Gluten Free Lemon Pistachio Biscotti Recipe

Before you decide I have completely lost my sanity by presenting a gluten free recipe for a cookie that is not only baked once but twice in the dead heat of summer, hear me out. I think I can convince you that biscotti are in fact the ideal cookies to bake in the summer.

The word biscotti originates from Medieval Latin and means twice baked or cooked. They are dry Italian cookies which have been made for centuries and were originally baked twice to ensure a long shelf life in the days of extended journeys and no refrigeration.

The dryness makes them the ideal cookie for dunking and it also makes them quite portable – perfect for picnics and such. They are low in fat which makes them a good dessert alternative with a glass of Vin Santo – a sweet Italian wine. The thought of sitting on the patio at the end of a light summer meal sharing biscotti and a glass of wine or cup of coffee just cries “summer” to me.

OK, do you see where I am going with all this? I am not saying to stop baking biscotti in the winter–tins of Christmas biscotti studded with pistachios and cranberries dipped in dark chocolate make for fabulous gifts–I am just saying that we need to start thinking of this as a summer cookie as well.

I like my biscotti dry enough to dip without falling apart but not so hard that they chip a tooth and this recipe results in a cookie that hits that balance quite nicely. I love the combination of fragrant lemon peel and salty pistachios mixed into the barely sweet biscuit. And may I just say that if you do dare to turn on the oven during the heat of summer to bake these, you will be rewarded with not only fantastic gluten free biscotti but your home will smell a little bit like Heaven.

4 from 5 votes

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Lemon Pistachio Biscotti Recipe

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 18 Servings

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Gluten Free & More

Ingredients

• ▢ 1¾ cup pastry quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum*
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ Zest of 1 large lemon
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 ½ cups roasted - salted pistachios

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• ▢
  Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• ▢
  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, salt and baking powder.
• ▢
  In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or with a handheld at medium speed, beat the olive oil with the sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and eggs until well combined. Turn mixer to low, gradually add the flour mixture. Add the pistachios and stir by hand to combine. Place dough on prepared baking sheet and form into a log which is roughly 12 inches long by 4 inches wide and ½ inch high. If dough is too sticky, wet your hands with water. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, increase heat to 350 degrees and cover the biscotti with two tea towels and let cool for 10 minutes.
• ▢
  Remove the log from the baking sheet and place on a cutting board. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the biscotti on a diagonal into ¾ inch slices and place the slices back on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until the biscotti are golden brown.
• ▢
  Store in an airtight container, especially important if the air is humid.

Notes

* make your own gluten free flour blend by whisking together 1 cup superfine white rice flour with ½ cup superfine sweet rice flour, ¼ cup tapioca starch and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Gluten Free Lemon Pistachio Biscotti Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 135 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Cholesterol 33mg11%

Sodium 44mg2%

Potassium 94mg3%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 30IU1%

Calcium 33mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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