Low-Fat Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (2024)

Published · Last updated · By Martha McKinnon · 4 Comments

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Weight Watchers Recipe of the Day: Low-Fat Gingerbread Biscotti

Italian-style Gingerbread Biscotti are one of my favorite holiday treats, with all the warm spiciness of a gingerbread cookie in a delicious homemade biscotti.

They are a perfect alternative when I'm craving the flavors of gingerbread, but just don't have the time or patience for chilling, rolling, and cutting gingerbread dough.

Low-Fat Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (1)

WW Low-Fat Gingerbread Biscotti

The Skinny on Gingerbread Biscotti

These low-fat gingerbread biscotti are much crunchier than your typical biscotti because they're made without butter or oil. So, it's important to slice them no thicker than ½-inch, a lesson I learned the hard way!

You can control their texture depending on how long you bake them - a little less if you want a chewier biscotti, and a little longer for a hard crispy cookie.

I think these gingerbread biscotti would make a perfect holiday gift too. They're sturdy enough to travel well and last for days, or weeks, so you can keep them on hand throughout the holiday season to share with friends.

How Many Calories and WW Points in these Biscotti Cookies?

According to my calculations, each biscotti has about 90 calories and:

4 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
4 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
4 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
2 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!

More WW Friendly Gingerbread Recipes

  • Low-Fat Gingerbread Truffles
  • Single-Serving Microwave Mug Gingerbread
  • Crock Pot Chocolate Chip Gingerbread

Are You Ready To Firmly Plant YourselfOn The Path To Lasting Weight Loss Success?

If you've made these low fatGingerbread Biscotti Cookies, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Low-Fat Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe

These gingerbread biscotti are one of my favorite low-fat holiday treats, but be forewarned these are Italian-style biscotti, so they may be more crunchy that what you are used to.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Servings (adjustable): 36

Calories: 90

Author: Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living

Ingredients

  • 2-¼ cups flour
  • 1-¼ cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1-½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup lightly packed dried apricots, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Instructions

  • Position one of your oven racks in the center of your oven. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

  • Line a baking sheet (affiliate link) with parchment paper or a nonstick baking liner.

  • In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or, if mixing by hand, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda until well blended.

  • Add the nuts and apricots and beat on low speed or with a wooden spoon (affiliate link) briefly.

  • In a small bowl (affiliate link) or measuring cup, lightly beat the molasses, eggs,and orange zest with a whisk.

  • With the mixer on low speed or while stirring with the spoon, slowly pour in the molasses/egg mixture. Continuing beating or stirring with the spoon or your hands until the dough is well blended and begins to form moist clumps, about 2 minutes.

  • Scrape the dough on to an unfloured work surface and divide the dough in half.

  • Shape each half into a 1-½ inch by 10-inch log. (The dough will be sticky so you may need to add more flour to your hands as you go along to accomplish this.)

  • Carefully transfer the logs onto your prepared baking sheet (affiliate link), spacing them about 4 inches apart.

  • Place the baking sheet (affiliate link) on the center rack of your oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top of the logs are cracked and spring back when gently pressed.

  • Remove baking sheet (affiliate link) from the oven and place on a wire rack and allow the logs to cool about 20 minutes, (Leave the oven set at 350F degrees or reheat before resuming).

  • Transfer the logs to a cutting board (affiliate link). Using a serrated knife, cut the logs on a slight diagonal into ½-inch thick slices. Use a gentle sawing motion to cut through the logs.

  • Place slices on the baking sheet (affiliate link) cut side down. It's okay if they touch since they won't spread. Bake the biscotti slices another 10 to 20 minutes, or until they are dried to your taste. At 10 minutes they will still be chewy and by 20 minutes they will be super dry and crunchy.

  • Place baking sheet (affiliate link) on a wire rack and allow the biscotti to cool completely on the sheet. The biscotti will harden as they cool. Store in airtight containers.

Recipe Notes

These low-fat gingerbread biscotti are much crunchier than your typical biscotti because they’re made without butter or oil. So, it’s important to slice them no thicker than ½-inch.

You can control their texture depending on how long you bake them – a little less if you want a chewier biscotti, and a little longer for a hard crispy cookie.

Serving size: 1 biscotti

Click here to see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site.

4 *SmartPoints (Green plan)

4 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)

4 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)

2 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

Nutrition Facts

Low-Fat Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 biscotti)

Calories 90Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Protein 2g4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy gingerbread treat, low fat biscotti, twice baked gingerbread cookies

Did you make this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving on Instagram and tag #simplenourishedliving - we love to see your creations!

Source: This low-fat gingerbread biscotti recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbook authors, Abby Dodge in The Best of Fine Cooking - Cookies

*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

Click for More Holiday Cookies Made Lighter

If you like gingerbread biscotti you might also like:

Low-Fat Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (4)Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.

A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.

She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.

A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.

More about Martha McKinnon

This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!

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Low-Fat Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (2024)

FAQs

Can you substitute oil for butter in biscotti? ›

Oil: This biscotti recipe uses vegetable oil instead of butter, which results in a lighter and crispier finished product. Eggs: Eggs add moisture and help bind the biscotti dough together. Anise extract: Flavor the homemade biscotti with anise extract. Flour: All-purpose flour gives the biscotti dough structure.

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

What does baking soda do in biscotti? ›

Cinnamon- we love adding cinnamon to desserts, it adds so much flavor that we love. Baking powder– to allow the biscotti to rise. Make sure that your baking powder isn't expired. Baking soda – baking soda helps the biscotti rise and spread.

Does biscotti have fat? ›

Traditional recipes do not include a fat like butter or oil making them very dense, but American-style biscotti tend to include a fair amount of butter that is whipped for a lighter, more crumbly texture.

What will happen to my cookies if I use oil instead of butter? ›

Due to its liquid nature, using oil in cookies typically results in a denser texture. Also, because oil is 100% fat, it doesn't react with flour the way butter does (butter contains water). Because of that, your cookies won't be as fluffy. If you're a fan of flat cookies, then using oil is an excellent option.

Should you refrigerate biscotti dough before baking? ›

Because the dough can be sticky and hard to form, it's important to chill the batter for a good 30 minutes before baking the first time. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper then dust it with a little flour. Transfer the batter to the baking sheet and chill in the fridge.

How healthy are biscotti? ›

Unlike many traditional cookies, biscotti are often lower in fat and sugar. Add some heart healthy nuts and you have a satisfying and relatively light treat! This delicious cookie can easily be made vegan & vegetarian friendly.

Why do my biscotti crumble when I cut them? ›

A: Overbaking the logs of dough during the first baking can make the slices crumble as you are cutting them. Also, even if the logs of dough are perfectly baked, they will crumble if they are sliced while still warm, so be patient. The logs crumble when you use a dull knife, too.

What happens if you forget baking powder in biscotti? ›

Most baked goods need a leavening agent to make them rise, and if you leave it out, your cake or your cookies will fall flat. Baking powder makes dough rise because it contains both a base and an acid in dried form.

Why are my biscotti so hard? ›

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". Usually the dough is formed into small loaf shapes (similar to a ciabatta loaf) and baked for around 20 minutes, then cooled slightly before slicing.

How sticky should biscotti dough be? ›

Biscotti dough is inherently sticky. I recommend adequately flouring your hands before working the dough, and if it's still too sticky to handle, add a little flour at a time but just enough so you can work with it. Chocolate.

Is it better to use butter or oil for biscotti? ›

Despite their centuries-old heritage, there is no one perfect way to make biscotti. Some recipes call for eggs only, which is the traditional method, while others swear by butter or oil. The choice is yours; just keep in mind that those made with butter or oil will have both a softer texture and a shorter shelf life.

What is the difference between American and Italian biscotti? ›

Or they can be the softer American type, eaten like any cookie. The Italian type keeps longer and has no butter, so they are much lower calorie and very low fat. If you prefer, you can substitute white whole wheat flour in these recipes. First, choose your flavors.

Is biscotti high in cholesterol? ›

Biscotti contains 20 mg of cholesterol, 70 mg of sodium and 9 g of sugar. Of its 4.5 g of fat, biscotti contains 2 g of saturated fat -- 10 percent of the daily value for saturated fat based on a 2,000-calorie diet. A homemade biscotti might contain 20 g of sugar and 5 g of saturated fat.

Can oil replace butter in biscuits? ›

Replacing Butter with Oil

Depending on the type of oil, it can add complex flavor and welcome moisture to your baked goods. A good rule of thumb is to replace about 3/4 of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil. (If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil.)

Why use butter instead of oil in baking? ›

The spongy texture and moist flavor that oil creates can be a boon to certain recipes. Not to mention oil is cheaper and easier to work with. Butter will always provide superior flavor and that melt-in-your-mouth texture. In many recipes, combining the two gives the best of both worlds.

How much olive oil instead of butter in cookies? ›

How do I substitute olive oil for butter in cakes and other baked good? As a general rule of thumb, substitute three-quarters of the butter in a recipe with olive oil. In other words: If a baking recipe calls for a stick of butter (8 tablespoons), for example, use 6 tablespoons of olive oil.

Can I substitute olive oil for butter in baking? ›

Usually, olive oil is best used as a substitute for butter in baking recipes that call specifically for liquid butter. In these cases, olive oil should be substituted for butter in a 3:4 ratio by volume. So if the recipe calls for one cup of butter, then you would use ¾ cup of olive oil.

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