Chocolate Malt Biscotti
This recipe for Chocolate Malt Biscotti uses malted milk powder to create a light and creamy chocolate biscotti that will make you nostalgic for a chocolate malted milkshake! This easy biscotti recipe is a quick bake that you will fall in love with!
If you're looking for more biscotti recipes, check out some of my other favorites like Cranberry Orange Biscotti with Sourdough Discard, Blueberry Muffin Biscotti, Simple Chocolate Espresso Biscotti, or Glazed Oatmeal Raisin Biscotti.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Chocolate Malt Biscotti
- Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Makes: 12 biscotti
- Main Ingredients: salted butter, cane sugar, Dutch cocoa, malt powder
- Flavor Profile: creamy malt plus rich chocolate
- Dietary Info: no seed oils
- Difficulty: Medium
- Why You’ll Love It: crispy malty chocolate biscotti perfect for dipping
Summarize & Save This Content On
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Nostalgic: If chocolate malts were a thing of your childhood, then this Chocolate Malt Biscotti will be incredibly nostalgic for you, just like it is for me!
- Creamy & Chocolate: If you are new to chocolate malt, it brings a creamy flavor to this chocolate biscotti. It almost makes it taste lighter.
- Crispy: This Chocolate Malt Biscotti is perfectly crispy. That makes this perfect for dipping in milk!
- Easy: Quick and easy to make, this biscotti is a fun afternoon bake that gives you fresh cookies in no time at all.
What is malt powder?
Malt powder is a powder that is made from malted grains, usually barley. It's ground into a fine powder so it can be used in everything from milkshakes, ice cream, cookies, cakes, frostings, brownies, and more. It has a unique creamy flavor and pairs well with both chocolate and vanilla.
If you're a fan of chocolate malts, like me, then you will love this biscotti recipe for Chocolate Malt Biscotti! I use malted milk powder in a classic chocolate biscotti which brings creaminess, depth of flavor, and creates a unique chocolate biscotti that is like no other! Dip this biscotti in milk for the ultimate treat.
If you love malt as much as I do, try some of my other favorite recipes with malted milk powder like my Chocolate Chip Cookies With Malt Powder, Homemade Vanilla Malt Pudding, or my Chocolate Malt French Macarons (that are actually gluten free because they don't use malt powder, but they taste just like they do!).
Ingredients
- Butter: I use organic salted butter, but if you want to use unsalted butter that's okay, just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
- Malt Powder: I use King Arthur Malt Powder, while this isn't organic, it's the highest quality malt powder I can find right now.
- Vanilla Bean: I use organic ground vanilla bean. This provides more depth of flavor than just classic vanilla extract. But, if you don't have vanilla bean, you can use vanilla extract in its place.
- Baking Powder: Because this chocolate biscotti uses Dutch cocoa powder, you need baking powder. For more info on leavening agents, be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Baker's Tips
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- I use a stand mixer for ease, but if you just have an electric mixer like a hand mixer, that's okay. You may just need to finish and stir the dough by hand as it is a little stiffer dough compared to some cookie dough.
- Make sure your butter is soft. I like to leave mine out on the counter overnight and let it soften naturally, as I find that makes for the best consistency for soft butter for baking!
- I use organic cane sugar in these biscotti and I use it on top. I love adding sugar on top of biscotti as it gives it a great texture on top that I absolutely love!
- Make sure to use Dutch cocoa powder here, as that's what I prefer to use. Natural cocoa powder will work in this recipe as well, but the flavor won't be the same. Natural cocoa powder isn't as sweet or as dark as Dutch cocoa powder.
- I use a chef's knife for cutting biscotti, so make sure to use a very sharp knife so you get nice clean cuts!
- Make sure to store biscotti in a cool dry place. Storing it in an airtight container can make it soggy, which is not how biscotti should be.
- High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until the middle looks set but not completely done, then remove and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut as instructed and bake again for 15 minutes.
How to Make Chocolate Malt Biscotti
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and 170 grams of cane sugar.
- Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
- Add the eggs and mix just slightly, enough to break the yolks.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, malt powder, baking powder, vanilla bean, and sea salt to the butter mixture.
- Mix on low until combined into a stiff cookie dough.
- Using your hands form a large log out of the cookie dough and flatten slightly so it’s about 1-inch thick, it should be about 13 x 3 inches. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of cane sugar on top of the log.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the middle looks set, but not completely done. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Trim off the edges, then slice into 12 pieces and separate them.
- Bake again for 15 to 20 minutes or until the biscotti is crispy.
- Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
Trouble Shooting & Fixes
- Crumbling when slicing? The log needs to rest until it's cool enough to slice. So, if you find your biscotti is crumbling, just let it rest for another 10 minutes. Also, use a sharp chef's knife, not a serrated knife.
- Too dry or crumbly dough? Your eggs could have been too small, which would be the problem. Add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk as needed.
- Spreading too much? Eggs could be too big! Chill the shaped logs for 15 minutes before the first bake.
- Uneven crunch? Flip slices halfway through the second bake for even crispness.
Chocolate Malt Biscotti FAQ's
Malt powder adds a creamy, toasty, sweet and nutty flavor that really just makes desserts, including biscotti, taste nostalgic!
Malt powder pairs so well with chocolate because it adds a creamy, toasty depth of flavor making the chocolate taste lighter. If you've never experienced this you're in for a real treat as it's one of my top flavor combinations ever!
Malt powder brings a nostalgic flavor to chocolate cookies like this biscotti. It enhances the chocolate flavor with a creamy, toasty, sweet and nutty flavor that really just makes it taste so much better than just plain chocolate biscotti.
No, I have not tested this.
If your eggs are too big this can cause dough to be sticky as there's too much wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Large eggs should weigh 50 grams each, so you'll need 100 grams for this recipe as we're using 2 eggs. You can always weigh them to ensure you get the right amount if your eggs feel too big (or even too small). Crack eggs into a bowl and beat them, then weigh them. If you have extra store in an airtight container in the fridge.
This dough should be stiff. If it's too stiff and crumbly, like you can't form it together, then it could be because eggs are too small. You can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to help fix that. It also could have come from measuring incorrectly (too much flour!). So, always use a digital food scale for the best results.
It's important to let biscotti rest so that you can easily cut it into pieces. If you don't let it rest then it will be very warm dough and you won't be able to cut it cleanly as the dough will just break. So, even if you let it rest for 10 minutes and you cut it and it's not cutting clean, feel free to let it rest for 5 additional minutes. It should cut easily and clean when you slice it up.
Biscotti can crumble when slicing if it's not cool enough yet to cut. If this happens, let it rest for 5 to 10 more minutes. Also, be sure to use a very sharp chef's knife.
Look for a cracked top and dry edges, especially on the open cut sides of the biscotti. It can be more challenging with a dark biscotti like this, but look for textural signs that it's not (cracked, dry edges) instead of color.
This can happen if the biscotti is not baked long enough. The first bake is essential to bake almost all the way. You want to ensure your biscott is almost baked all the way before removing. If it still looks underdone, you can leave it 5 more minutes. All ovens are a bit different, so, just work with yours! You can also add additional bake time to the second bake as well until they are crispy to your liking.
Biscotti is crispy, so it needs to be stored in a cool, dry place. I just leave my biscotti out on the counter at room temperature as I live in a very dry climate and it's perfect for days. Do not store biscotti under a cake dome or in a tupperware as it will make it soggy. If you live in a very humid climate, the fridge or freezer is your best bet for biscotti!
Biscotti will last for up a week when stored in a cool, dry place. You can also freeze it in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
More Chocolate Cookies
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Chocolate Malt Biscotti
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Stand Mixer
- Half Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper Sheets
Ingredients
Dough
- 113 grams salted butter (softened)
- 170 grams cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 212 grams all purpose flour
- 28 grams Dutch cocoa powder (sifted)
- 28 grams King Arthur Malted Milk Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Topping
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, 170 grams of cane sugar, and mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter. Add the eggs and mix just slightly, enough to break the yolks.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, malt powder, baking powder, vanilla bean, and sea salt to the butter mixture. Mix on low until a stiff dough forms.
- Using your hands form a large log out of the cookie dough and flatten slightly so it’s about 1-inch thick, it should be about 13 x 3 inches. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of cane sugar on top of the log.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the middle looks set, but not completely done.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Trim off the edges, then slice into 12 pieces and separate them.
- Bake again for 15 to 20 minutes or until the biscotti is crispy. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
- Store in a cool dry place for up to 7 days.
Notes
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- I use a stand mixer for ease, but if you just have an electric mixer like a hand mixer, that's okay. You may just need to finish and stir the dough by hand as it is a little stiffer dough compared to some cookie dough.
- Make sure your butter is soft. I like to leave mine out on the counter overnight and let it soften naturally, as I find that makes for the best consistency for soft butter for baking!
- I use organic cane sugar in these biscotti and I use it on top. I love adding sugar on top of biscotti as it gives it a great texture on top that I absolutely love!
- Make sure to use Dutch cocoa powder here, as that's what I prefer to use. Natural cocoa powder will work in this recipe as well, but the flavor won't be the same. Natural cocoa powder isn't as sweet or as dark as Dutch cocoa powder.
- I use a chef's knife for cutting biscotti, so make sure to use a very sharp knife so you get nice clean cuts!
- Make sure to store biscotti in a cool dry place. Storing it in an airtight container can make it soggy, which is not how biscotti should be.
- High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until the middle looks set but not completely done, then remove and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut as instructed and bake again for 15 minutes.
Nutrition
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This biscotti is like a chocolate malt milkshake in cookie form! We are obsessed with these in our house!