Crisp almond flour biscotti studded with cranberries and pecans and dipped in sugar-free chocolate. This easy low carb biscotti recipe is a classic holiday treat made keto! Perfect for gift giving or keeping all to yourself. This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.
Well it’s about time I updated this Keto Cranberry Pecan Biscotti! It’s been on my blog since December 2011 and it’s a timeless classic. It was one I first made to share on a friend’s blog, way back in the day. But she shut her blog down a few years ago and the biscotti recipe was almost lost. Thankfully, I was able to dig it up again.
I re-made them last year and was happy to find that these almond flour biscotti are just as good as they ever were. Keto recipes that stand the test of time are my hallmark, if you will. But sometimes I go back to an old recipe and I am not quite sure what to expect. I’ve learned a lot about keto baking in the intervening 7 years and sometimes my older recipes need a bit of work. Not this one, I am happy to say. It was spot on right from the beginning.
I grabbed some new photos and figured I would walk you through exactly how to make biscotti for the sugar-free and gluten-free crowd. I’ve made a lot of almond flour biscotti in my day. A lot!
How To Make Biscotti with Almond Flour
Making almond flour biscotti really isn’t very different from making conventional biscotti. The method is the same, baking a log of dough first and then slicing it and re-baking the slices. Done right, you will end up with crisp biscuits that are perfect for dipping into coffee or tea.
But there are a few differences. Being gluten free means that these almond flour biscotti are a little more fragile and have to be handled with a bit of care when slicing. Here are my best tips for making low carb, gluten free biscotti.
- Be sure to use finely milled almond flour. That goes almost without saying. The finer your flour, the better your biscotti hold together, so try to use good blanched almond flour and not the more coarse almond meal. For all of my biscotti and other keto baked goods, I always use Bob’s Red Mill almond flour.
- To help it hold together even better, try adding a bit of xanthan gum or 1 tablespoon of coconut flour. The coconut flour helps make the biscotti a little drier, and you want a dry consistency for biscotti. Bob’s Red Mill is my go-to coconut flour as well.
- If you are adding nuts or cranberries into the mix, be sure to chop them finely before adding. Larger chunks can make it hard to slice the loaf properly.
- Keep your loaf on the small side, about 4 by 10 inches, so it’s easier to cut.
- When you cut, you want to gently saw first just to get through that crisp top layer, and then you want to cut straight down. If you saw the whole way through, it tends to make the ends break off.
- Be patient! Let the biscotti completely dry out in the warm oven. They may still seem a bit soft after the second baking but they will crisp up as they cool.
Once they’re baked through, they’re pretty sturdy. You only really need to be gentle with them when you are slicing the logs and when you are flipping them over. I’ve traveled cross country with some of my almond flour biscotti, and I’ve sent them to friends because they hold up so well in transit!
Dipping Biscotti in Chocolate
Now you may notice that in my photos, some of these biscotti have a white chocolate drizzle. Sadly, there isn’t a truly good sugar free white chocolate on the market. KZ Clean Eating used to carry a xylitol sweetened one, which is what you see on a few of these almond flour biscotti. But they no longer appear to make it.
You can actually make your own low carb white chocolate drizzle with some cocoa butter, some powdered sweetener, and a little vanilla extract. It’s not quite the same but it does give the same appearance and overall taste once it’s on the biscotti.
White Chocolate Drizzle:
But the dark chocolate dip is my favorite anyway, and goes so well with the cranberries and pecans. All I do is melt some Lily’s Dark Chocolate with a bit of cocoa butter so it melts more smoothly. Then I dip, you dip, we dip!
And it’s a perfect use for my homemade Sugar Free Dried Cranberries too! 
More Delicious Almond Flour Biscotti Recipes
Cranberry Pecan Biscotti - Keto Recipe
Ingredients
Biscotti:
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup granular Swerve Sweetener
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (can also sub 1 tablespoon coconut flour)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup sugar-free dried cranberries
Chocolate Dip:
- 3 ounces sugar-free dark chocolate chopped
- ½ ounce cocoa butter (or 1 tablespoon coconut oil)
Instructions
Biscotti:
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, Swerve, baking powder and xanthan gum. Stir in orange zest.
- Stir together melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract until dough comes together. Add pecans and dried cranberries and stir until mixed throughout.
- Turn dough out onto baking sheet and form into low, flat log, 10 x 4 inches. Bake 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250F.
- With a sharp knife, gently cut into 15 even slices. Place slices back onto baking sheet cut-side down and bake for 15 minutes, then flip each slice and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let sit inside until cool.
Chocolate Dip:
- In microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth. Dip ends of biscotti in and lay on a waxed paper lined baking sheet until set (you can chill them to set the chocolate faster).
Many Thanks to Bob’s Red Mill for partnering with me to bring you this post.
Julie Scriver says
Made this biscotti today, my dough was quite dry, rolled and patted into a log, 4 inches wide and 9 inches long. Baked for the 30 minutes, lots of big cracks on top. Let it cool for about 40 minutes, tried to cut it, dough still raw inside. Had the slices standing up, baked them for 20 minutes at 250 then shut oven off. Looks like I’ll leave them in the oven overnight to dry out. I measured out everything carefully, I’ve made biscotti about 5 times before, only once has it ever turned out.
Carolyn says
What sweetener and almond flour did you use? Sounds like something went awry, if the dough was dry to start.
Helen says
Tried the recipe today with some modifications. I cut almond flour to 1 3/4 cup, + 1/2 cup oat fiber, substituted konjac powder for the xanthan gum and had to add a 2nd egg to get the mixture to stay together as a formed log. Also added 1 TBSp lemon juice. The smell was heavenly. So far so good. Had to cook it a bit longer and I cooled it in fridge for 1 hr to thoroughly cool. About to slice and 2nd bake. Even if it crumbles, we’re eating it cause it smells wonderful . stay tuned.
Liezel Boonzaier-Lacquaye says
Hi Carolyn. Love this recipe, made it a few times already but today it just didnt work. I would like to ask though, my dough was very wet when i started to make a log, i could still roll it but it was sticky. While baking a few cracks formed. I simply squeeded it back together. I let it cool for 30 min and sliced it but the first 3 just fell apart. so crumbly. I just ate it like that… yum. Cooled for another 30 min and still same thing. I managed to get a few on the tray to dry out in the oven on the second baking but as i turn them they simply crumble… Please can you let me know why this happens usually so i have an idea of where i went wrong. The only thing i changed from when i did it before was leave out the cranberries and use pistacio nuts instead of pecan. The rest i followed your recipe. Thanks for your help. Greetings from Belgium.
Carolyn says
Leaving out cranberries won’t make a difference so I think it’s got to be a mismeasured amount of flour. Did you weigh it by chance?
Chiraz Amouri says
Thanks for the recipe! I love biscottis and this combination is one of my favorite.
Just wondering if I can substitute the dried cranberries with fresh ones.
Carolyn says
Sure, you can. I would chop them up, though, before baking so that they don’t rip your biscotti when you try to slice them.
Carol says
How do you get yours to be so high mine never come out that way? They’re deliciousness however thin
Carolyn says
High? Not sure if you mean from side to side or bottom to top. Mine aren’t high at all, since the dough log doesn’t rise much when baking – it’s not supposed to. They also aren’t that long from side to side but if you cut on a diagonal, they are longer.
Lynnita says
just made the cranberries and want to make these too. Will subbing pistachios for the pecans work. I love pistachios.
Thank You,
Lynnita
Carolyn says
Sounds good!
Eryn says
This is a really nice biscotti! I used chopped slivered almonds instead of pecans, and added 1/2tsp of salt. I cooked it a bit longer on both bakes to ensure it was nice and crispy.
Will definitely make again!
Peggy D... says
I have loved your recipes, Carolyn! I’ve made many versions of your biscotti. I especially love the portability of it and the fact that I haven’t had any spoil or get stale. I’ve taken it to Mexico and in the motor home. I’ve also used it as the something to eat with pain meds post surgery when I had a knee replacement and an ankle replacement. I buy the dried unsweetened cranberries online and put some in a jar with water in the frig so I can use them in a salad or dry on paper towels for biscotti or muffins. Might add a bit more sweetener to what I’m making but I’ve been low carbing for so many years I don’t mind a less sweet taste. Thank you Carolyn!
Carolyn says
So glad you like them!
Patti says
Could I sub white chocolate chips for the pecans, same measurement?
Thanks!!
Carolyn says
Sure! It will add a bit more carbs but not overwhelmingly so.
Jo Foto says
i didn’t have pecans so i added sliced almonds with the cranberries and put in orange extract instead of zests as i didn’t have an orange and trucia for sweetener
The texture is really chewy and complexe this is by far the best low carb biscuit/cookie i have made and not over buttery
First time using Guar gum maybe this is what makes the texture so good
Carolyn says
If the texture is chewy, then they didn’t turn out right – biscotti should be crisp. But you made a lot of substitutions…
Adrienne says
Carolyn, your keto biscotti recipes are ***LIFE***! I did not realize just how much I was missing this kind of crunch and chocolate-coated goodness until I whipped up a batch per your brilliant instructions. After a year on keto, it is so motivating to know – largely thanks singlehandedly to you – that there need not be any deprivation on this path. Favorite treats can also be nourishing, satiating, and can leave me feeling good (no sugar crashes). I can’t wait to make my next batch of your biscotti – I plan to try all your variations and to invent my own. Thank you so much for bringing such a remarkable level of creativity, imagination, and good science to the world of keto baking and cooking. Your recipes are my favorite to follow – always clear, precise, and thorough. And thank you for bringing so much pleasure and joy to my keto lifestyle. You are definitely having a massive ripple effect on this world!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Adrienne!
Carlyn says
I made these day before yesterday and they are fantastic. They need a little time to harden, and they keep very well. Thanks for another great recipe!
Beth Corrente says
I am looking to make Italian pepper biscuit I was wondering if you think the texture of these would work if I make them savory and leave the sweetness out or if you have another recipe you think would work better. I am wondering if a fat head kind of dough may work maybe slicing and re baking. Thank you in advance your recipes are great.
Carolyn says
HI Beth, I don’t think fathead would work that well here but this might be what you’re looking for. It will be fine without sweetener.
Mary says
Would it work to cut the dough before baking the first time? I thought I could cut or score but not separate before 1st bake then “cut” again to bake for the second time.
Carolyn says
I don’t think so. It’s pretty soft at that point. But you can give it a try if you like.
Catherine Bast says
Wow, made these today – sooo good two of the slices never made it to biscotti – lol
Thanks Carolyn for another winner
diana says
I just made this recipe for the first time yesterday, and I have to say that it is fabulous! I used the coconut flour version instead of xanthan gum and added 2 drops of Boyagian orange oil to the dough to boost up the orange flavor. I drizzled it a glaze that I made with powdered xylitol, cream, vanilla and orange extract, and I put a few rehydrated cranberries on top for a festive look. They are a wonderful with coffee on these cold holiday mornings!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
This needs to happen at my house very soon!!
Tara says
These are absolutely perfect — so great with a cup of coffee!
Stacie A Hamilton says
Oh wow, I love that this is low carb. I’ve never baked with almond flour or even knew it existed actually. I’m going to try to bake these for my holiday ladies group party.
Sandy says
Yes! this is the best recipe for this on the interenet. So good.
Andie Thueson says
This looks absolutely divine the perfect treat to enjoy with a warm cup of tea! Pinning for later