These crispy, decadent chocolate biscotti cookies are made with milk chocolate chunks and toasted hazelnuts. They’re the perfect cookie for dunking in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate!
Biscotti are classic Italian cookies that are twice-baked to be extra crunchy. They are perfect for dunking, with their oblong shape and delicious, chocolate flavor. While almond biscotti is the more traditional biscotti flavor, it was my not-so-secret love of chocolate that had me tweaking the recipe to make a chocolate variation.
How to make chocolate biscotti
- Toast the hazelnuts. Place hazelnuts in a sheet pan and bake for about 8 minutes in a 350°F/185°C oven, tossing halfway through baking. Allow them to cool completely, then pulse them just a few times in a food processor so they are rough chopped. You can also use a large knife to rough chop them on a cutting board.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. This includes the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Throw in the dried cranberries and combine.
- Whip the eggs. Whisk the eggs on high speed until light and pale in color, about 2 minutes.
- Add sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low, and slowly add sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients. With the mixer continuing on low speed, pour in the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing completely after the first addition before adding the second. The mixture will start to form a dough.
- Fold in the milk chocolate chips and hazelnuts. I prefer using a rubber spatula to do this to mix the dough as little as possible.
- Shape your dough. Form your dough into two 14×2.5-inch rectangles. I like to do this by forming the dough into a ball first and then splitting it in half on a floured surface so they are equal in size. Roll each half into a rectangle and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- First bake. Bake the dough for about 25 minutes until the dough is firm and the tops appear cracked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Slice into cookies. Use a serrated knife to slice the dough into slices, about ½-inch thick. Place on the same baking sheet cut side up.
- Second bake. Bake the cookies again for about 15 minutes until they are completely dry. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Optional: Make a batch of chocolate ganache and dip half of each biscotti cookie in it for added chocolaty goodness. Place in the fridge until the chocolate is completely set.
Tips for making perfect biscotti cookies
-Toast the hazelnuts for the best flavor. I highly recommend not skipping this step. Toasted hazelnuts have a stronger flavor and will enhance the flavors of the entire cookie. Just allow them to cool completely before chopping and adding to your cookie dough.
-Wet your hands a bit if necessary when rolling the dough. If your floured surface makes it a bit difficult to form the dough into 2 rectangles, wet your hands slightly to help shape it.
-The longer the chocolate biscotti stay in the oven, the crisper they become, so if you like them softer, you can remove them a bit sooner from the oven (try after 10 minutes).
Do I need to bake the cookies twice?
Baking the cookies twice is what makes them extra crispy and gives biscotti their unique and delicious texture.
Can I use other add-ins?
Sure! I love using milk chocolate and hazelnuts, but feel free to mix it up. You can also use dark or white chocolate chips, other types of nuts, or even dried fruits – dried cherries and dried raspberries or strawberries taste amazing!
Three of my other favorite biscotti cookies
- Almond Biscotti: Classic biscotti with delicious almond flavor.
- Cranberry Orange Biscotti with White Chocolate: The perfect flavor combo.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Biscotti: Anything but traditional, these biscotti taste amazing!
Chocolate Biscotti
Loaded with chocolate and hazelnuts, these chocoalte biscotti are a decadent treat you're going to love!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (130g) dark or milk chocolate chips
- ¾ cup (75g) slightly toasted hazelnuts
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs on high speed until light and pale in color, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and slowly add sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract. Continue mixing just until all ingredients are combined. On low speed, add flour mixture in 2 additions and mix just until combined and a dough starts to form. Fold in chocolate chips and toasted hazelnuts (see post for directions on how to toast hazelnuts).
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On a lightly floured surface, with slightly wet hands, form dough into a ball. Divide into 2 equal pieces. Shape each half into a 14×2.5-inch rectangle and place them on the baking sheet, spacing them 4 inches apart. Bake for 25 minutes or until slightly risen, firm to the touch, and the top begins to crack. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into ½-inch slices. Return slices cut-side up to the pan in a single layer. Place pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until crisp. The longer they stay in the oven, the harder they become. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
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Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They can be frozen for up to 2 months and thawed overnight in the fridge or for two hours at room temperature.
