These almond chocolate biscotti are easy and fun to make. Drizzle them with chocolate for a sweeter cookie, or keep them plain for dunking in your coffee.
Ever had a week where, by Monday afternoon, you were just DONE?
When I have one of those weeks, I try to divert my attention, throw myself into a project (usually this blog), and focus REAL hard. That's what helps me power through the week.
Of course, usually this means toast for dinner and dishes that don't get done for a while, but hey. We do what we can to survive.
Another thing that I find helps is to stop and take a coffee break. Few things comfort me more than a cup of coffee with something a little sweet on the side. I love biscotti for this.
Almond chocolate biscotti are a small indulgence that doesn't feel over-the-top, but is just enough to sweeten your day a little.
I've made a lot of biscotti over the years, as I used to make them for a friend's café. But before I made them at home, I will admit that they were not my favorite cookie.
Really, I had a hard time even thinking of them as cookies, since the ones I'd had were always rock hard and pretty bland.
These homemade almond chocolate biscotti are worlds apart from what you find in your average coffee shop. You can make them as tender or crunchy as you like just by varying the baking time.
Use any nut, dried fruit, chocolate, even granola, that you have in your pantry. In an airtight container at room temperature, they will keep for weeks. Weeks.
You can even forget them in the oven for a while and they will still be edible. They are the most easy-going cookie I can think of.
Bring these almond chocolate biscotti to the office and you'll be a hero to even your most diet-conscious colleagues that usually don't touch anything you bring in ;).
Or wrap them up in cellophane bags and give them as gifts. (If you're looking specifically for a holiday food gift, the warm flavors in these fig and walnut biscotti are super festive and delicious).
Enjoy! xx
Almond Chocolate Biscotti
Ingredients
- 3 ounces (or 6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ⅞ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules
- ¼ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup toasted almonds, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and baking powder on medium high speed until pale and smooth, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue beating on medium-high speed until combined, another 3-4 minutes.
- Add flour, espresso powder and cocoa powder and mix on low speed until just combined. Add almonds and mix for another 30 seconds.
- Using a bowl scraper or silicone spatula, transfer the dough to a large baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. For large biscotti, shape dough into one log, about 9 x 4 inches (it should be about ¾ inch thick). For smaller biscotti, shape into two logs, about 9 x 2 inches. Set the logs at least 2 inches apart because they will spread while baking.
- Bake biscotti in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes. Spritz log(s) generously with water and let sit again for 5 minutes. This helps to soften the cookie just enough to make slicing much easier.
- Remove the log(s) to a countertop and slice (diagonally if you wish) with a serrated bread knife. A straight down motion rather than sawing works best. Place the cookies back on the baking sheet and bake for another 20-25 minutes (smaller cookies will need a little less time).
Blitzo
Another great recipe! Perfectly yummy Thanks Ann!!!!
Ann
Yay thank you so much for reporting back, I'm so glad you enjoyed them!! 🙂