These anise biscotti are crisp, lightly sweet, and full of that lovely licorice-like flavor from anise seeds. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they are twice baked for a satisfying crunch that’s perfect for dunking in tea or coffee.
These always take me back to my school days in Egypt: a cup of milk tea, books scattered around me, and a few biscotti to keep me company while studying. These days, I enjoy them just as much with considerably fewer textbooks.
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My Anise Biscotti Recipe Is So Good
Among all biscotti recipes these are my favorite. The recipe is so easy, it needs a handful of pantry staples mixed effortlessly with just a whisk and spatula.
Using oil instead of butter means there's no waiting for ingredients to soften before you start. The real reward comes after baking, where their classic twice baked texture results in the ultimate crunchy cookie that holds up beautifully when dunked into a warm cup of coffee or tea.
Calming and warming biscotti perfumed with anise flavor and the crunch is fabulous. Decorate them with ribbons of dark chocolate for an extra fancy look and calories. But seriously, they do not need it, they are just as good plain.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Anise seeds: These give the biscotti their distinctive sweet, licorice like flavor. I lightly toast them first to bring out their aroma. Although I like seeds, you can use 1 teaspoon Anise extract if this is what you have.
- Oil: Use a neutral-flavored oil, such as vegetable oil, so the anise flavor can shine through.
- All purpose flour: Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off, or use the weight listed in the recipe card.
- White granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness without overpowering the anise.
- Eggs: Help bind the dough and give the cookies structure.
- Baking powder: Gives the biscotti a little lift.
- Vanilla: Adds a gentle background flavor that complements the anise.
Pro Tip
The dough is sticky and soft so do not be tempted to add more flour. Lightly oil your hands before shaping. This helps you handle the dough without adding extra flour.
Anise Biscotti
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) neutral oil , (such as vegetable, canola, or light olive oil)
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon roasted anise seeds (lightly crushed or whole)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in the oil.
- In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and roasted anise seeds.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir with a spoon or sturdy spatula until a soft dough forms.
- Lightly moisten your hands with oil. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and shape it into a flat rectangle/log approximately 8 to 10 inches long, 4 inches wide, and ½ inch thick.
- Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top and sides are light golden brown and set.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes (do not leave them too long, or they will be harder to slice). Lower the oven temperature to 325°F/165°C.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the log diagonally into ½-3/4 inch slices.
- Arrange the slices cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, carefully flip each piece over to the other side, and bake for an additional 6 to 8 minutes until light golden and crisp.
- Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely. They will continue to crisp up as they cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Storage:
- Let the biscotti cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep them away from moisture to help preserve their crunch.
- To freeze, place the cooled biscotti in a freezer safe container with parchment between the layers to protect them from breaking.
- Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.
Nutrition
How to make Anise Biscotti
1- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar until fully blended. Pour oil and whisk until smooth.
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and roasted anise seeds to evenly distribute the spice throughout the dry mix.
2-Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring with a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula just until a soft dough forms. Lightly oil your hands and transfer the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Shape into a rectangle or log about 8 to 10 inches long, 4 inches wide, and roughly half an inch thick. Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top and edges turn a beautiful light golden brown and feel set to the touch.
3- Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and lower your oven temperature to 325°F/165°C. Let the log rest for 10 minutes; this brief cooling period allows the interior structure to set so it doesn't crumble when cut, while remaining soft enough to slice cleanly. Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle, sawing motion, cut the log into ½ to ¾ inch slices.
4- Arrange the biscotti slices cut side down on the baking sheet, leaving a small gap between each piece for hot air to circulate. Return them to the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, then carefully flip each slice over and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes until light golden and crisp on both sides. Transfer the finished biscotti to a wire cooling rack where they will firm up and reach their full crunch as they cool down completely before serving or storing.
Troubleshooting
Avoid adding extra flour, as this will make your biscotti dense and heavy instead of light and crisp. Because this recipe uses vegetable oil instead of softened butter, the dough is naturally soft and slightly sticky. To make shaping easy, simply lightly oil your hands before handling the dough, or use a spatula to press and shape it directly on the parchment paper.
To maximize the flavor, lightly roast your whole anise seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until warm and aromatic before adding them to the flour. For an even deeper flavor boost, you can give the toasted seeds a quick, coarse crush with a mortar and pestle or rolling pin to release their natural oils.
Slicing biscotti requires the right timing and tool! First, make sure you let the baked log cool for about 10 minutes before cutting. If you slice it immediately out of the oven, it will break. If you wait until it cools completely it will be too hard to slice cleanly. Second, use a sharp serrated knife and cut with a light, sawing motion rather than pressing down firmly.
Crispness comes down to the second bake. For classic, extra crunchy biscotti made for dunking in warm coffee or tea, extend the second bake by 2 to 3 minutes per side until they reach a deep golden color. If you prefer a slightly softer bite with a little yield, bake them for just 5 minutes per side. Keep in mind that biscotti firm up significantly as they cool on the wire rack.
Serving Ideas
A cup of tea with milk will always be my favorite companion for these biscotti. They are also lovely with Turkish coffee or a warming ginger latte. For a little extra sweetness, drizzle the cooled cookies with melted chocolate and let it set before serving.
More Cookies to Enjoy
- Greek Almond Cookies
- Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Sweet Potato Cookies
- Tahini Cookies
- Egyptian Kahk
- Petit Fours Cookies
- Ghraybeh
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Patty
How much anise powder or extract and what kind of oil.
Amira
Patty, use any neutral oil like vegetable, avocado..etc. For the anise I use 1 Tablespoon anise seeds so use the same amount in powder from. Thank you.
Denise
How do you roast anise seeds?
Amira
Denise you can toast them over medium heat in a dry pan, and as soon as you smell the aroma, remove from heat and place on a plate to cool down. I hope this helps.
Diana D.
I love these. They have become a staple for the holidays and also for a boring Wednesday!
Ari
How much almond or anise extract to add, please?
Judy
How much anise extract can I use in place of the seeds?
Thank you
Laura Gabaldon
This recipe is a five star they came out so light and tasty my 96 year-old mama Rose said these Anise biscotti‘s are her favorite. I added a little of anise extract with the vanilla and roasted, the anise which makes a difference in the flavor as you pour into your dough . Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe with all of us!
Amira
Thank you so much Laura for your feedback, I am happy you and your sweet mama Rose liked it.
Yvonne Yvonne
I used pistachios and some anise flavor and they came out great. Super easy recipe- definitely a keeper
Dodo
Mine aren’t as pretty but they taste really really good. I’ve learned a couple of things from this first try. I’ll make another batch for friends and family next. 10/10
Mary Malek
Hello,
I’m a newbie baker so here’s my question - If I double the recipe, should I divide the dough in two batches?
Amira
Yes absolutely you can Mary, nut if you are new to baking I would advice to make only one batch so you do not get overwhelmed.
Jodie
I love this recipe. Use a lot of anise and I also add a little almond extract. Delicious!
Amira
Thank you for sharing, Jodi. Almond extract will surely make these even more delicious.
Heidi Beasley
Terrific biscotti loved the anise favor but also added 3/4 cup of sliced almonds and a few extra tablespoons of flour. Wonderful texture and cut beautifully. One more important thing. I put dough in fridge for a least an hr to firm it up a little. Worked out perfectly. Will definitely make again!!!
Brenna
Great Recipe! Love it! So easy to make.
Kim Billhimer
Love biscotti cookies grew up on them.
hallie
Hi Amira,
Can I add chopped chocolate, dried fruit, or nuts to this recipe? If so how much would you recommend?
Thanks for all your help!
Hallie
Marie
Delicious!❤️
Amira
Thanks Marie, glad you liked them.
MJ
Can I use anise natural extract instead of seed?
Amira
I have not tried that before MJ. Thanks
Rainie
I don’t have anise seeds. Can I just use anise extract? If so, how much? Thx
Amira
Yes of course Rainie you can.
Candy
Can I also add Anise extract for more taste ?
if so how much?
Thank you
Amira
Yes you can Candy, add 2 teaspoons of anise extract for more flavor.
Oliver
Very good! The only thing I did differently from the recipe was add more vanilla extract (I am a vanilla fiend). My family loves them 🙂
Amira
Thank you Oliver for your feedback and comment. I am glad you liked the recipe.. and yes more vanilla please I like it that way too!
Hoda
Came out perfect! This is a keeper and so easy to make. My son loved them.
Amira
Thank you Hoda, happy you liked it.
Sam
Hi ..I’ve made biscotti before and your recipe looks great but I always get an eggy taste and smell whenever I make cookies with eggs and low sugar amount .. I’ve tried organic etc but same result.. am I doing something wrong ? Ty
Amira
Sam, you might be a little more sensitive to the egg flavor and smell in baked goods. My suggestions for you is to either add anise extract if you can find it easily or try increasing the amount of vanilla extract. Let me know what do you think?
Crystal Taylor-Hikal
Omg I was just at Starbucks in Virginia a few days ago looking at the Biscotti and thinking how much I needed to learn to make my own. Now you’ve gone and posted this recipe so it’s my challenge for this week! I have a fresh bag of anise seeds straight from Alexandria in the pantry and chocolate ready for drizzling at least half a batch. I found non alcoholic extracts and flavorings of all kinds on Amazon. Check them out. Thank you again Amira for inspiring me to be more creative in the kitchen for my Egyptian hubby and big family. Bundle up!
Amira
Crystal, great minds think alike hehehe. This is a super easy recipe for biscotti really not complicated at all. Enjoy making it and imagine you are there at the beaches of Alexandria eating those :). I love Alexandria and have great memories there with the hubby <3.
Denise Beaudoin
Made the Anise biscotti and they came out fantastic. Would have added some anise extract, the vanilla was OK. First time I make a biscotti - will do it again soon. Did not sift dry ingredients, though it might make it a lighter. thanks for the recipe. PS..my husband is Egyptian and he loved them, reminded him of his Mom's biscotti.
Amira
Denise, Thank you for trying this recipe and I am so glad you and your hubby liked it. I am afraid of using extracts as it ALWAYS contains alcohol and we do not consume any alcohol, so if this is ok with you then go ahead and add it I bet it will smells heavenly. Aaaaah moms' cooking and dishes are always the best, it brings back lots of good memories :). If you have any recipe you want to make please do not hesitate to contact me.
Denise S Beaudoin
Thanks Amira, that would be Gr8....appreciate your help....will reach out to you for sure.
Joanne T Ferguson
G'day! Love your recipe and photos too!
I can almost smell the wonderful anise and be perfect dunking right now in my coffee, true!
Cheers! Joanne
Amira
Thanks Joanne, try it if you like anise its smell is soooo relaxing :).