December 10, 2022

Double Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti

Chocolatey, crunchy and with a hint of peppermint, this double chocolate peppermint biscotti is perfect for dunking in your favorite hot drink. Whether you enjoy your biscotti with coffee, tea or hot chocolate, this biscotti will remind you of a warm mug of peppermint hot chocolate, but in cookie form!

School is over for the semester and Christmas break has officially begun. And for me, this means lots and lots of baking and taste-testing new recipes! While I’ve had many kitchen fails, my most recent success has been this double chocolate peppermint biscotti. No, the word success doesn’t even do these cookies justice. More like amazing, crazy delicious, or maybe exquisitely flavorful… Dark chocolate and peppermint is by far the best holiday flavor combo out there. Yes, gingerbread and cranberry do their part in the holiday festivities, but chocolate will always steal the show for me. Add a little peppermint and you’ve got a perfect match.

So, you hopefully get the flavor gist, but you might still be wondering: what exactly is biscotti? Biscotti is a crunchy, dense cookie that has a “stick-like” shape and is often served with coffee. Although traditional biscotti recipes are especially hard and crunchy due to a lack of fat, the addition of butter in this recipe still leaves this cookie crunchy, but with a slight, melt-in-your-mouth softness. When dipped in a hot drink, the biscotti softens and becomes the perfect texture.

Ingredients

Take a look at the ingredients you need to make this double chocolate peppermint biscotti below:

All-Purpose Flour~ Use regular white flour for this recipe to achieve the correct texture. No whole wheat flour today!

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder~ Regular or dutch-processed cocoa powder both work. I use and highly recommend Lidl grocery store brand cocoa powder. Not a sponsored post, just a genuine love for Lidl’s cocoa powder because it has such a dark, rich chocolate flavor!

Baking Powder, Salt and Instant Coffee Granules~ In order for the biscotti loaf to rise and have flavor, baking powder and salt is required. For a deeper chocolate flavor, you can add instant coffee granules or espresso powder, although you can omit if you don’t have it on hand.

White Granulated Sugar~ For this recipe, just use regular old white sugar. Because this recipe is a bit more precise, do not substitute a liquid sweetener for the sugar.

Unsalted Softened Butter~ Before beginning the recipe, make sure to bring your butter to room temperature so that it easily creams with the sugar. Although I haven’t personally tested it, I believe plant based butter sticks might work if you need a dairy-free option.

Eggs~ Eggs bind all the ingredients together to form a soft dough. I wouldn’t recommend using egg substitutions in this recipe.

Pure Peppermint Extract~ Be sure to use peppermint extract labled as pure, not an imitation flavoring. Also, avoid using mint extract, which is different from peppermint extract. It is better suited for savory recipes, rather than baked goods.

Chocolate Chips~ Feel free to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips. Although I used regular size chips, I would think that mini chips would be a better size for biscotti. Just use whatever you have on hand.

The Dance

To start making the biscotti, whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Then, in a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in color.

Beat in the eggs one at a time and then add the peppermint extract. Using a fine mesh strainer, sift your flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture and beat on low speed until the dough is just barely combined. Add the chocolate chips and use a wooden spoon or spatula to finish incorporating the dough. The dough will be very sticky.

On a large baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, separate the dough roughly in half and place in two piles. Generously sprinkle each mound of dough with flour and, using your hands, shape each into a long, thick rectangle. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Use a bit more flour if things start to get a bit sticky.

Bake the loaves for 25 minutes before removing from the oven and allowing the loaves to cool for 5 min. After they cool a few minutes, slice the loafs at a diagonal slant in about 1 inch thick pieces. Spread the slices out on the pan and place back in the oven. Bake 5 minutes, then flip the slices before baking for another 5 minutes. Allow the biscotti to cool completely before enjoying. You can even dip the ends in melted chocolate and roll in crushed candy canes for extra flair!

Served with your favorite hot drink, this double chocolate peppermint biscotti will be the star of your Christmas morning breakfast….or really any morning for that matter. Because candy canes and chocolate shouldn’t be limited to one month out of the year. You just might catch me whipping up a batch in July, and I won’t be ashamed to admit it! Whenever and however you choose to enjoy this sweet treat, I know that you will quickly fall in love like I have. Happy Holidays!