Whip up two dozen homemade dark chocolate almond biscotti in under an hour and for a fraction of the cost of a couple at Starbucks. Contrary to what you might believe, baking biscotti is a breeze. Just follow the step-by-step instructions, and I'll even share some helpful tips along the way.
These biscotti cookies are not only a treat for yourself but also make a delicious gift for friends, coworkers, or distant family members. Surprise your loved ones with these homemade goodies!
Let's be honest, I make these extra chocolatey biscotti to dip into my morning coffee. I keep them in a cookie jar right next to my coffee pot.
While dark chocolate can be a bit bitter, the drizzle of milk chocolate on top brings just the right amount of sweetness to these little cookies.
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Important Ingredients with Substitutions
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - I love working with the Ghiradelli Dutch process cocoa powder.
- Dark Chocolate Chips - Use your favorite brand for this one, Im sticking with Ghiradelli for this as well.
- Chopped Almonds - I like to start off with raw, unsalted, and unroasted almonds. This gives me all of the control over how they turn out. If you have time, toast them yourself just a bit before.
- Milk Chocolate Chips - Milk chocolate chips are for the drizzle at the end, this would also be tasty with white chocolate.
- Shortening - Shortening will help keep out chocolate drizzle nice and smooth and shiny.
See the recipe below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Instructions for dark chocolate almond biscotti
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.
Step 1: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt your butter. Approx. 30 seconds is all it should take. Then chill it while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Step 2: To a stand mixer bowl add the eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix on low to combine.
Step 3: Placing a sifter over the bowl add in your cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4: Use the paddle attachment to mix on low-medium until well combined. Scraping the edge of the bowl as you need to.
Step 5: Lightly flour your work surface and pour out the biscotti dough. The dough will be very sticky, so you’ll want a bit more than a dusting of flour on your work surface. Work the dough into a ball.
Step 6: Place the ball onto your prepared baking sheet and begin to shape it into a log shape. It shouldn’t be any taller than ¾ inches. Even out the edges so it’s a uniform thickness all the way around.
Step 7: Bake for 25 – 30 minutes as 1 whole log or if you’re preparing 2 smaller loaves you can bake them for 20 - 25 minutes.
Step 8: Allow your biscotti log to cool completely before beginning the next step. Once cooled, use a large kitchen knife to slice straight down at a diagonal creating those signature biscotti cookie shapes, roughly ½ thick.
Step 9: Place the cookies cut side down back onto the baking sheet, and bake once more for 15 – 18 minutes.
Step 10: Prepare the milk chocolate glaze by melting the chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave at 50% power for up to 2 minutes, checking and stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
Step 11: Either drizzle, drip, or dip into the milk chocolate on top.
Step 12: Allow the chocolate to set before serving and storing.
Level Up with a Top Tip!
Hint: If your biscotti dough is sticky and hard to work with, add a bit more flour.
Recipe Variations
- Pistachio Dark Chocolate Biscotti: Swap the almonds for chopped pistachios to add a lovely green color and unique nutty flavor to the biscotti. Pistachios and dark chocolate are a harmonious combination.
- Hazelnut Dark Chocolate Biscotti: Substitute the almonds with chopped hazelnuts for a different nutty flavor profile. Hazelnuts and dark chocolate are a classic combination that will surely be a hit.
- Raspberry Dark Chocolate Almond Biscotti: Swirl in ¼ cup of seedless raspberry jam into the biscotti dough for a burst of fruity sweetness. The raspberry flavor complements the dark chocolate and almonds exceptionally well.
- Espresso Dark Chocolate Biscotti: Dissolve 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder in 1 tablespoon of hot water, and add it to the dough. This will infuse the biscotti with a rich coffee flavor that complements the dark chocolate.
Storage Recommendations
Store cooled biscotti in an airtight container. Storing them in a tin or cookie jar will keep them crunchy and crisp.
Can I freeze baked biscotti? Freeze cooled biscotti in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. This works perfectly if you plan on making these ahead of time.
Level Up With Expert Tips & Tricks
Toast the almonds: Toast the almonds lightly before adding them to the biscotti dough. Toasting enhances their flavor and prevents them from becoming too soft during baking.
Shape the logs properly: Shape the dough into even logs of uniform thickness and width. This will ensure that the biscotti bake evenly and have a consistent texture.
Slice at the right angle: When slicing the logs after the first bake, cut them diagonally with a sharp knife. This will yield longer biscotti with more surface area for the second bake.
I recommend waiting until the biscotti loaf is mostly to completely cool before cutting.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can adjust the crunchiness of the biscotti by varying the second baking time. For a softer texture, reduce the second baking time, and for a crunchier texture, extend the baking time slightly.
Absolutely! Biscotti are traditionally enjoyed by dipping them into hot beverages like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Their firm texture makes them perfect for dipping without falling apart.
Similar Sweets
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Dark Chocolate Almond Biscotti
Equipment
- Silpat with measuring information
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter melted & cooled
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 ¾ cup All-purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Chocolate glaze
- 1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Almond Slivers
- ½ cup Milk Chocolate Chips for drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt your butter. Approx. 30 seconds is all it should take. Then chill it while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- To a stand mixer bowl add the eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix on low to combine.
- Placing a sifter over the bowl add in your cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Use the paddle attachment to mix on low-medium until well combined. Scraping the edge of the bowl as you need to.
- Lightly flour your work surface and pour out the biscotti dough. The dough will be very sticky, so you’ll want a bit more than a dusting of flour on your work surface. Work the dough into a ball.
- Place the ball onto your prepared baking sheet and begin to shape it into a log shape. It shouldn’t be any taller than ¾ inches. Even out the edges so it’s a uniform thickness all the way around.
- Bake for 25 – 30 minutes as 1 whole log or if you’re preparing 2 smaller loaves you can bake them for 20 - 25 minutes.
- Allow your biscotti log to cool completely before beginning the next step. Once cooled, use a large kitchen knife to slice straight down at a diagonal creating those signature biscotti cookie shapes, roughly ½ thick.
- Place the cookies cut side down back onto the baking sheet, and bake once more for 15 – 18 minutes.
- Cool completely before serving, decorating, and storing.
- Prepare the milk chocolate chips by melting them in the microwave at 50% power for up to 2 minutes, checking and stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
- Prepare the milk chocolate chips by melting them in the microwave at 50% power for up to 2 minutes, checking and stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
- Either drizzle, drip, or dip into the milk chocolate on top. Allow the chocolate to set before serving and storing.
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