Lime and Toasted Coconut Biscotti

Biscotti are built for lingering — crisp, twice-baked, and made for dunking in coffee or tea while the afternoon drifts by. This version takes the Italian classic somewhere sunny, with bright lime zest and rich coconut lending a tropical lilt to the sturdy, crunchy cookie. They keep for ages in a tin, they travel beautifully, and they turn a simple cup of coffee into a small, unhurried ritual worth savoring.

The Dough and Toasted Coconut

Pulse the coconut with the sugar and plenty of lime zest, and toast the pine nuts until golden and fragrant. Toasting the pine nuts is essential — it deepens the flavor and adds a lovely richness, and the lime keeps the whole cookie bright and fresh rather than heavy.

The Twice-Bake for Crunch

Bake the dough into logs, slice them, and bake them a second time to drive off the moisture and render them crisp. This twice-baking is the defining technique of biscotti, giving them their signature crunch and long keeping — slice them evenly so they toast uniformly on the second bake.

Jorj Morgan

Lime and Toasted Coconut Biscotti

An exercise in dual-stage drying, utilizing a cornmeal-fortified flour base and a botanical infusion of lime and thyme. This biscotti balances tropical fats from unsweetened coconut with toasted pine nuts for a superior, crisp crumb.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 54 minutes mins

Cooling 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 44 minutes mins

Servings: 18 servings

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

The Botanical Infusion

• 3 ounces pine nuts
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 tablespoons lime zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

The Dry Base

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

The Dough

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

The Acid-Driven Glaze

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon half and half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Method

 

The Flavor Base and Dry Integration

1. Toast the pine nuts in a shallow skillet over medium heat until just golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Keep your eye on the pine nuts as once they are fragrant, they go from perfect to burnt in a nanosecond.
2. Place the granulated sugar, coconut flakes, lime zest, and thyme into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine.
3. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Make and Chill the Dough

1. Use an electric mixer to combine the butter with the flavored sugar.
2. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and two tablespoons of the lime juice. Stir in the flour. Add the pine nuts.
3. Divide the dough into two halves, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

The Primary Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Form each portion of dough into a log about 3-inches wide and 10 to 12-inches long. Place these onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake until the logs are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the dough from the oven and cool for at least 15 minutes.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°.

The Secondary Dehydration

1. When cooled, use a serrated knife to cut each log into ½-inch slices and lay cut-side-up on the baking sheet.
2. Place the baking sheet back into the oven and bake until the cookies are dry and just crisp, about another 30 minutes.

Final Glazing

1. Whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, half-and-half, and vanilla until smooth.
2. When the cookies have cooled, drizzle each one with the glaze.

Notes

Makes 36 cookies.