A healthy, nut-free chocolate chip biscotti recipe that uses natural sweeteners and fits Vegan, Gluten-Free and Paleo diets!
What’s Biscotti?
Biscotti are small, crisp rectangular twice-baked cookies typically containing nuts that are traditionally made in Italy. They make the perfect cookie to enjoy with coffee, since they hold up to the dip test. Meaning you can dip them in your coffee and they wont fall apart. I happen to love biscotti and my husband is extremely allergic to all nuts, so I created a healthier biscotti in a nut-free way!
This recipe is actually quite simple, requiring only a handful of ingredients. Tigernut Flour and Coconut Flour make the base of this crunchy cookie and pure Maple Syrup acts as the sweetener. Everything gets mixed together and formed into a log to bake. Pretty straightforward, right? The unique part that’s true to biscotti is after it’s baked and cooled slightly, you slice it and then bake once more. This gives it the traditional biscotti crunch!
Tigernut – NOT a nut!
If you aren’t familiar with Tigernuts, you may be surprised to learn that they aren’t Tigers or NUTS! They’re actually very small tubers that grow right below the ground in places like Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. Tigernuts can be enjoyed as is or ground into a flour, which is what makes the base of these nut-free biscotti. I’ve found that tigernut flour makes the the perfect nut-free flour substitute for grain-free baking since its texture closely resembles almond meal. It adds a boost of protein and fiber (one ounce contains 40 percent of the recommended daily fiber intake) and is also high in iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamins E and C.
Gluten-Free/Nut-Free Baking with Tigernut Flour
When baking, Tigernut flour works best when also combined with another flour such as coconut flour (as in this recipe), arrowroot, tapioca starch, oat flour or brown rice flour. It has an earthy, nutty flavor that’s slightly sweet and corse in texture. I’ve like it best when used in cookies and pie crusts.
Prebiotic
One of the most interesting properties of Tigernuts is that it’s high in prebiotics, not to be confused with probiotics, although they do go hand and hand.
Prebiotics are basically non-digestible fiber that promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut. Non-digestible might seem like a red flag, but it’s actually a good thing. Much like fertilizer to soil, prebiotics help fuel and support a healthy gut. Prebiotics are also found in certain vegetables like onion, garlic, leek and asparagus, whole grains such as whole wheat and wheat bran and even unripe bananas. Keep in mind that prebiotics don’t replace probiotics, they make them more effective!
I buy Tigernut Flour on Amazon, but you may also find it in a local specialty grocery store or at Whole Foods. I hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Specialty ingredients for this recipe:
Grain Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe
Nut-Free, Paleo Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Vegan | Paleo | Nut-Free | Grain-Free | Dairy-Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup Tigernut Flour*
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder**
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips***
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Add Tigernut flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt to a large mixing bowl and using a whisk combine and remove any lumps.
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Add the maple syrup and switch to a mini spatula or a wooden spoon and stir to combine completely. Add in the chocolate chips and mix to combine.
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Form the dough into one log in the center of the baking sheet, about 20 inches long, 3 – 4 inches wide and about 1 – 2 inches tall.
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Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool completely. In the middle of summer I like to shut my oven off for this. Once cool, carefully transfer to a cutting board and cut the log into biscotti slices. The dough may be a little delicate and crumbly, but working quickly will help. I prefer using a straight edge large vegetable knife for this. Also, use your hands to reshape any cookies that have fallen apart.
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Lay each cut cookie on it’s side on the baking sheet and bake again at 350 degrees F. for another 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
*If you don't have a nut allergy, almond meal can be substituted in equal amounts.
**I used double dutch cocoa powder.
*** I prefer Enjoy life mini chocolate chips.
Looks great! How can I store it?
Great question! I store it in a sealed container in the fridge or even in the freezer. It should last a couple weeks in the fridge and a couple of months in the freezer. Sorry for the delayed response.
Happy New Year!