Delicious and Easy Biscotti with Chocolate Chips (Simple Recipe) are simple to make at home. Crispy and crunchy, pair these delightful biscotti with a hot cup of coffee or tea for a perfect mid-day treat.
Why you'll love biscotti with chocolate chips:
- Nonna's (mom's) biscotti recipe: This must be the number 1 reason you'll just fall in love with these biscotti! My mom is quite the biscotti baker, and I'll tell you more about it later on in this post.
- Crunchy texture: The biscotti cookies have a crunchy texture that makes them just what you need to dunk into a cup of coffee or tea.
- Versatile: This dough recipe is very versatile. You could add dried cranberries, dried apricots, or even some chocolate chips.
- Easy for beginners: Whether you're a beginning baker or an expert cookie maker, you should try this recipe! The recipe isn't difficult to follow and could be made with pantry ingredients.
- Stores great: You could store the biscotti for up to 2-3 weeks, which makes it the perfect treat to have on hand during the holidays, or for when you need a not too sweet treat.
When it is holiday time, I love to get out my beloved cookie recipes and even try a new recipe! The kids really get into Christmas cookie baking and the biscotti are baked on rotation for weeks! These Biscotti with Chocolate Chips are one of our all-time favorites and you must add them to your Christmas cookie tray.
If you are following along you may have noticed I did say this is nonna's (AKA my mom's) recipe. My mom is an incredible biscotti baker...the kids call her the biscotti QUEEN! She's been baking biscotti since I was a kid every Christmas. There probably wasn't a time of year where there weren't some incredible biscotti on the counter in the cookie jar!
I started to delve into biscotti baking when my kids were little. She wasn't too excited to share her recipes, and also there wasn't a point for me to bake them, when she made them all the time! It is such a treasure to have another one of her biscotti recipes here to share with all of you. Thank you, mom!
I highly recommend baking extra of these biscotti...they are so irresistible! Trust me when I tell you that you will find a reason to have one with an espresso, like I do!
What ingredients are in this biscotti recipe?
Full printable recipe is below:
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and flavor to the biscotti dough.
- Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and helps with browning and texture.
- Sea salt: Just a small amount balances out the sweetness in the dough.
- Baking powder: Helps the cookies rise and creates a light, airy texture, yet crispy.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a touch of vanilla flavor to the biscotti dough. You could also use vanilla paste, if you have some on hand.
- Eggs: Act as the binding agent for the dough.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and texture to the biscotti.
- Chocolate chips: Adds bursts of delicious dark chocolate in each bite of biscotti. You could use semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate.
How to make chocolate chip biscotti?
(Full printable recipe card with full instructions are below)
First step is to gather all your ingredients.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and spray with baking spray (you could do them on one sheet, but I like to use two sheets).
Step 2: In a large bowl with an electric mixer (or do the dough by hand), beat the butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Beat in the eggs one at a time, or 2 to 3 minutes, until thick and pale.
Step 4: Add the flour in stirring until combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of bottom of bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips. It will form a sticky dough. Leave the dough to rest in the bowl for a few minutes.
Step 5: Scrape out the dough with a rubber spatula onto a lined cookie sheet (I used a sheet for each log) and divide the dough in half.
Step 6: Spray hands with cooking spray or slightly wet them with water; form each piece of dough into a 2 1/2-inch-wide log. IF you're baking on one baking sheet, keep space between the two logs. Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, about 25 minutes.
To shape the log, it takes a little bit of practice and it is a sticky dough.
With a sharp knife, start to score the baking logs from one end to the other. Do not slice all the way through.
These are the scored logs before baking. Nonna's (aka, my mom's)scoring tip does help to slice them into pieces.
Step 7: Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack and let logs cool 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
Step 8: Transfer the loaf carefully to a cutting board. Using a long serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place slices, cut side up, on sheet.
Step 9: Place slices, cut side up, on sheet. Bake 7 minutes, flip biscotti, and bake 7 minutes more, until golden brown.
Expert tips for biscotti recipe:
- Don't over-bake your biscotti, as they can quickly become too hard and difficult to eat. Try to keep a good eye on them during the second baking time and do set a timer for the oven. Take them out of the oven when the timer goes off and check they are golden brown.
- Best way to easily slice your biscotti without them crumbling, use a sharp serrated knife and cut in a back and forth motion. Sometimes I use a very sharp chef's knife that isn't serrated, and have no crumbling. Just try and see what works best to cut them.
- Shaping the logs can be tricky, as it is a very sticky dough. Wet your hands with a bit of water to shape them into the logs.
- You could add vanilla or almond extract to the dough.
- Biscotti are great for gift giving, so why not package them in a baggie tied with ribbon for holidays or a special occasions.
- To prevent your biscotti from becoming stale, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Consider adding in different types of nuts to the biscotti dough, like almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts. They add an extra crunch and flavor to the cookies.
- Have fun with decorating your biscotti by drizzling them with melted chocolate or sprinkling them with powdered sugar. This adds a beautiful touch and can also be a fun activity to do with kids.
- To give your biscotti an extra glossy finish and sheen, brush them with beaten egg before baking.
- Be creative with different flavor combinations in your biscotti. You could use dried fruit and different spices.
- Biscotti making does take longer than making a regular cookie, but enjoy the baking process. They are absolutely worth the effort!
Variations
- Candy: any type of chocolate chips or crushed toffee
- Dried fruits and zest: raisins, citron or any dried fruit, orange or lemon zest
- Extracts: almond, lemon, orange, or vanilla
- Nuts: walnuts, sliced or chopped almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts
- Spices: cinnamon, pumpkin or apple pie spice
What to serve with biscotti?
There are different way to serve biscotti, but most importantly, let's go over how to enjoy them!
- Dunked in coffee or tea: The traditional way to enjoy biscotti is by dunking them into a warm beverage. The crunchy texture holds up well when soaked in coffee or tea, making it the perfect pairing. They also are enjoyed with a sweet wine like Marsala or Vin Santo.
- Served with ice cream: You could eat them on the side with your favorite bowl of ice-cream or crumble them as a gelato topping.
- Used as a crust: Crush up your biscotti and they could be used as a base for cheesecake or even pies, which adds a delicious homemade element to your favorite desserts.
- Dipped in chocolate: Dipping the biscotti in a very good quality melted chocolate makes for quite a decadent treat! It truly takes your biscotti the another level of deliciousness!
FAQ's
You could use butter or oil to make biscotti, and it's really up to your preference. Keep in mind butter makes biscotti dough richer and the oil makes the biscotti more mild flavored.
Biscotti originate in the region of Emilia-Romagna and Cantucci originate in Tuscany. Cantucci are typically made with almonds, while Biscotti could be made with different type sof nuts, chocolate, and even dried fruits.
Italians like to dunk biscotti in their cappuccino or in a sweet wine, like Marsala or Vin Santo. They drink Marsala or Vin Santo after a meal and the biscotti can be dipped right in the glass!
Biscotti are meant to baked up hard. Their name actually means "twice cooked". Having them bake up so dry means they should last longer, as that's how they were intended to be...long lasting.
Yes, you can! To make small biscotti, divide the dough into 4 logs instead of two. Adjust the baking time, as the smaller logs will bake up faster than the larger ones. Check them at 15 minutes.
Yes, you sure can! Just sub out the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free 1-1 baking flour. I do like King Arthur's or Bob's Red Mill.
Biscotti is an Italian word that means "twice cooked" or in this cake, "twice baked". Italian biscotti baking method involves a double-baking process. The first step, to bake the whole logs. Then they are sliced, and the slices are baked. Baking them twice gives them they really crunchy texture.
How to store biscotti?
Since biscotti bake up to be so dry, they do store very well. Let the biscotti come completely to room temperature, and store them in a an airtight container. They should keep fresh for 1-2 weeks in the container.
Can I freeze easy chocolate chip biscotti?
Yes, they do freeze very nicely. As soon as they've have cooled down, store them in a large zipped lock freezer bag. They can be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer safe airtight container.
To enjoy, simply leave them out on the counter the night before to defrost. Freezes for up to 2-3 months (just don't forget to date your bag or container).
Some other biscotti recipes to enjoy:
- Hazelnut and Dried Cherry Biscotti
- Banana Bread Biscotti
- Cranberry Almond Biscotti
- Fig and Walnut Biscotti
- Easy Lemon Biscotti Recipe
Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)
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Easy Biscotti with Chocolate Chips (Simple Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or semisweet (you could use regular size, or mini)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and spray with baking spray (you could do them on one sheet, but I like to use two sheets).
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer (or do the dough by hand), beat the butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, or 2 to 3 minutes, until thick and pale.
- Add the flour in stirring until combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of bottom of bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips. It will form a sticky dough. Leave the dough to rest in the bowl for a few minutes.
- Scrape out the dough with a rubber spatula onto a lined cookie sheet (I used a sheet for each log) and divide the dough in half. It is a sticky dough.
- Spray hands with cooking spray or slightly wet them with water; form each piece of dough into a 2 1/2-inch-wide log. You are working with a sticky dough. IF you're baking on one baking sheet, keep space between the two logs, as they do expand a little while baking.
- With a sharp knife, start to score the baking logs from one end to the other. Do not slice all the way through. You could skip the scoring part. It just does help to slice them after that first bake.
- Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, about 25 minutes.
- Transfer sheet to a wire rack and let logs cool 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
- Transfer the first loaf carefully to a cutting board. Using a long serrated or very sharp knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place slices, cut side up, on sheet. Repeat with the second log.
- Place slices, cut side up, on sheet. Bake 7 minutes, flip biscotti, and bake 7 minutes more, until golden brown.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
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