Low Carb Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Lately I’ve discovered how easy it is to make biscotti, a twice baked cookie that is excellent dipped in coffee, low carb hot chocolate or tea. The first biscotti I made was from the All Day I Dream About Food website (click for recipe here: Cranberry Pecan Biscotti). They were easy and so delicious! That encouraged me to make more using ingredients I already had in my pantry. Although I must give credit to Carolyn Ketchum, author and blogger, for the idea, I’m extremely pleased with how my cookies turned out. If you get hooked the way I have, be sure to search Carolyn’s website for more biscotti recipes. I’m certain that these Chocolate Almond Biscotti will be a favorite of low carbers (or anyone) who visit my Christmas breakfast buffet.

Low Carb Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Makes 15 biscotti

Biscotti Dough:

1-3/4 cups almond flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup granulated erythritol sweetener

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon almond extract, or to taste

1/4 cup sliced almonds, chopped into smaller pieces

Chocolate Dip:

2-1/2 ounces sugar free chocolate chips, such as Lily’s

1-1/2 teaspoons refined coconut oil (or unrefined, but it will impart a slight coconut flavor)

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Whisk together the dry ingredients (almond flour through salt) in a large mixing bowl until well combined and no lumps remain. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg and almond extract. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well until a dough forms. Fold in the chopped almonds until well distributed.

2. Turn dough out onto parchment paper and form with your hands and/or a rolling pin into a rectangle that is 10 inches long by 4 inches wide (the dough loaf will be about 1 inch tall). Bake for 28 minutes until just firm to the touch. Do not overbake or the cookies will be more difficult to cut later.) Remove loaf from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes. 

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 250F. Carefully and with a very sharp knife, cut the loaf into 15 equal pieces. It’s best to cut straight down instead of using a sawing motion to prevent crumbling. Place the biscotti, cut side down, and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the cookies over and bake for another 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the biscotti remain in the oven until cool.

4. To make the Chocolate Dip, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler over gently simmering water (be sure to prevent any water getting into the chocolate to prevent seizing). Whisk until well combined and completely smooth. Dip each cookie into the melted chocolate on one cut side, allowing the excess to drip back into the pan. Place the dipped cookie, chocolate side up, on parchment paper to set up. (To hasten this process, you can place the dipped cookies in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.) Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Nutritional Information per biscotti: 133 calories, 6.4 g carbohydrate (2.5 g dietary fiber, 0.8 g sugars, 2.5 g sugar alcohols), 11.7 g total fat (2.6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 23 mg cholesterol, 49 mg sodium, 46.5 mg calcium, 100 mg potassium, 18 mg Vit A, 2 mg iron, 4.1 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 3.9 grams.

Recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2018

All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission.