How to Store Biscotti: Maximize Crunch & Prevent Soft Biscotti (2024)

Twice-baked Italian almond biscuits (also known as Biscotti) are one of my favorite sweet indulgences.

But like most people, I don’t have the time to bake very often. So when I do bake, I make more than I need and store the rest.

Here’s where it becomes important to know how to store biscotti.

ƒTo store biscotti, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature. Lining the container with paper towel will help soak up any excess moisture that finds its way in. Biscotti will stay good for up to a month at room temperature and three months in the freezer.

How to store homemade biscotti

To keep your biscotti fresh and crunchy for as long as possible, you’re fighting against air and moisture. Too much air and your biscotti will become stale. Too much moisture and you’ll have soggy biscotti.

For the best protection against air and moisture, use an airtight container lined with a kitchen roll. Stored like this, your Biscotti can stay fresh for weeks, if they last that long!

Plastic Tupperware is fine to use, but metal biscuit tins or glass jars are better because they’re less permeable to air. The paper towel will absorb any stray moisture that does make it into your container.

Before you store your biscotti, make sure it’s completely cool. Cool the biscuits on a wire rack for quicker cooling times. Otherwise, as soon as you close your airtight container, you’ll see condensation on the sides and you’ll have soggy biscotti.

Does biscotti need to be refrigerated?

No, biscotti doesn’t need to be refrigerated. I don’t recommend refrigerating it for two reasons:

1. Refrigeration ruins the taste. The biscotti can pick up a weird taste in the fridge because it’s quick to absorb various ‘strong’ odors such as garlic.
2. Refrigeration shortens the life of your biscotti. Biscotti lasts longer at room temperature. Condensation is more common in the fridge, which means your biscuits will lose their crunch faster.

For dipped and iced biscotti, if you want them a bit chilled, wrap the biscuits tightly in plastic wrap to reduce air contact. And don’t refrigerate for too long.

How to freeze biscotti

You can freeze biscotti at any stage of baking. You can freeze the dough, you can freeze them after the first bake, or you can freeze the finished product.

Freezing biscotti after the first bake is what I recommend. That way you don’t need to worry about them becoming soggy because they’re going to be baked again anyway.

If you freeze finished biscotti biscuits, you often need to bake them for a third time to crisp them up again.

To freeze biscotti follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Let the biscotti cool down. This is important because if the biscotti are still hot when you put them in the freezer, the vapors will condense in the container and leave a soggy mess.
2. Lay the biscotti on a baking sheet making sure they’re not touching each other. If you have too many to fit on one baking tray, you can use waxed paper to create layers.
3. Put the baking tray in a freezer until the biscotti are completely frozen.
4. Once the biscuits are frozen, you can transfer them to an airtight container. Freezer-grade resealable plastic bags are a good option. Because you pre-froze the biscuits, they won’t stick together in the container.
5. Date the plastic bag so you know how long the biscotti have been in the freezer for.
6. If you can, place your bag within another airtight container for double protection. If you’re using a container, then you can wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap.
7. You can leave the biscotti for up to 3 months.

Precautions:

• Don’t overfill your container. You don’t want to risk crushing the biscotti.
• If you’re using a bag, squeeze as much air out of it as possible. If you want to be extra careful, you can wrap each individual biscotti in plastic wrap before storing them. This will ensure minimal air contact.
• For half-baked loaves, it’s better to cut the biscotti into biscuit shapes before freezing.

Related: Can You Freeze Cannolis

How to defrost biscotti

Defrost the biscotti in the open air, not in the container in which they were stored. Otherwise, they may get soggy. If they do turn out a bit soggy, simply pop them back in the oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp them up again.

How to store biscotti dough

You can store biscotti dough in the fridge for up to a week. However, 1-2 days is recommended. To keep the dough fresh, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. A few layers are best and will prevent the dough from absorbing unwanted odors or drying out too much.

Putting the dough in the fridge for a few hours can help to firm it up if it’s really wet.

How to freeze biscotti dough

If you want to store the dough for longer than a week, you’ll have to freeze it. It’s best to shape the dough before you freeze it because defrosted dough can be tricky to deal with.

Place the dough on some plastic wrap and shape it into a log (or whatever shape you want). Then wrap the dough in the plastic wrap. Create a second layer of protection by wrapping the dough in foil. This protects against freezer burn.

You can leave to dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you want to defrost the dough, let it thaw in the refrigerator before transferring it to room temperature.

Can biscotti dough be made ahead?

Yes, you can make biscotti dough ahead of time and store it until you need it.

You can store it in the fridge or the freezer. The dough will stay good for 24 hours in the fridge, but it’s best to freeze it for longer-term storage. The dough will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Some people actually prefer to make their dough ahead of time because biscotti dough is quite wet. Chilling the dough can make it easier to work with.

It also gives the dough a chance to rest and absorb the flavors of any added ingredients you’ve used.

What is the shelf life of biscotti?

Since biscotti are twice-baked to remove as much moisture as possible, they generally have a longer shelf-life than many other baked goods.

The average shelf-life of biscotti is 2 weeks for maximum crunchiness. However, if you store it carefully in an airtight container at room temperature, biscotti can last for up to a month. In the freezer, biscotti will stay at its best for 3 months.

Biscotti comes in a wide variety of flavors, and some ingredients can reduce its shelf-life. Reconstituted fruit, for example, will reduce the shelf life to two weeks maximum.

Does Biscotti Go Bad?

Since biscotti are dry biscuits, they won’t go bad in the traditional sense of going moldy. The bacteria that cause mold need water to survive, and in twice-baked biscuits there’s no water left.

If moisture gets introduced somehow, then biscotti can go moldy. That’s why an airtight container is a must for storage.

If you’re using reconstituted fruit as a flavoring, these will naturally contain some moisture and could cause the biscotti to go bad. Dried flavorings shouldn’t be a problem.

Over time, the biscotti will eventually go stale and lose their crunch. Stale biscotti won’t harm you but won’t taste as you were expecting. If you want to keep the biscotti for over a month, it’s best to freeze them to prevent them from becoming stale.

How to make biscotti crunchy again

Freshly baked biscotti are wonderful and crunchy. But exposure to moisture and humidity can make them soft and soggy. Defrosted biscotti also tend to be slightly lackluster.

Luckily you can easily get the crunch back by baking them for a third time.

• Whole batch fix: bake in the oven for 5 mins at 250 degrees Fahrenheit
• Individual fix: put the biscuit in the microwave for 10 seconds

How to store chocolate-dipped biscotti

Chocolate fans can store their chocolate-dipped biscotti at room temperature, same as with the undipped biscotti. Use an air-tight container and line it with paper towel to keep any moisture away.

Stored in this way, you can keep the chocolate-dipped biscotti crunchy for about a month.

If you want to keep the biscotti any longer, it’s best to freeze them. I recommend freezing the biscuits plain and chocolate dipping them after you defrost them.

Freezing chocolate-dipped biscotti can cause white spots to form on the surface of your chocolate. This phenomenon is known as chocolate bloom, and the white spots are accumulated sugar crystals. It’s caused by exposing the chocolate to extreme temperature changes.

Although not harmful, chocolate bloom isn’t very attractive and not what you want to see on nicely decorated biscotti.

If you do need to freeze chocolate-dipped biscotti, even for a short duration, take the following steps to minimize temperature shocks.

• Wrap the biscotti tightly in plastic wrap and foil to prevent air contact
• When you take the biscotti out of the freezer, put it in the fridge to thaw.
• Once the biscotti has thawed, wrap in a dishcloth for insulation and move it to room temperature. This will allow the biscotti to warm up to room temperature slowly and minimize any chocolate bloom.