Greek Biscotti (Paximadia)

Name: Greek Biscotti (Paximadia)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 450 grams all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 100 grams sugar; 250 ml olive oil (light (see note 1)); 250 ml orange juice ((see note 2)); 1 tbsp orange zest (approx. zest of 1 orange); 60 ml ouzo ((optional) (see note 3)); 60 grams slivered almonds ((see note 4)); 2 tbsp sesame seeds

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Bursting with orange flavour and naturally vegan, paximadia are crunchy Greek cookies similar to biscotti. So get your coffee ready - these delicious treats are perfect for dunking!

Greek biscotti served on a plate with Greek coffee.

CONTENTS

What are paximadia?
Why you'll love this recipe
What you need to make this recipe
Suggested recipe ingredients
How to make this recipe
Expert tips
Storing & freezing
Recipe FAQs
Video
Related recipes
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What are paximadia?

Paximadia are twice-baked cookies and are very similar to biscotti. They are often called the Greek version of Italian biscotti. They are commonly referred to in Greece as "voutimata" (βουτήματα) - loosely translated as dunking cookies or biscuits. (These cookies are also known as "biskota" (μπισκότα) - the Greek word for biscuits).

The more traditional paximadia are thick slices of twice-baked bread made with barley flour, rehydrated with water, and often used in salads or as a Greek appetizer.

Why you'll love this recipe

They're the perfect dunking cookie for a cup of coffee or tea.
The recipe is quite flexible. You can jazz up the base recipe with whatever you like.
It uses olive oil. Like my vegan lemon cookies and many traditional Greek recipes, paximadia are made with olive oil, giving the cookies a unique and delicious flavour profile.
They last a long time.

What you need to make this recipe

ingredients to make paximadia (Greek biscotti) on a white marble table.

All-purpose flour - I'm using regular all-purpose flour for this. You can use self-rising flour but omit the baking powder.
Sugar - granulated sugar works perfectly for this paximadia recipe.
Olive oil - I'm opting for a "light" olive oil (light in flavour, not calories). Avoid extra virgin olive oil, as it can be intense and overpowering. You can use vegetable oil if you prefer.
Orange juice and orange zest - the orange works beautifully in this recipe, providing a fresh flavour. Suppose you're not a fan of orange, sub with water instead.
Baking soda & baking powder - act as leavening agents.
Ouzo - (optional) - adds a subtle aniseed flavour. Sub with a teaspoon of ground anise (or whole anise seeds) if you don't have ouzo, or leave it out altogether.
Sesame seeds - provide an aromatic, nutty topping and work perfectly with Greek biscotti.
Almonds - I'm using slivered almonds for paximadia - sub with pistachios, pecans or walnuts if you prefer.

Suggested recipe ingredients

Consider adding the following to make these Greek biscotti extra special:

½ cup of dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, plums, figs or apricots.
1 tablespoon of cinnamon for an aromatic hit.
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract - for added flavour. Amy's makes things better!).
½ cup of chocolate chips (because chocolate always makes things better!).

How to make this recipe

The full recipe for paximadia can be found in the recipe card below.

whisking flour with baking powder and soda.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.

whisking the wet ingredients to make Greek biscotti.

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, sugar, ouzo, orange juice and zest.

adding slivered almonds to cookie dough.

Using a spoon, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until you have a soft, pliable dough. Fold the almonds through last.

scoring cookie dough with a sharp knife.

Divide the dough into 3 - then shape each into a flat log. Score the top with a sharp knife and bake for 45 mins.

cutting a baked cookie log with a serrated knife.

Using a serrated knife, cut through the loaf gently (use the pre-scored lines as your guide) to create the paximadia cookies.

Greek biscotti being baked on a parchment lined baking tray.

Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake again in a preheated 140°C (280°F) for 30 mins - turning them over halfway.

Expert tips

If you prefer softer paximadia, bake them for less than the recommended time (try 20 mins instead).
Use fresh orange juice for this recipe - not from a carton.
Use a serrated knife to cut the cookies, and be very gentle, as they can easily crumble and fall apart.
Use a stand mixer to form the dough instead of using your hands.

Storing & freezing

Store the paximadia in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
You can also store any uncooked dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 months if you don't plan to use it immediately. Make sure to form it into a loaf, wrap it with parchment paper (or wax paper), then with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer. Thaw the frozen dough overnight in the fridge, leave it out at room temperature and follow the baking instructions stated in the recipe.

Recipe FAQs

What is paximadia in English?

Paximadi (Greek plural paximadía) means "twice baked" in modern Greek. It originally referred to hard, twice-cooked bread made from wheat flour and water.

How do you pronounce paximadia?

The pronunciation of Paximadia is pa-xee-ma-thee-ah.

a plate of Greek biscotti on an oval plate on a marble table.

Video

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This post was first published in 2009 but was updated with new pictures and information in November 2022.