Portuguese Biscotti

These aren’t Italian biscotti despite the name. Portuguese biscotti are a family of regional Portuguese-American baked goods that differ from their Italian cousins in one key way: they’re shaped into rings rather than logs, and they bake just once instead of twice.

Lemon is the flavor that defines them. A whole tablespoon of lemon zest plus a quarter cup of juice sings through these cookies, giving them a bright citrus flavor that most American butter cookies don’t have. Skip the lemon here at your peril; it’s what makes them Portuguese.

The long mandatory chill (3 hours minimum, up to 2 days) isn’t optional. The dough is soft and sticky when first mixed; only cold dough is firm enough to roll into 10-inch ropes without tearing.

Overlapping the rope ends to form rings is the traditional Portuguese shape. The overlap seals during baking and creates a small thick spot that contrasts with the thinner ring body, so each cookie has variation in crunch.

The low oven temperature (300°F / 150°C) is the secret to the biscotti’s characteristic texture. Hot ovens brown the exterior before the interior dries, leaving a chewy-doughy center. The low, slow bake dries the whole cookie through into a proper crisp-crumble texture.

A light dusting of sugar on top before baking gives the rings a subtle sparkle and a sweet-crackly finish.

Chef Tips

• Use real butter, not margarine. The flavor shows through in a cookie this simple; substitutes taste flat.
• If the ropes crack when forming rings, the dough is too cold. Let it warm on the counter for 5 minutes before continuing.
• Bake one tray at a time for even browning. Two trays in the oven at once means uneven temperatures and spotty color.
• Cool completely on racks before storing. Warm cookies trap steam in the container and go soft fast.

Variations

• Substitute orange zest and orange juice for lemon for a different citrus profile.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon almond extract to the batter for additional flavor depth.
• Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted dark chocolate for a modern twist.