Pistachio Biscotti
Published Feb 16, 2026
An easy pistachio biscotti recipe made with shelled pistachios, vanilla, and lemon zest, with optional white chocolate for dipping.
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My pistachio biscotti is soo good!
I’ve made a lot of biscotti over the years, and at this point I usually have at least a couple versions floating around my kitchen, especially during the holidays. There’s the classic almond biscotti, chocolate biscotti, and cranberry orange biscotti… and then this pistachio biscotti recipe, which is the one I reach for first.
If you know me, you know I’ll choose pistachios every time. I love their flavor and that little pop of green they add, especially with the lemon zest and cardamom in the biscotti dough. Sometimes I dip these in white chocolate, sometimes I don’t, but either way, this pistachio biscotti is crunchy, simple, and the one batch that disappears the fastest in my house.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Pistachio Biscotti Ingredients
- Pistachios: Make sure to use unsalted pistachios, or your biscotti might turn out too salty.
- Dry ingredients: You’ll need baking pantry staples like all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cardamom, and salt. Use aluminum-free baking powder if you can to avoid any chance of an off metallic flavor.
- Wet ingredients: You’ll also need eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Room temperature eggs are easier to work with and blend better.
How to Make Pistachio Biscotti
Pistachio Biscotti Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling
- 2 eggs at room temperature, plus 1 egg white, divided
- 1 lemon zested
- pinch ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup shelled unsalted pistachios plus extra for garnishing
- Melted white chocolate for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, 2 whole eggs, and lemon zest together until the mixture turns pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Mix in the cardamom and vanilla extract until combined. In a separate medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the flour mixture and pistachios to the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated.
- Lightly flour the prepared baking sheet and transfer the dough onto the baking sheet. The dough will be sticky, but don’t worry. It's meant to be a sticky dough, so you get the signature crunchy texture of biscotti. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough, then form it into an even rectangle about 4 inches wide and 14 inches long, adding more flour as needed while you shape the dough.
- Lightly beat the remaining egg white, then brush it on the dough. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully slide the parchment onto a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the dough into 1-inch thick slices. Spread the slices out onto the sheet pan and bake again for 10 minutes, turning the cookies over halfway through baking time.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add more lemon flavor: Infuse your granulated sugar with lemon zest for even more flavor. To do this, just add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl. Using your fingers, massage the lemon zest into the sugar until the sugar feels moist.
- Dip them in chocolate: I like to melt white chocolate and dip half of each biscotti cookie. You could drizzle the chocolate on top, back and forth over a wire rack, for a different look. Or, you could try my simple 3-ingredient glaze.
- Top them with more pistachios: After you dip the biscotti in chocolate or glaze, roll them in chopped pistachios for an extra crunchy finish.
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature eggs. The yolks are softer at room temperature and easier to incorporate into the batter.
- Flip the biscotti halfway through the second bake. They’ll get brown and crisp on both sides this way.
FAQs
It’s actually supposed to be this sticky! I recommend dusting it with more flour so you can easily form it into a log. It’ll dry out and set in the oven.
The dough may have been too warm. Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes before shaping the log to help the cookies hold their shape during the first bake.
Let the log cool for 10–15 minutes after the first bake. If the dough is too hot, the cookies will crumble. But don’t wait too long, because if the dough is too cool, the cookies will be hard to slice.
You probably baked them for too long. Or, you may have used too much flour. I like to spoon the flour into a cup, then use a butter knife to level it off.
