Italian-style home biscotti with pure maple syrup, pecan pieces and an amber crust.
Maple Pecan Biscotti
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Allow about 163 minutes: 30 hands-on, 10 chilling or resting, 78 whole-batch cooking and 45 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale and US measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls, whisk and sturdy spatula
- Two 13 × 18-inch rimmed baking sheets and parchment
- Cutting board, ruler and sharp serrated knife
- Cooling rack
Italian-style home biscotti with pure maple syrup, pecan pieces and an amber crust.
Ingredients
Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- 1Prepare the doughWhisk flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl beat softened butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, then maple syrup and vanilla. Fold in the dry mixture and cooled roasted pecans. Let stand for 10 minutes for the flour to absorb the syrup; this is the listed rest time. The dough will be softer than a plain sugar-only biscotti dough.
Shape and bake the logs
- 2Shape and bake the logsHeat oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan while preparing the dough. Line two 13 × 18-inch baking sheets with parchment. Divide dough in half and form two logs on one sheet, each 10 inches long, 2 inches wide and about 3/4 inch high, leaving 4 inches between them. Shape with the spatula and clean hands without extra flour. Bake on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes until the tops are set and the centers resist a light press. Keep the second sheet for drying.
Rest and cut
- 3Rest and cutLet logs rest on the sheet for 15 minutes, counted in cooling time. Reduce oven to 300°F (149°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan. Move logs to a board and use a sharp serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion. Cut on a shallow diagonal into 14 slices per log, approximately 5/8 inch thick, counting the end pieces. This makes 28 finished individual cookies.
Dry every slice
- 4Dry every sliceLay 14 slices cut-side down on each lined sheet. Bake one sheet for 12 minutes, turn each slice and bake for 12 more minutes. Repeat with the second sheet; drying both batches takes 48 minutes. Total oven time, including the first bake, is up to 78 minutes. The crumb should feel dry around the edges; pecan pieces remain richer and less dry than the crumb.
Cool and finish
- 5Cool and finishCool on a rack for 30 minutes after the final drying batch, then pack in an airtight tin. The 45-minute cooling allowance includes the earlier 15-minute log rest. Cool completely before sealing so trapped steam does not soften the crumb.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Use pure maple syrup rather than maple-flavored pancake syrup.
Technique & texture
Use purchased roasted pecans to avoid an uncounted roasting stage.
Finishing & serving
Maple syrup browns the logs readily; judge the centers as well as the crust.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 5 days | Keep fully cooled cookies in an airtight tin in a cool, dry place; store separately from soft cookies. |
| Refrigerator | Not recommended for texture | Refrigerator humidity can soften the crisp crumb. Choose a cool pantry or freeze the baked cookies instead. |
| Freezer | Up to 1 month | Freeze only fully baked and cooled cookies in an airtight freezer container with parchment between layers. |
| Thawing | About 1 hour | Thaw in the closed container at room temperature; let condensation settle before opening. |
| Refreshing | Before serving | If uncoated cookies soften, heat at 300°F (149°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan for 5–8 minutes and cool completely. Fruit and chocolate inclusions may remain soft. |
Notes
- Use pure maple syrup rather than maple-flavored pancake syrup. Use purchased roasted pecans to avoid an uncounted roasting stage. Maple syrup browns the logs readily; judge the centers as well as the crust. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 28; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use maple sugar instead?
Maple sugar lacks the syrup's water; replacing it gram for gram needs a revised liquid balance.
Why is this dough softer?
Maple syrup adds water. The larger flour quantity and 10-minute rest are part of this formula.
Will the maple flavor be strong?
It is a gentle background flavor; darker pure maple syrup usually gives a more pronounced taste.
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