Pumpkin Biscotti Recipe (Gluten-Free!)
A tasty, gluten-free, pumpkin biscotti with real pumpkin!
Serve these Italian cookies with a hot beverage after dinner, or serve them with an espresso or hot cup of coffee during the holidays.
What Is Biscotti?
Biscotti is a twice-baked, Italian cookie that is typically served with a warm beverage. They are very hard cookies intended to be dunked in a drink. The liquid softens them, making them quite a wonderful experience.
“The word biscotto, used in modern Italian to refer to a biscuit (or cookie) of any kind, originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning “twice-cooked”. It characterized oven-baked goods that were baked twice, so they became very dry and could be stored for long periods of time. Such non-perishable food was particularly useful during journeys and wars, and twice-baked breads were a staple food of the Roman Legions.“
Wikipedia
What Are Biscotti Made Of?
Like most cookies, biscotti are a combination of flour, baking powder, eggs, and oil or butter. Recipes vary, but aside from the extra time in the oven, they are very much like making any type of cookie.
Is Biscotti Better With Oil Or Butter?
It depends on your intent. If you want a truly hard biscotti, it’s best to leave them both out and just use the eggs. But because these are gluten-free, I needed both the eggs and the coconut oil to help hold these together as they cooled. Without the oil, these will pretty much disintegrate in your hands.
Is Gluten-Free Biscotti Different Than Regular Biscotti?
Yes, it’s softer. You won’t get that truly hard biscotti with a recipe like this. But they definitely harden enough to hold up for dunking!
Also, note that these will not last as long as regular biscotti. You are better off finishing these within 3 or 4 days. If you can’t, store them in the freezer until you are ready to eat them.
Can You Use A Hand Mixer For This Pumpkin Biscotti Recipe?
You can! Use something like a KitchenAid stand mixer. The small hand-held mixers won’t be strong enough for this recipe.
Should You Cool Biscotti Before Cutting?
Yes, but not for too long. About 10 minutes is plenty. You want it to still be warm when you cut, but not so hot that it crumbles when you cut it.
How Do I Cut Biscotti?
It’s best to cut biscotti at an angle. This will give you the largest surface area. (See video below). Use a serrated knife too. (Yes, I found that out the hard way). It’s much like cutting a baguette at an angle to get the largest surface for bruschetta.
Do Biscotti Harden As They Cool?
Absolutely! In fact, I normally leave mine sitting out for several hours before packing it away to make sure that they are fully cooled and can dry out just a bit before going into the fridge.
How Long Does It Take Biscotti To Cool?
If you are in a hurry, give your biscotti at least an hour to cool properly. Longer is better, but an hour is the minimum.
The Pumpkin Pie Spice
If you don’t live in the states, pumpkin pie spice can be a bit of a mystery. It’s a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Sometimes, people who make their own add additional spices as well. It varies from recipe to recipe. So if you can’t find it at the store, give this pumpkin pie spice recipe a try.
About Pumpkin Biscotti Ingredients
Oat flour – Look for packages labeled as gluten-free. If you aren’t gluten-free, you don’t have to worry about this.
Baking powder – Make sure it’s a newer baking powder so it has its full strength.
Pumpkin pie spice – While most pumpkin spice is made without sugar, it’s a good idea to double-check ingredients to avoid any that include it.
Salt – I used pink Himalayan salt, but use whatever salt you normally use in baking or cooking.
Granular sweetener – I used xylitol because that’s what works best for my blood sugar. But cleaner options are Sucanat, coconut sugar, or monk fruit.
Large eggs – These work best used at room temperature.
Pumpkin puree – Make sure you don’t accidentally get pumpkin pie filling!
Virgin coconut oil – in a liquid state. I just melted mine in the microwave and let it cool a bit before using it (so it didn’t cook the eggs!)
Optional Additions
These suggestions are not included in the recipe below. But they make nice additions.
- Add a teaspoon vanilla extract. Not vanilla flavoring!
- Add a half cup of dark chocolate chips to the dough. (Or melt them and drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti once it has cooled.
How To Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Biscotti
Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add all the wet ingredients and stir.
Mix well until you have a semi-firm, soft dough. Knead by hand if necessary.
On a parchment-lined cookie sheet, form the dough into a 1-inch thick oval. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the biscotti from the oven and reset the oven temperature to 350 F.
Let the biscotti sit for 10 minutes, then slice it in ¾-inch thick slices. I cut the longest ones in half.
Place the sliced biscotti on a second, parchment-lined cookie sheet, laying them on their side. Bake at the lowered temperature for 60 minutes. Remember to flip the biscotti at the 30-minute mark.
Allow the biscotti to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 1 hour until they harden enough to handle without crumbling. Then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling for another 2 to 3 hours. Then pack them up and store them in the fridge.
Recipe Supplies For Pumpkin Biscotti
For this recipe, you’ll want a couple of good quality cookie sheets, parchment paper, and a good mixing bowl (See more needed supplies in the recipe card supply list). Click on any image below to be taken to that product on Amazon. (Affiliate links)
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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Biscotti Recipe Card + Video
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Biscotti
CLICK TO WATCH THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!
Equipment
- 2 Cookie Sheets
- 2 pieces of parchment (for the cookie sheets)
- 1 good knife
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 set of measuring spoons
- 1 liquid measuring cup
Ingredients
- 2½ cups oat flour (labeled gluten-free)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¾ cup granular sweetener
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup virgin coconut oil (in liquid state)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
- Add all the wet ingredients and stir.
- Mix well until you have a semi-firm, soft dough. Knead by hand if necessary.
- On a parchment-lined cookie sheet, form the dough into a 1-inch thick oval. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the biscotti from the oven and reset the oven temperature to 350 F.
- Let the biscotti sit for 10 minutes, then slice it in ¾-inch thick slices. I cut the longest ones in half.
- Place the sliced biscotti on a second, parchment-lined cookie sheet, laying them on their side. Bake at the lowered temperature for 60 minutes. Remember to flip the biscotti at the 30-minute mark.
- Allow the biscotti to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 1 hour until they harden enough to handle without crumbling. Then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling for another 2 to 3 hours. Then pack them up and store them in the fridge.
