 2 inches wide and 1 inch high.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the tops of the biscotti logs are firm to the touch. Remove from the oven. Let the biscotti logs cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cutting board. A long, flat spatula is helpful for this. Keep the parchment-lined pans, as you will be using them again.
- Using a serrated knife, slice the logs on a slight diagonal into ½-inch slices. Place the sliced biscotti on the parchment-lined baking sheet pans, cut side up. Bake for 5 minutes. Then, turn the biscotti over and continue to bake for 5 additional minutes.
- Transfer the biscotti to a cooling rack.
- While you wait for them to cool, combine the confectioners’ sugar with 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a mixing bowl. If the glaze is too thick, add more lemon juice, a few drops at a time. If it’s too runny, add a little more confectioners’ sugar.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled biscotti using a fork or spoon. Once the glaze has completely dried, transfer the biscotti to an airtight container. Separate the layers of biscotti with parchment or wax paper. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
