Grain-Free Orange, Almond & Dark Chocolate Biscotti – Gluten-free + Vegan

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Grain-Free Orange, Almond & Dark Chocolate Biscotti - Gluten-free + Vegan

I wrote this recipe up back when we were still in Buffalo staying at my parents house but I never had the time to make them while we were there. Both of my parents and Mark are coffee-aholics. Man do they love their coffee. Me, I could take it or leave it these days. I probably drink 2-3 cups a month, at most. Most times it is part of a super early wake up call for an event or on a long road trip. I love the way coffee tastes, but I don’t always like how it makes me feel. I don’t like the caffeine jitters or the burny, acid bitterness of some cups of joe.

Grain-Free Orange, Almond & Dark Chocolate Biscotti - Gluten-free + Vegan

Mostly I like the smell of coffee and the culture surrounding it. Yeh, I know that’s weird. I love coffee cups and mugs, local coffee shops, french presses, pour over coffee, fancy organic fair trade beans, and yes, I even love cookies meant for dunking in coffee. That is exactly what I think of when I think of biscotti. That crispy, crunchiness is just begging to be dunked into coffee.

Grain-Free Orange, Almond & Dark Chocolate Biscotti - Gluten-free + Vegan

All the nights at my parents house when the three of them would fill up their mugs, add their splash of cream, grab a sweet of some kind and then come out to the living room to watch the evening news. I felt kinda left out. Sometimes I would have a cup (then have a terrible time getting to sleep that night), sometimes I would have some tea and other times I opted for another glass of wine! I should have made these cookies when I was staying there, they could have added dunking these yummy cookies to their evening ritual and I would have dunked mine into Mark’s hot cup of java.

I was inspired to combine orange and dark chocolate in these biscotti because my mom LOVES that flavor combo. So do I. Just the smell alone is so delicious. Looks like I’ll just have to make these for my parents when then come visit in June! (Which by the way, I cannot wait for) I originally wanted to make these with cocoa nibs, but was unable to find any at the stores locally, so I just went with dark chocolate chunks, I cannot wait to get my hands on some cocoa nibs and make these again!

Do you drink coffee? What is your favorite thing about coffee?

Grain-Free Orange, Almond & Dark Chocolate Biscotti - Gluten-free + Vegan

[print_this]Grain-Free Orange, Almond & Dark Chocolate Biscotti – Gluten-free + Vegan
Makes 12-15 cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (tightly packed)
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (or tapioca starch)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds or other nut
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks, mini chocolate chips or cocoa nibs

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In your food processor combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt and baking soda. Process until all of the ingredients are well combined. Then pulse in maple (or honey), orange juice and orange zest until the dough forms a ball. Fold in chopped almonds and chocolate chunks by hand.

Dampen hands and form the dough into a log approx 10″ long and 2″ wide on the parchment paperlined baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour. Turn the oven to 250º F.

Once fully cooled cut the log into 1/2-inch slices on the diagonal with a very sharp knife.

Spread slices out on a baking sheet cut side down and bake at 250° for 10 minutes then turn over and bake another 10 minutes on the other side. Turn off the oven and let them sit inside the oven on the baking sheet until cool.

Once cooled they should be nice and crispy. Serve with coffee, tea, ice cold almond milk, etc. Also, you’ll want to consider sharing these with friends or you will likely eat the entire batch yourself. In one sitting.

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52 Responses

  1. They look really good! I love the combination of chocolate and orange.

  2. Nancy says:

    These look amazing! Definitely think they’d be good paired with black tea. Maybe chai. Awesome recipe!

  3. Isadora says:

    I love this recipe. Thank you for letting people copy the recipe so they can make it later. I have been gluten intolerant and lactose intolerant for a long time. It was hard to find recipes or foods that were for people like me. I realize that there are more now than there used to be but baking was low on the list. It is nice to see that I can have a dessert with my tea and enjoy it without problems later. I look forward to making it.
    Isadora

  4. I just found your blog! Looks like we are very similar in what we eat. I eat about 70% vegan but some meat and eggs. I’m excited to see your take on gluten free foods. I have always wanted to try biscotti’s!

  5. Beth- these are gorgeous! I’m so obsessed with that ANthro mug. I adore all those alphabet mugs except…yep, the one with my initial on it. The G one is just hideous.
    This recipe looks stellar though, seriously. Doing another round of paleo right now means they are definitely going to happen soon and most likely be consumed with coffee 🙂

  6. Anna says:

    I am SO excited to try these! Thanks for sharing!

  7. paige says:

    These sound SO GOOD. Cannot wait to try ’em! thank you!

  8. I am so excited I found your blog! It sounds like we have similar eating habits— gluten free, mostly vegetarian! These look wonderful and I can’t wait to make them (hopefully this weekend).

  9. Kate says:

    YU-UM! These look amazing. I can’t wait to try them. These could work really well for my kids.

    I love coffee. But sometimes I think it’s the culture around it and the memories it evokes for me that really seals the deal. I used to work for an artisan coffee roaster on Long Island (I’m Australian though) and have so many wonderful memories of the smell and the people!

  10. Do says:

    Thanks for posting this Beth, I love orange and chocolate flavors also. I used to drink around 3 cups of coffee/day but have cut down to one a day now but I will make tea out of Chaga that I find in the woods and have that maybe twice a day with almond milk. I might just try this recipe on the weekend. I love your Blog
    Doris-Ann

  11. Brittany says:

    Orange and chocolate pair together so nicely! I have that same mug. 🙂

  12. Lorie Rowan says:

    I printed the recipe and will make them tomorrow. Yeah!
    The coffee thing- part ritual part senses. Smelling the freshly ground beans w/the H2O boiling
    and seeing the crema before placing the french press thingy on. That first sip! Also fond memories of having breakfast w/my family and my dad forever stirring his coffee w/spoon.
    It is on my list of 20 things I love. All should have that type of list. Keeps me happy and smiling.

    • tastyyummies says:

      Hope you like these Lorie.
      So funny to read your list of all the reasons you love coffee. Definitely the ritual seems to be a huge part of it for most people. I know for my hubby that is one of the biggest things for him, getting up making his coffee is all one in the same. Thanks so much for sharing!

  13. Wow Beth, this looks ah-mazing! You’re a genius! The ingredients are perfect and they look so beautiful (and taste beautiful too I’m sure).
    I feel the same way about coffee–I don’t really like the way it makes me feel, but I love the culture surrounding it. And the cute coffee mugs 🙂

    • tastyyummies says:

      Thanks so much Rachel. Glad to know I am not alone in love coffee culture but not necessarily the coffee itself 😉

  14. Shae says:

    I made these today and they were amazing! The combo of chocolate + orange tastes SO good. I don’t know if you have the candy called Jaffas in the US, but they taste just like that. Thanks for the recipe 🙂

  15. angie says:

    Just stumbled on your blog… I think I’ll stop by more often 😉

    I myself am a coffee hound, I love everything about the culture. Somedays I sit at my desk at work and dream of quitting so I can go get certified as a pro Barista… I’ll remain a home enthusiast for now, I suppose.

    Thanks for this recipe. I make biscotti every fall and winter for friends and family ( and myself), and recently I’ve made some changes in my eating habits, utilizing nutrition for all it’s worth! I have baked a lot in the traditional sense (even worked as a bread baker), but am new to baking gluten free and vegan – the thought of no eggs + no wheat flour sends my brain into confusion! This seems simple and kind

  16. Elaine says:

    Oh, my goodness. I made these this week and shared them with my boss during our Tuesday mid-morning coffee ritual (the best time of every day for me, but he only shares in it once a week). Somehow the two of us managed to eat the entire batch in about 15 minutes. He said it was the best biscotti he’d ever had. And he’s Italian and even pronounces “biscotti” in an impressive way.

    I’m not sure if it’s my oven or what, but I think next time I’ll have to bake it a bit longer the first time. It was pretty raw when I cut it up, and kept pulling apart. Then I had to “toast” it longer and at a higher temperature than your directions say. It’s ok, though, because they obviously came out pretty well, even if a lot of them were in fragments.

    Thanks for the recipe.

  17. […] Notes Lightly adapted from Tasty Yummies […]

  18. zosia says:

    hi. just wondering if the arrowroot is NECESSARY, as there is only 1 T?

    thanks!

    • tastyyummies says:

      I find the arrow root helps bind and thicken. I would say it is necessary as just the almond flour would produce a crumbly finished product. I cannot say for sure since I have not tried however. Since typical wheat flour has/is a starch and almond flour does not, it helps add back in some of those classic properties without using gums like xanthan or guar. Here are some alternatives to arrowroot: Tapioca starch, Potato Starch, Corn Starch or Glutinous Rice.

  19. Have you heard about Crio Bru? It’s cocoa beans that you can brew like coffee so you get to enjoy the ritual of having a cup of coffee, but there’s no caffeine. Here’s a great post about it: http://www.ablogaboutlove.com/2013/04/the-best-chocolate-brew-healthiest-way.html

  20. Adelaide says:

    These look delicious and I’m on board with your coffee sentiments as well. I love the smell, taste, routine wnd culture surrounding coffee, but most of the time I have a few sips and just switch back to tea. I have found that tea ( my favorite is decaf black lack French breakfast) pairs in a lovely way with biscotti. And wine after dinner with a crunchy cookie is lovely also;)

    Just a few questions about your recipe. I want to adapt it to make date almond biscotti. Could I sub the oj for almond milk? Omit the zest and add chopped dates in lieu of the chocolate? Let me know if you believe theses substitutions would still work.

    Thanks:)

    • tastyyummies says:

      Adelaide, I am with you, I love tea. The smell of coffee is something that I love, but I just don’t enjoy drinking it the way I used to. I think if you sub OJ for the almond milk and the dates instead of chocolate, it should work just fine. I cannot say for sure, but I don’t see why not. Please let me know how it turns out if you do. I love hearing about fun substitutions like this.

  21. adelaide says:

    Hi! My almond milk and date substituions worked fabulously. Thanks for the great recipe:)

  22. […] Chocolate Chip Brownie Bites (pictured above)? Yeah, I thought you’d love them too. Or Orange, Almond & Dark Chocolate Biscotti? Me and Ash went a little bit nutty over the biscotti because it was SO crazy […]

  23. Carrie says:

    Made these yesterday and they are like CRACK! Going to try and make another batch but do so in with almond milk, almonds and vanilla bean and lavender. And maybe a lemon blueberry version with lemon juice/zest and blueberries…or blueberry juice, blueberries and chocolate chips!

  24. […] *recipe adapted from Tasty Yummies […]

  25. Kim says:

    I’ve just printed the recipe and am going to make up a batch- we’re having a gourmet cake stall at our school fete- they never have gluten free or vegan options…these look awesome hope this fills a gap.
    I also hope they taste as good as Carrie(previous post) thinks! LOL
    Will let you know the feedback.
    Look forward to trying some more of your recipes-they look scrumptious Beth!

  26. suzi says:

    i have a sort of technical inquiry. first, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CREATIVE GENIUS YOU SHARE! now, if i use my almond pulp that i dehydrate after making milk every other day, in the place of the blanched almond flour, will the result be less than great? i have been using it in gluten free oatmeal cookies and it works great but when i see a recipe call for “blanched” almond flour, i wonder if i am in trouble if i dont follow. what do you think? perhaps i should just try it and see!

  27. […] found a recipe for orange almond dark chocolate biscotti over at Tasty Yummies and I knew I could use it as my inspiration and make these cranberry (or […]

  28. michele says:

    I would love a vegan, GF, low-sugar biscotti… But I am not an almond flour fan — more fat than my system can manage (sorry for the TMI). I am alway curious about gf bakers choice of flour subs — do you use almond flour after trial and error, for the almond nutrition, or just because the best recipes you found for gf baked goods use almond flour (Elena should get a cut of all almond sales in this country, having popularized almond flour more than anyone!). I use almond and other nut flours for conventional baking (I am the only celiac in my family, but also the only baker so I still do alot of well-protected baking with flour) and they do work beautifully, just not for me. I am not a sweet eater, so I don’t miss baking for myself much — except I would love a good gf, vegan, processed sugar-free, low-fat muffin recipe — and a scone would be a bonus! And a vegan GF bagel that I could buy…

  29. Korey says:

    If I negate the orange juice and zest, could it just be chocolate chip biscottis?

  30. Lucy says:

    This is the BEST favorite recipe ever. Is is possible to break down the nutritional info (net carbs, calories, fat, protein). If not, that’s okay too. This biscotti will always be a staple in our household. Thank you!

  31. Teresa says:

    Hi Beth,
    I’m from Buffalo, too.
    I’ll be making these yummy looking cookies for the holidays.

    Teresa

  32. Anita says:

    I love coffee. My favorite thing(s) about it? The comforting sound of the coffee maker as it brews, the smell, the color, the taste. It is a “love” I inherited from my dad. He could drink a steaming cup on a hot summer, day. However, coffee and I are currently “separated.” Coffee decided it didn’t love me anymore, and it broke my heart. I switched from caffeinated to de-caff. That worked well for awhile but now even de-caff has turned up its nose at my tummy. So I moved on. Teeccino, herbal coffee. They have several different varieties of ground coffee and a few in little boxes of individual bags like tea bags. And one of those gluten-free. The ground varieties have barley in them but so far haven’t bothered my tummy like gluten usually does. Just wanted to share with any coffee lovers out there who miss it and may not know about Teeccino. It would go great with this terrific-looking batch of grain-free biscotti!!

  33. Jessica says:

    Made these last night. I definitely had some issues with the center not being done enough. I ended up baking for much longer, plus leaving it in the hot oven after I turned it off on the first bake as well as the second bake. I wonder if trying to make the ends thicker and the center thinner would help. Anyway, once they were done and dried out they were delicious! Really great biscotti and absolutely perfect with coffee. Also, no way anyone would know they are grain-free.

  34. Iris Kimbrough says:

    These look delicious and the recipe seems super easy! Could I use this recipe with other add ins, ie. pistachio & cranberries?

  35. Jaya says:

    Hi. we don’t easily get almond flour where i live so was wondering if plain flour would do? also can i use measurements when using white flour instead of almond?

    thanks

  36. VALERIE says:

    I was looking for a grain free, gluten free and sugar free recipe. I use Xylitol instead of sugar which has consistency of granulated sugar rather than honey or syrup. However I would need to substitute something moist instead of the honey or syrup. I am not vegan so perhaps milk? Have you ever used milk or almond milk to give the almond flour moisture? thanks so much

  37. Manu says:

    Best biscotti ever.
    I will never again be able to eat oranges without stripping them down to their skin to make these biscotti first.

  38. Kat says:

    Thank You ~I love this recipe!!! I make it all the time.
    Love from Buffalo
    Kat

  39. Kristen says:

    Hello! Do you think these would turn out using hazelnut meal in the food processor? Thank you!

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