Rose Pistachio Biscotti

Rose Pistachio Biscotti are the epitome of sophistication! These delightful biscotti take the classic twice-baked Italian cookie and infuse it with the fragrant essence of rosewater and the delightful crunch of pistachios.

Each bite is a beautiful harmony of floral and nutty flavors, with a delicate pink glaze and a charming dried rosebud adding a touch of elegance.

Why You'll Love This Dessert

These biscotti are perfect for a sophisticated teatime treat, a delightful addition to a dessert platter, or a unique and thoughtful homemade gift. So, ditch the ordinary cookies and embrace the extraordinary with this recipe for Rose Pistachio Biscotti!

• Perfect for special Occasions: Rose Pistachio biscotti are perfect for a baby girl gender reveal, Mother's Day, or even as a Valentine treat. They'd be beautiful at a bridal shower or a Sweet 16 party.
• Easy but Elegant: Simple to make, yet they convey femininity and beauty. You may have to convince your guests it's OK to eat them!
• Deliciously different: The subtle rose floral flavor combines beautifully with the earthy pistachio flavor and crunchiness of the cookies.

Ingredients You'll Need

Don't be fooled by the dainty appearance – these biscotti pack a flavorful punch! The combination of ground pistachios and fragrant rosewater creates a truly unique and sophisticated taste sensation.

For the Rose Pistachio Biscotti Cookies:

• 2-¼ cups 270 g all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for the work surface
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
• 1 cup roasted pistachios finely chopped, reserve ¼ cup
• 1 cup 200g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon rose water

For the Cookie Glaze:

• 2 cups 250g confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup optional
• 1 to 3 tablespoons water
• Pink food grade coloring
• 1 cup dried red edible rosebuds

Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How To Make Heart Shaped Pistachio Biscotti

These classic Italian cookies get a romantic makeover with a heart-shaped twist. These heart-shaped Rose Pistachio Biscotti add a touch of elegance and romance!

Prepare The Biscotti Dough

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 11 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a shallow bowl and stir in the ¾ cup of pistachios. (The remaining ¼ cup pistachios will be used for decorating the cookies). Push the mixture into a mound and make a well in the center. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and rose water.
4. Add the mixture to the well in the flour mixture.  Using a spoon, spatula or a fork, stir the mixture into the flour in a circular motion, gradually incorporating the flour in small amounts in a wider path until the flour is completely mixed and smooth.

Cut Out and Bake the Biscotti

5. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it a couple turns, add additional flour to the work surface if necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface. Pat the dough into a disk.  Divide the disk-dough into two portions.  
6. Dust the work surface lightly and roll one portion of dough into a circle ¼-inch thick.  Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut cookies and place onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Repeat the rolling and cutting with the remaining portion of dough.
7. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake the cookies for 12 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet while the oven temp is adjusting.
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Flip the cookies over and bake another 8-10 minutes until they are crisp. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.  When cool they should be crisp and crunchy.

Decorate The Biscotti Hearts

1. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper and set a wire cooling rack over it.
2. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a medium size bowl.  Add the rose water, corn syrup if using and 2 tablespoons of water then stir until well combined. Add pink food color to desired shade.
3. Add water in ¼ to ½ teaspoon increments until the glaze slowly drizzles off a spoon. 
4. Spread the glaze onto the cookies and place on the wire cooling rack so the excess can drip off easily.
5. While the glaze on the cookies is still tacky, sprinkle the reserved chopped pistachios on the cookies and add decorative dried rosebuds. Let the cookies dry completely before storing them. 

Substitutions and Variations

Get creative and personalize your Rose Pistachio Biscotti with these fun substitutions:

• Nutty Delight: Swap out the pistachios for another favorite nut, such as almonds or hazelnuts.
• Spice It Up: Add a pinch of ground cardamom or cinnamon for a touch of warm spice.
• Chocolate Lover's Dream: Drizzle melted white or dark chocolate over the cooled biscotti for an extra decadent treat.
• Candied Rose Petals: For an extra dose of floral flair, sprinkle candied rose petals on top of the glaze before it sets.

Tips for Success

Here are a few tips for making this pistachio biscotti recipe:

• A good quality rosewater will make a big difference in the flavor of your biscotti. Opt for food-grade rosewater specifically for culinary purposes.
• Overmixing the dough can lead to tough biscotti. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
• Ensure you bake the biscotti for the full recommended time during each baking stage for a perfect crunchy texture.
• Allow the biscotti to cool completely before decorating them with the glaze and rose buds.

Serving Suggestions

The delicate pink glaze and rose bud decoration make these biscotti a perfect addition to a Valentine's Day or springtime dessert table. Enjoy Rose Pistachio Biscotti for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee. Serve Rose Pistachio Biscotti alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a decadent dessert.

Package them up in a beautiful tin or cellophane bag for a unique and thoughtful homemade gift.

Related Recipes

• Vanilla Rosewater Pistachio Cake
• Strawberry Crunch Cake
• Raspberry Lamingtons
• Chantilly Cake with Fresh Berries

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish.

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• Farberware Classic Wood Rolling Pin, Natural Wood, 1 – 5215807
• Wilton 2304-115 Nesting Heart Cutter Set
• Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, 4 ounces
• Fiddyment Farms 1 Lb Unsalted Pistachio Kernels
• CORTAS Rose Flower Water, 10 OZ
• Goofoo Premium Dried Rose Buds Flower Herb Loose Leaf Decaffeinated Fragrant Natural Healthy Herbal Tea 2.8 oz

Storage and Reheating

• Store leftover Rose Pistachio Biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They will maintain their crisp texture for several days.
• You can also freeze biscotti for up to 3 months. Wrap cooled biscotti individually in plastic wrap or place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container.
• Thaw frozen biscotti overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Rose Pistachio Biscotti Cookies

Rose Pistachio Biscotti are the epitome of sophistication! These delightful biscotti take the classic twice-baked Italian cookie and infuse it with the fragrant essence of rosewater and the delightful crunch of pistachios.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time28 minutes mins

Total Time48 minutes mins

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 36 Cookies

Calories: 110kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Equipment

• Farberware Classic Wood Rolling Pin, Natural Wood, 1 - 5215807
• Wilton 2304-115 Nesting Heart Cutter Set
• Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, 4 ounces
• Fiddyment Farms 1 Lb Unsalted Pistachio Kernels
• CORTAS Rose Flower Water, 10 OZ
• Goofoo Premium Dried Rose Buds Flower Herb Loose Leaf Decaffeinated Fragrant Natural Healthy Herbal Tea 2.8 oz

Ingredients

For the Rose Pistachio Biscotti Cookies:

• 2-¼ cups 270 g all-purpose flour, plus a bit more for the work surface
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
• 1 cup roasted pistachios finely chopped, reserve ¼ cup
• 1 cup 200g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon rose water

For the Cookie Glaze:

• 2 cups 250g confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup optional
• 1 to 3 tablespoons water
• Pink food grade coloring
• 1 cup dried red edible rosebuds

Instructions

For the Rose Pistachio Biscotti Cookies:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 11 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a shallow bowl and stir in the ¾ cup of pistachios. (The remaining ¼ cup pistachios will be used for decorating the cookies). Push the mixture into a mound and make a well in the center. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and rose water.
• Add the mixture to the well in the flour mixture.  Using a spoon, spatula or a fork, stir the mixture into the flour in a circular motion, gradually incorporating the flour in small amounts in a wider path until the flour is completely mixed and smooth.

Roll and Cut the Dough:

• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it a couple turns, add additional flour to the work surface if necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface. Pat the dough into a disk.  Divide the disk-dough into two portions.  
• Dust the work surface lightly and roll one portion of dough into a circle ¼-inch thick.  Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut cookies and place onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.   
• Repeat the rolling and cutting with the remaining portion of dough.

Bake the Cookies:

• Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake the cookies for 12 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet while the oven temp is adjusting.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F 
• Flip the cookies over and bake another 8-10 minutes until they are crisp.  Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.  When cool they should be crisp and crunchy. 

To Make the Glaze:

• Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper and set a wire cooling rack over it.
• Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a medium size bowl.  Add the rose water, corn syrup if using and 2 tablespoons of water then stir until well combined.  
• Add pink food color to desired shade.
• Check the consistency of the icing and drizzle in more water if it is too thick. Only add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of water at a time (a little goes a long way). 
• The glaze should be fairly thick but you should be able to slowly drizzle it off of a spoon. When it falls back into the bowl, it should fall in a ribbon-like pattern and take a couple of seconds before blending back into the rest of the icing. 
• Spread the glaze onto the cookies and place on the wire cooling rack.   At first it will appear to be coated too thick but will drip and settle into a smooth glaze. 
• While the glaze on the cookies is still tacky, sprinkle the reserved chopped pistachios on the cookies and add decorative dried rosebuds.
• Let the cookies dry completely before storing them. 

Notes

• A stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a food processor can be used instead of the traditional hand mixing method. Begin with the dry ingredients and after a good blending add the wet ingredients until a soft dough is formed.
• When using a food processor to mix the biscotti dough, hold back the nuts and mix them into the soft dough by hand.
• Roll the biscotti dough on a well-floured work surface to a ¼-inch thickness.
• Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, do not brown them.
• Wait for your cookies to cool completely before icing them. If you add too much water just add a bit more confectioners’ sugar to thicken the icing again.
• Corn syrup gives the icing a slick shiny coat and keeps it from getting rock hard but it will firm up enough to stack the cookies on top of each other once the icing is dry.
• If you are not using the icing right away, lay some plastic wrap directly on top of the icing so the air doesn’t dry it out. It will store like that for 24 to 48 hours.
• Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. If you use a lot of liquid food coloring you may need to stir in a bit more confectioner’s sugar to thicken the icing again. (Gel food coloring will not thin the icing out).

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 47mg | Sugar: 12g