Savor the cozy flavors of autumn with crunchy Apple Cinnamon Biscotti. These crisp, slightly sweet cookies are infused with apple and warm cinnamon, iced with an apple-cinnamon glaze, and finished with festive fall sprinkles—perfect for gifting, care packages, or pairing with coffee and tea.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Biscotti are ideal for care packages and long-lasting treats because of their dry, crunchy texture that makes them perfect for dipping. This Apple Cinnamon Biscotti recipe captures vivid apple flavor without adding fresh fruit by using apple juice concentrate in the dough and the icing. That keeps the biscotti crisp while delivering authentic apple taste.
These biscotti are also eye-catching—each piece is coated with a firm-drying apple-cinnamon icing that makes storage and shipping simple. Topped with a mix of autumn-colored sprinkles, they become a celebratory seasonal cookie that’s as lovely to give as it is to eat.
Biscotti ingredients
Icing ingredients
Instructions
This overview highlights the main steps. The full, precise instructions and ingredient amounts follow in the recipe card below.
- Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. In a mixer, cream butter and sugar, then mix in eggs and apple juice concentrate. Gradually add the dry ingredients until combined.
- Divide dough into two portions and shape each into a log on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake until light golden, cool ~10 minutes, then slice each log on the diagonal into 3/4″ pieces and lay them cut-side down slightly apart on the sheet.
- Return slices to the oven to bake again until firm and crisp. Cool completely before icing.
- Whisk confectioners’ sugar, apple juice concentrate, and cinnamon until smooth; adjust thickness to a spreadable glaze.
- Spread icing on a few biscotti at a time using an offset spatula or butter knife.
- Add sprinkles immediately before the glaze firms, then place biscotti on wax paper to set for about 2 hours at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container with wax paper between layers.
Storage
Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature with wax paper between layers. Properly stored, they keep well for at least two weeks, making them great for gifting and care packages.
Tips
- The recipe uses defrosted frozen apple juice concentrate. To make your own concentrate, simmer apple juice or cider until reduced by about half. For example, reduce 1 1/4 cups of juice to roughly 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons.
- If the dough is sticky, moisten your hands or the spatula to shape smooth logs more easily.
- Biscotti continue to crisp as they cool, so avoid overbaking during the second bake.
- If you prefer, skip the glaze and sprinkle the logs with cinnamon-sugar before the first bake for a simpler finish.
More Rosh Hashanah recipes
If you enjoy seasonal baking, try other fall and holiday recipes such as apple butter cookies, apples-and-honey chocolate bars, apple oatmeal cutout cookies, pomegranate caramels, and honey lollipops. These treats work beautifully together for a Rosh Hashanah-themed care package.
My experience with this recipe
For Rosh Hashanah, dipping apples in honey symbolizes hopes for a sweet new year. When I developed this Apple Cinnamon Biscotti alongside honey cake biscotti, the apple-cinnamon flavor added a bright, crunchy complement to traditional holiday sweets. They’ve become a favorite for gifting and holiday snacking.
Apple Cinnamon Biscotti
Ingredients
Biscotti dough
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon apple juice concentrate melted frozen concentrate
Apple Cinnamon Icing
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup apple juice concentrate melted frozen concentrate, add more if needed
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Sprinkles fall leaves and autumn-colored nonpareils
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
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In a mixer, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and apple juice concentrate and mix to combine.
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Gradually add the flour mixture until the dough forms.
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Divide dough in half and place each half on the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Shape into two logs roughly 11″ long and 3″ wide; moisten hands if sticky.
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Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool about 10 minutes, then slice logs on the diagonal into ¾” slices.
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Stand slices on the baking sheet slightly apart and bake 10–15 minutes more until firm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To prepare icing:
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Stir confectioners’ sugar, apple juice concentrate, and cinnamon until smooth and spreadable. Adjust consistency as needed.
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Spread icing on biscotti one or a few at a time, then add sprinkles immediately.
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Allow icing to set on wax paper for about 2 hours before storing.
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Store in an airtight container with wax paper between layers for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Use defrosted frozen apple juice concentrate for the best apple punch without adding fresh fruit.
- Moisten hands or a spatula when shaping sticky dough to form smooth logs more easily.
- Biscotti continue to crisp as they cool; remove from the oven when they are firm but not overly browned.
- For a quicker finish, sprinkle the dough logs with cinnamon-sugar before the first bake instead of glazing.
Packing tips
Wrap 3–4 biscotti, cut edges together, in plastic wrap. Stack wrapped bundles in a freezer-weight zip-top bag or plastic container for gifting or storage.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 26 g
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Protein: 2 g
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Fat: 4 g
First Published: September 11, 2018. Last Updated: October 14, 2021. Updated for clarity, improved photos, and a better reader experience.