Simple Chocolate Espresso Biscotti
This Simple Chocolate Espresso Biscotti is light, crispy, and makes the best milk dunking cookie! This is an easy chocolate biscotti with espresso powder and dark chocolate chips, perfect for beginner bakers. The espresso powder adds a depth of flavor and really brings out the chocolate!
If you love biscotti as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorite biscotti flavors like Chocolate Malt Biscotti, Cranberry Orange Biscotti with Sourdough Discard, Eggless Coconut Chocolate Chip Biscotti, Glazed Oatmeal Raisin Biscotti, Blueberry Muffin Biscotti, Sea Salt Black Cocoa Biscotti, or Kamut Flour Biscotti.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Simple Chocolate Espresso Biscotti
- Ready In: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Makes: 12 biscotti
- Main Ingredients: salted butter, cane sugar, Dutch cocoa powder, chocolate chips
- Flavor Profile: rich chocolate with a hint of espresso
- Dietary Info: no seed oils, gluten free swap available
- Difficulty: Medium
- Why You’ll Love It: marrying deep chocolate and warm espresso flavors in a crisp, dunkable treat
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Rich & Decadent: I love this chocolate biscotti with espresso powder because it's rich and chocolatey. The espresso powder really brings out the chocolate flavor and makes the perfect flavor pairing.
- Easy: This recipe is incredibly easy. It comes together quickly and is a simple recipe you can make for any occasion. This is perfect for beginner bakers.
- Perfect for Dipping: I love dipping this Chocolate Espresso Biscotti in milk, hot chocolate, or coffee! Biscotti makes the perfect dipping cookie for cozy drinks.
This homemade biscotti is rich, chocolatey, and perfectly crisp. If you love dipping cookies in milk, then you'll love this biscotti! This is one of my husband's favorite recipes that I make!
If you like this, chances are you will also love some of my husband's other favorite desserts. So, give them a try for bold chocolate flavor! The Big Chocolate Cookie, Avocado Oil Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Malt Biscotti, Bakery Style Chocolate S’mores Cookies With Fluff, Homemade Chewy Chocolate Caramel Candy, and Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cookies (Homemade Tagalongs) all have the husband approval!
Ingredients
- Butter: I use organic salted butter, but if you want to use unsalted butter you can. Just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe if you're using unsalted.
- Dutch Cocoa Powder: I use organic Dutch cocoa powder which gives a rich, deep chocolate flavor to this biscotti.
- Baking Powder: I use baking powder in this recipe because I have Dutch cocoa powder. For more info on leavening agents, read my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder.
- Espresso Powder: I add organic espresso powder in this biscotti, this is where the espresso flavor comes from. If you don't have this, you can omit it, but that coffee flavor will be gone.
- Chocolate Chips: I use organic dark chocolate chips, you can also use semisweeet chocolate chips or even milk chocolate chunks if you prefer.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Baker's Tips for Simple Chocolate Espresso Biscotti
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- Make sure your butter is soft. I like to leave butter out at room temperature overnight to allow it to soften naturally. If you have to microwave it, be sure to only microwave for 10 seconds per half cup. If you have to do a couple intervals that’s okay, but don’t ever go for longer as you can melt portions of the butter.
- If biscotti seems sticky and it’s sticking to your hands, you can add a bit more flour. This can happen if your eggs are too large. One large egg should weigh about 50 grams, but sometimes they can weigh more, and this can cause cookie dough to be too sticky. So, if you are not weighing eggs, and you notice this happens, don’t be afraid to add a little more flour, start with 28 grams.
- You can use any kind of chocolate you like for this biscotti. I used dark chocolate chips, but you can use semi sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate!
- You can dip the biscotti in melted chocolate as well if you prefer. Just melt chocolate, dip and place back on the parchment paper to set. I recommend using about 6 to 8 ounces of chocolate.
- Be sure to store biscotti in a cool dry place so it will last. Biscotti is crispy, so it shouldn’t be stored in an airtight container or cake dome, because this can make it soggy! I leave biscotti out on the counter on a plate, which is the best way to store it!
- Gluten Free – Replace the all purpose flour with 227 grams (scant 1 ½ cups) gluten free flour blend.
- 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 Simple Chocolate Espresso Biscotti
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
- Add the eggs and mix just slightly, enough to break the yolks.
- In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and sea salt, and whisk together. Add to the butter mixture.
- Mix on low until a stiff dough forms.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix to combine completely.
- 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.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the middle looks set, but not completely done. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, until it's cool enough to slice cleanly.
- Slice into about 10 pieces, separate the slices, and bake again for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. (If baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Recipe FAQ's
Biscotti is baked twice to get its crunchy, crispy texture.
No, while it may seem like you could just use coffee, don't do that. Espresso powder is incredibly flavorful for using just a small amount and it also is a powder, not a liquid. The amount of coffee you'd need for flavor would be just way too much liquid for this recipe. You can always skip the espresso powder, if you don't have it, but the flavor will be just chocolate then. If you have a coffee extract or flavor, you could use that in its place.
Espresso powder adds a coffee flavor to biscotti without adding excess liquid. This is why espresso powder is a great ingredient to bake with as you can infuse desserts with the flavor of espresso, without adding that extra liquid by using real espresso.
This is not strongly coffee flavor, it's much more chocolate with the addition of coffee that really enhances the chocolate!
Yes, feel free to swap the dark chocolate chips for semi-sweet chocolate, milk, or even white chocolate.
Yes, I offer a simple gluten free adjustment in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe! I even link to the flour I used to test this with.
If your biscotti wasn't baked long enough during the first bake or it didn't rest long enough to set, then it can crumble when slicing. All ovens are a bit different, so ensure biscotti looks dry on the edges and set in the middle before removing from the oven from first bake. You can also let it rest longer if it still feels very warm as it needs to cool enough to easily slice.
Let it rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes. But, if your biscotti still feels warm you can let it rest for even longer because if it's very warm in the center, it won't slice cleanly.
If you didn't bake it long enough, it will be soft in the middle. All ovens are a bit different so don't be afraid to bake a few extra minutes if needed!
With chocolate biscotti it's more difficult to tell because you can't look for “golden brown edges”! Look for the edges to by dry and the tops to be cracked and dry. Watch out for burning too as it can be difficult to tell with chocolate cookies like this.
Yes, you can use milk, dark, or semi sweet chocolate. I recommend using about 6 to 8 ounces of chocolate. Just melt in a heatproof bowl, doing 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each one to prevent burning. Then, you can half dip or drizzle the tops with the melted chocolate.
I honestly think it's more work to make store the dough in advance than just making it when you need it. But, if you must, you can make the dough and form it into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then you'll need to let it come to room temperature and then form it into the log and follow the recipe as instructed.
Again, I do think this is more work than just making the dough when you need it as this is quick and easy to mix up. But, if you are going to freeze this, then you'll need to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out and I also like to add it to a freezer safe bag for extra protection in the freezer. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. You'll need to thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours and then let it come to room temperature before forming it into the log and follow the recipe as instructed.
Homemade biscotti is crispy so it needs to be stored in a cool dry place. I like to leave mine out on a plater on the counter for a few days while I enjoy it. Don't store biscotti under a cake dome or in an airtight container as it can become soggy.
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes
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Simple Chocolate Espresso Biscotti
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Stand Mixer
- Half Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper Sheets
Ingredients
- 113 grams salted butter (softened)
- 170 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 212 grams all purpose flour
- 43 grams Dutch cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 198 grams dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract 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.
- In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and sea salt, and whisk together. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low until a stiff dough forms. Add the chocolate chips and mix to combine completely.
- 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.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the middle looks set, but not completely done. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, until it's cool enough to slice cleanly.
- Slice into about 10 pieces, separate the slices, and bake again for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Store in a cool dry place for up to 7 days.
Video
Notes
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- Make sure your butter is soft. I like to leave butter out at room temperature overnight to allow it to soften naturally. If you have to microwave it, be sure to only microwave for 10 seconds per half cup. If you have to do a couple intervals that’s okay, but don’t ever go for longer as you can melt portions of the butter.
- If biscotti seems sticky and it’s sticking to your hands, you can add a bit more flour. This can happen if your eggs are too large. One large egg should weigh about 50 grams, but sometimes they can weigh more, and this can cause cookie dough to be too sticky. So, if you are not weighing eggs, and you notice this happens, don’t be afraid to add a little more flour, start with 28 grams.
- You can use any kind of chocolate you like for this biscotti. I used dark chocolate chips, but you can use semi sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate!
- You can dip the biscotti in melted chocolate as well if you prefer. Just melt chocolate, dip and place back on the parchment paper to set. I recommend using about 6 to 8 ounces of chocolate.
- Be sure to store biscotti in a cool dry place so it will last. Biscotti is crispy, so it shouldn’t be stored in an airtight container or cake dome, because this can make it soggy! I leave biscotti out on the counter on a plate, which is the best way to store it!
- Gluten Free – Replace the all purpose flour with 227 grams (scant 1 ½ cups) gluten free flour blend.
- 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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