I appreciate chocolate just like the next guy, but lemons are my jam. The cheerful goodness that they add to a dish is quite special and I am here for it. These lemon poppyseed biscotti are packed with bold citrus flavor and layers of poppyseed nuttiness that make you need to go back for one more bite… at least one more…
There is a reason that lemons and poppyseeds have been partners for a long time and per usual, they work together beautifully in these delicate little Italian treats. They feel like spring to me and while all biscotti can (should) be dunked into a cup of coffee, this version is fabulous next to an herbal tea or glass of lemonade too.
If you love biscotti then I would love for you to give these lemon poppyseeds a try.
Let’s get started…
As long as you have a few lemons and some poppyseeds, I bet you already have what you need to make these biscotti in your pantry.
The first step is hands on and although it may seem like an unnecessary step, it really is one of the reasons that the lemon flavors are so bold in this biscotti.
Combine 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and about 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon zest into a large bowl and begin combining them with clean, dry hands. Rub the zest and sugar between your fingers until the sugar becomes a beautiful pale yellow color and the zest is evenly spread throughout.
Your hands should smell delicious by now, but wash them and keep your eyes on the prize.
Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a few drops of lemon extract in with the lemon sugar mixture. The lemon extract is optional and the biscotti will still have beautiful flavor without it, but I would highly recommend having some in your pantry. It is easy to find, reasonably priced and it imparts a bold lemon flavor with just a few drops.
Mix the ingredients until they are well incorporated.
Add 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 2 tablespoons of poppyseeds into the bowl and mix until you no longer see dry ingredients and the poppyseeds seem evenly distributed.
Lightly dust a lined baking sheet with flour and prepare your lemon egg wash by whisking together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
Transfer the dough onto the baking sheet.
Divide the dough in half and gently form the halves into rectangles that are about 3/4 inch thick. They should be about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.
Brush the entire surface with lemon egg wash and bake for 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Once the dough feels set to the touch and the edges are very lightly golden, transfer the baking sheet onto a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes of cooling, carefully slide the dough onto a cutting board using the silicone mat or parchment paper that lined the baking sheet. Cut strips about 3/4-1 inch wide with a sharp serrated knife starting at the short end.
Place the biscotti back onto the baking sheet, cut side down, and return it to the 350 degree oven for 6-8 minutes per side. If you like your biscotti really crunchy, leave them in for the full 8 minutes per side, but if you don’t want them too hard, 6 minutes per side is perfect.
Transfer the biscotti onto a cooling rack to cool off a bit while you make the lemon glaze…
Sift 1 cup of confectioners sugar into a wide shallow bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon of whole milk and 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice. If the consistency is too thick, add a bit more lemon juice.
Dip or drizzle the tops of each biscotti with the lemon glaze and sprinkle with a few more poppyseeds. Set the drizzled biscotti back onto a cooling rack to the glaze can firm up. The glaze will set in about 20 minutes.
Note: I like to place a sheet of parchment or wax paper under the cooling rack to catch any drizzle that drips off for easy clean up later on.
These lemon poppyseed biscotti are not only incredibly delicious, but they are really quite pretty too. They have a great crunchy texture and a flavor that is so bright and cheerful. The lemon zest, freshly squeezed juice and those drops of lemon extract all come together to build a bold, tangy taste and the poppyseeds not only add an adorable speckling throughout the dough, but they really add a special nutty note that works great with the lemon.
Biscotti is a classic Italian cookie that has the perfect texture for dipping into everything from your morning coffee to afternoon espresso or late night cocoa. I almost always have a batch in a jar in my kitchen and love making as gifts for friends and family.
If you are looking for a beautiful brunch treat or just want to add some citrus to your morning routine, I would highly suggest baking up a batch of these lemon poppyseed biscotti for yourself. You’ll be very glad that you did…
Lemon Poppyseed Biscotti
Ingredients
Lemon Poppyseed Biscotti
- 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- a few drops of lemon extract
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon zest
- 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons of poppyseeds
Lemon Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup of confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon of whole milk
- 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Garnish
- poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Add 3/4 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest into a large bowl
- Rub the lemon zest and sugar together with clean dry hands until the sugar becomes a pale yellow and the zest is spread evenly throughout the sugar
- Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a few drops of lemon extract and mix until smooth and pale yellow in color
- Combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour in a small bowl
- Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix to combine
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and 2 tablespoons of poppyseeds into the batter and mix until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Lightly dust the surface and transfer the dough onto it
- Divide the dough in half and gently press both portions into rectangles that are about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide using floured hands
- Brush the lemon egg wash over the entire surface of the dough
- Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until the dough feels set to the touch and the edges are lightly golden brown
- Transfer the baking sheet onto a cooling rack for 10 minutes
- Carefully transfer the dough onto a cutting board using the silicone mat or parchment paper
- Cut 3/4-1 inch wide strips from the dough using a sharp knife and starting at the short end and arrange the biscotti cut side down on the same baking sheet
- Return the biscotti to a 350 degree oven and bake for 6-8 minutes per side
- Transfer the biscotti onto a cooling rack
- Make the lemon glaze by combining 1 cup of sifted confectioners sugar with 1 tablespoon of whole milk and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (add additional lemon juice, if necessary)
- Dip or drizzle each biscotti with the lemon glaze and garnish with additional poppyseeds
- Return the biscotti onto the cooling rack and allow the glaze to set for 20 minutes
- Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days
