Almond biscotti taste best dunked into coffee and slurped into the mouth. Enjoy!

The dry ingredients

4 cups unbleached white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups almonds, toasted

The wet ingredients

1-ounce pure almond extract
1/2 cup Amaretto*
2 eggs

1 cup sweet unsalted butter, cut into pieces
7 ounces Odense almond paste, optional

To assemble the cookies
In a large mixing bowl whisk the baking powder, flour, salt, and sugar until combined. Drop the butter and almond paste into the dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter, potato masher or your hands to blend the butter into the flour mixture until all crumbs are evenly formed. Incorporate the almonds into the mix.

Whisk the eggs until light and fluffy then add the almond extract and Amaretto. 

Make a hole in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the almond extract, Amaretto, and eggs. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball kneading until the dough is not sticky. Leave the dry crumbs on the bottom of the bowl. Splash in a few drops of almond extract if necessary to form the dough into a ball.

To shape the cookies
Cover the kitchen counter with a sheet of parchment paper. Scoop a hand-full of flour onto the parchment paper. Drop the dough on the floured parchment paper and divide into thirds. Roll into logs about the length of a baking sheet. Wrap each log in plastic and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

To bake the cookies
Heat the oven to 350° F. and slide the oven rack to the middle of the oven. Line 2 shallow baking sheets with parchment paper.

Discard the plastic wrap from the dough and center on the baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

Reduce oven heat to 300° F. Slice the cookies on the diagonal with a sharp bread knife or electric carving knife. Cook again until golden brown on all sides. Cool then store in an airtight container.

Tips

Almond biscotti can be made in a food processor or an electric mixer, however, this classic Italian handmade technique is my favorite and I think this method tastes best.

*If using a blender, leave the Amaretto out of the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients then blend. Splash in the flavorings gradually until the dough forms into a ball.

Alterations

Butter instead of Crisco, liqueur instead of milk.