Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (2024)

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Semolina Biscotti are golden and buttery with a beautiful coarse texture from rich semolina flour. A delightful Italian inspired semolina cookie. This biscotti is not overly sweet and can be served with a savory meal! Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (1)

I have another biscotti recipe for you and I know you're going to LOVE LOVE LOVE this one!

If you guys read my last post, you know why biscotti are literally my favorite cookies to make (aside from the fact I tend to gravitate towards Italian baked goods 😉 ).

In my last post, I covered all the reasons why biscotti are the best cookies, but here's a quick TL;DR recap for you...

  1. Biscotti are the easiest cookies to make. Once the dough comes together you form it into a log, bake and then slice. Since you don’t have to scoop out dough into individual cookies, you can whip up a batch of biscotti FAST.
  2. Once you master making basic biscotti, you can get creative with flavors and add-ins. You guys know how much I love adding my own twist on things, and biscotti is so versatile! Don’t like nuts? Make biscotti without nuts! Add in spices, chocolate chips, dried fruit, extracts…It’s so great being able to throw in whatever you have in your pantry.
  3. Biscotti are a ONE BOWL RECIPE and you only need ONE COOKIE TRAY.

My favorite thing about biscotti is the fact that you can get creative with flavors. I've always found that it is easy to experiment with a basic recipe (I hope to have that up for you guys soon!).

Semolina Biscotti

Introducing Semolina Biscotti. Literally, my new favorite.

I don't know if Semolina biscotti is already a thing, but it needs to be.

Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (2)

This recipe came to me when I was emptying out my pantry and found containers of two flours; graham and semolina.

We are always making pasta and bread with semolina so this is a great way to use up any leftover semolina flour.

I immediately thought that these would both make excellent biscotti, so I texted some friends and took a vote.

Personally, I wanted to use the graham flour, but to my surprise, everyone voted for Semolina (all who participated were also Italian, so I guess it's not really that shocking).

What is semolina biscotti like?

The end result is nothing short of magic, I swear. This cookie perfectly highlights that buttery, golden, beautiful flour like nothing else I've ever had. Everyone in my family went absolutely bonkers for this cookie.

Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (3)

What is Semolina flour?

Semolina flour is Durham wheat that is coarsely ground. I've always been familiar with this type of flour because it is used a lot in Italian cooking (pasta, pizza...) & bread baking. Semolina flour is best known for helping to hold shape due to it's high-gluten content (it is a MUST for homemade pasta), but it also has a very rich, buttery flavor.

For this Semolina Biscotti, I split the flour mixture and used half all purpose flour & half semolina.

I think it created a nice balance; you can taste the flavor of semolina and the texture is more sandy (almost like how cornbread is) but the cookie bakes up perfectly and isn't tough (be careful when using high gluten flours because you don't want to over mix where that can happen!).

I have a similar recipe, Lemon Ricotta Cake, where I blend all purpose flour and cornmeal (semolina can also be used) which creates a beautiful texture & crumb.

Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (4)

The thing I like most about this cookie is, you really don't think of dessert when you're eating it. It can certainly be dessert, but the flavor is more wholesome and we found ourselves snacking on it with our eggs at breakfast and meals at dinnertime, too.

Again, it reminds me of a slightly sweet cornbread and it oddly paired very well with a bowl of chili.

That fact makes it unusual for me to post here, since I only post desserts and sweet treats, but this recipe kind of falls right in between those lines.

It's too yummy for me to not share with you guys.

Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (5)

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Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (6)

Semolina Biscotti

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Semolina Biscotti are golden and buttery with a beautiful coarse texture from rich semolina flour. A delightful Italian inspired semolina cookie. This biscotti is not overly sweet and can be served with a savory meal!

  • Total Time: 55

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 stick butter (at room temp)
  • ¾ c granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 c semolina flour
  • 1 c all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare one cookie tray with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs and mix well for about 1 minute.
  4. Add the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until combined; stop once the dough comes together.
  5. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of all purpose flour onto the cookie tray that is lined with parchment. Carefully dump out the bowl onto the tray and gently form the dough into one long log. The dough will be slightly sticky and soft, so add more flour as needed to form the shape.
  6. Stretch the dough lengthwise until it is as long as the cookie sheet (about 13 inches). Cut the log in half and place the two sections of dough next to each other. Press each log down so that the dough is about ½ inch thick.
  7. Using your hand, gently shape the edges so that they are straight.
  8. Bake for about 30 min until light golden brown & firm.
  9. Once finished baking, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes on the tray.
  10. Drop the oven temp to 280°F.
  11. Place one log at a time on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice the log into cookies on a diagonal into thick slices. Place the cookies on their sides and place back into the oven for 10 minutes.
  12. After the cookies are done baking on the one side, flip them over again and bake the other sides for 10 minutes. (I found that baking for even more time, 20min on each side, results in a cookie that is very crisp, if you prefer that then you can bake them for longer).
  13. After the last bake, allow to cool on the tray.

Notes

I recommend using this brand of flour.

Original recipe by Owlbbaking.com

  • Author: Liz at Owlbbaking.com
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Category: Cookies
  • Cuisine: Italian

Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (7)

©2022 Owlbbaking, LLC. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from owner is strictly prohibited. Photography & video may not be used without consent (Click here for round-up feature consent).

Semolina Biscotti | Semolina Flour Recipe- OwlbBaking.com (2024)

FAQs

Can I use semolina instead of flour for cookies? ›

Of course, semolina offers the best texture and flavor, but you can swap in an equal amount by volume of bread flour in a pinch. You can also substitute all-purpose flour, but bread flour is a better option — its higher protein content is closer to semolina, which will ensure better results.

How do you use semolina flour? ›

When incorporating semolina flour into homemade pasta and baked goods recipes, it is used similarly to any other type of flour, where it is combined with wet and sometimes other dry ingredients. It is also added to gravies, soups, and stews as a thickener, and can be used to prevent sticking when baking with dough.

Should biscotti be hard or soft? ›

Biscotti are hard, crunchy cookies as they are usually baked twice - the word biscotti is derived from Italian - "bis" meaning "twice" and "cotti" meaning "cooked".

Why use semolina instead of flour? ›

Semolina vs All Purpose Flour

In addition to its golden hue, semolina flour has a nutty flavor and more protein than all-purpose flour. Its gluten protein content creates an elastic dough, perfect for kneading and stretching for pasta. In contrast, neutrality defines all-purpose flour.

What else can you use semolina flour for? ›

It can also be used to make pizza, bread and biscuit doughs as well as gnocchi. The term also refers to a British milk pudding, in which semolina is cooked slowly in milk and sweetened with sugar. This dish is served topped with a spoonful of honey, jam or fresh or dried fruit.

What are the pros and cons of semolina flour? ›

Semolina is a flour made from ground durum wheat. It's rich in protein, fiber, and B vitamins and may support weight loss, heart health, and digestion. Most people can enjoy semolina with no issue, but a small percentage of the population may not tolerate it due to its gluten or wheat content.

Why do Italians use semolina flour? ›

Semola and semolina flour are mainly used for making pasta, couscous, and some rustic cakes. Semolina has a coarse texture similar to polenta, while semola is flour. You might use semolina to make a breakfast porridge or sweet pudding, or under your pizza dough to keep it from sticking.

Does semolina flour require more water? ›

Because of its higher water absorption, fine semolina requires more water during mixing than does coarse semolina. However, fine semolina results in lower couscous yield than medium or coarse semolina.

What is the secret to making biscotti? ›

12 Tips For Making The Absolute Best Biscotti
  1. Use room-temperature ingredients. ...
  2. Boost the flavor with spices, extracts, and zest. ...
  3. Toss in some add-ins for flavor and texture. ...
  4. Let the dough chill before shaping. ...
  5. Use floured or greased hands to shape the dough. ...
  6. Shape the dough into a smaller loaf than you want.
May 29, 2023

Is butter better than oil in biscotti? ›

Are they better with oil or butter? So a traditional biscotti recipe would have neither but I use melted butter in mine for some extra richness. I would not recommend using oil.

How do you keep homemade biscotti crispy? ›

How to Store Biscotti: Maximize Crunch & Prevent Soft Biscotti. To store biscotti, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature. Lining the container with a paper towel will help soak up any excess moisture that finds its way in.

What can replace all-purpose flour for cookies? ›

Either cake flour or pastry flour can be used as a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour in most baking recipes. Steer away from cake flour for chewy bread baking, though, and opt instead for bread or whole-wheat flour for your no-knead and sourdough loaves.

What is the best flour for cookies? ›

All-Purpose Flour: The Versatile Choice

This balanced protein level makes it versatile enough to produce both soft and chewy cookies as well as slightly crisp ones. If you're looking for a safe bet or are new to cookie baking, all-purpose flour is your go-to option.

What is the use of semolina in baking? ›

Semolina is rich in gluten — a protein that provides structure to many types of bread, pasta, and other baked goods. The tough and stretchy texture of semolina makes it one of the best types of flour to use for making pasta ( 45 ).

Can I just replace bread flour with semolina flour? ›

Semolina Flour

This type of flour is typically used to make pasta, but its high protein content also makes it a perfect substitute for bread flour to make bread and pizza dough. Semolina flour comes in coarse, medium, and fine textures and you will want the fine grind for bread making.

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