Maple pecan biscotti recipe
Maple pecan biscotti are full of toasted pecans and sweet maple flavor from both maple syrup and maple extract. This crunchy biscotti is topped with raw sugar for sparkle and a little extra sweetness.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my gingerbread biscotti and my chocolate mint biscotti recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my biscotti recipes in one place.
Pook’s Pantry participates in affiliate programs. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may earn a small commission. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.
Maple pecan biscotti
This recipe is a variation of my butter pecan biscotti. Adding maple syrup and maple extract gives these twice baked cookies a ton of flavor.
These crunchy Italian cookies are one of my favorite treats. Biscotti are great for any special occasion or no occasion at all. They are just slightly sweet and are the perfect cookie for shipping to friends and family.
Ingredients
Common pantry ingredients are all you need to bake these nutty maple biscotti.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in your baked goods.
- Pecans – You can substitute with walnuts, if you prefer them. Make sure they are toasted.
- All-purpose flour – Weighing your flour is the most accurate way to measure.
- Maple extract – Gives these cookies extra maple flavor. Substitute with vanilla if needed.
- Maple syrup – pure maple syrup gives the biscotti a deep maple flavor.
- Sugar + Brown sugar – This combination gives the biscotti a more complex flavor than just white sugar, thanks to molasses.
- Eggs – Provide moisture and structure to the dough.
- Salt – All baked goods need salt.
- Baking powder – Gives the biscotti a bit of lift.
How to make biscotti
First, toast the pecans until they are fragrant. Make this simple dough by combining dry ingredients, then beating together the butter, sugars and eggs. Add maple syrup and extract, then add the dry ingredients.
Finally, stir in the pecans just until they are incorporated. The dough will be sticky.
Use damp hands to form the logs of dough. Sprinkle the tops with raw sugar, then bake. Slice the logs, lay the pieces of biscotti on their sides and return to the oven for their second bake.
A sprinkling of raw sugar on top gives the biscotti extra crunch, sweetness and a bit of sparkle.
Pro Tip: If you want to make your biscotti extra crunchy, let them dry out in a warm oven with the door barely cracked open.
How to cut biscotti without breaking
The key to slicing biscotti without breaking them is a two-parter. First, you must be gentle. They will still be warm when you are slicing them. Let them cool enough to handle before trying to slice.
Look at the photo below. You can see that some of the pieces are still doughy. This is another reason why you need to be gentle when slicing.
Secondly, the knife you use is really important. I use a thin, serrated blade that glides through the dough like butter.
One of the reasons I prefer this particular knife to other serrated knives is the blade. It is thinner than many other knives, which means it easily goes through whatever you’re slicing – in this case, delicate biscotti.
Another helpful tip is to avoid too much “sawing” through the cookie. Position the front of the blade where you want to start cutting and slice through in a smooth motion. Don’t apply too much downward pressure – let the knife do the work.
Maple pecan biscotti Q&A
Yes! Biscotti freezes really well. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Biscotti are perfect for mailing to friends and family. They are a sturdy cookie that won’t break during shipping, so they are my “go to” for sending as gifts.
Check out my guide on how to ship cookies without breaking for helpful tips!
Absolutely. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic for 3 months.
Variations and substitutions
If you can’t find maple extract, substitute with vanilla extract. They won’t have quite as much maple flavor, but they’ll still be delicious.
Substitute pecan with walnuts or slivered almonds, if you prefer them.
Helpful tools and equipment
- Kitchen scale – weighing ingredients is the most accurate way to measure. I highly recommend having a kitchen scale.
- Silicone baking mat
- Stand mixer
- Half sheet baking pans
Please share
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!
I hope you love this maple pecan biscotti recipe as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.
Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.
Maple Pecan Biscotti
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans roughly chopped // 227 grams
- 3 cups all purpose flour // 360 grams
- 1 tsp. salt I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
- 8 tbsp. unsalted butter melted // 113 grams
- 3/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed // 150 grams
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar // 50 grams
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup maple syrup // 78 grams
- 1 tsp. maple extract sub vanilla if needed
- 2 tbsp. raw sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F // 180°C // Gas Mark 4.
- Lay pecans on a sheet pan in a single layer and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, beat melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together. Then add eggs, one at a time. Beat until thoroughly combined.
- Add maple extract and maple syrup. Continue mixing for 3 – 4 minutes, then add dry ingredients.
- Mix until barely combined, then add toasted pecans and mix until nuts are incorporated.
- On a parchment or silicone mat lined sheet pan, use damp hands to form 2 equal loaves of dough roughly 3" wide by 3/4" thick. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. raw sugar over each log of dough.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 – 20 minutes. Slice logs into approximately 1/2" slices and lay them on their sides.
- Reduce heat to 300°F and bake for an additional 18 – 20 minutes. *SEE NOTE
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
Questions? Send me an email, I’m happy to help. I’d love to send you weekly tips and recipes, so you can get updates about what’s happening in the kitchen!
Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos or recipe (other than for personal use) without prior written permission. Thank you!
I made these a few days ago, I did add 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract, 1 tsp. Cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of nutmeg. They are all gone and it’s just 4 of us!
Thank you for the kind feedback, Saoirse! I’m so glad your family liked them! 🙂