Crunchy, nutty and chocolatey goodness all wrapped up into one delicious cookie! This chocolate hazelnut biscotti has a cocoa powder base filled with semisweet chocolate chips, toasted hazelnuts and finished off with a drizzle of hazelnut chocolate spread for an extra special touch.
Can I be honest for a second? I created and shot this recipe MONTHS ago! Originally I had planned to share it way back then also, but time got the better of me… And now here we are, in the middle of a global pandemic and I’m trying to catch up on many blogging things I’ve had on the back-burner for a while. C’est la vie!
Now, let’s get into these chocolate hazelnut biscotti, shall we?
What are biscotti?
Biscotti are an Italian biscuit or cookie that are twice-baked and usually come in an oblong type of shape. The texture of biscotti are crunchy and typically a bit dry. They go great when dunked into a warm beverage, such as coffee or hot cocoa.
For my version of a biscotti I wanted something that retained that classic crunch but didn’t end up being overly dry or hard. I incorporated butter into my recipe to achieve the perfect texture. Even though the addition of fats other than eggs are not typically included in super traditional biscotti recipes.
How to make biscotti
MIXING
These chocolate hazelnut biscotti start off a lot like regular drop style cookies. First, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. After that, mix in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract.
In a separately bowl mix together the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. You may need to sift in your cocoa powder since it can tend to be lumpy. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just barely combined. Lastly, toss in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts.
Here’s where things differ from a regular drop cookie:
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Pat each portion into a 10×3″ shaped rectangle and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with second half of dough.
BAKING
Bake both shaped logs of dough for about 25-30 minutes at 350°F. The dough should have risen some and the tops will start to crack in a few places. The edges should also look set.
After this first bake, allow the logs to cool for roughly 20-30 minutes. The dough should be cool enough to handle but may still be warm to the touch. Use a long serrated knife to cut slices on a diagonal, about 1/2 – 3/4 inch wide.
Places the slices back onto the same parchment lined baking sheet, cut side up. They can be placed closely together since the cookies will not rise or spread any further. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F and bake the cut cookies for an additional 10-15 minutes per side. Each side should feel mostly dry when touched.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Allow the cookies to cool completely. Mix up the hazelnut chocolate topping until it is smooth and at a flowing consistency. Drizzle spread over the top or sides of biscotti.
Put the decorated biscotti onto wax or parchment paper and leave to set up in the fridge for at about 30 minutes.
Biscotti are super fun to make and very easily customizable! You can add all types of baking chips, nuts, or dried fruit to change up the flavors.
If you make these make sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram!
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Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 1 hour, divided
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: about 30–40 biscotti 1x
Description
A chocolatey, nutty, and crunchy biscotti recipe. Cocoa powder cookie base filled with semisweet chocolate chips, toasted hazelnuts and drizzled with more hazelnut chocolate spread!
Ingredients
Biscotti
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
Drizzle
- 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tbsp nutella or hazelnut spread
- 2–3 tsp whole milk
Instructions
Biscotti
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, with the mixer on low speed, and beat until just combined. Beat in the chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half and roll each half into a log. Gently pat each log into a 10×3 inch rectangle. Place each log onto prepared baking sheet, 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 25-30 min, until the tops of the logs are slightly cracked and the edges are set. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Place cooled logs onto a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to gently cut 1/2 – 3/4 inch wide diagonal slices. Place slices cut side down back onto lined baking sheet. They can be placed close together since they will no longer rise.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the center of the biscotti starts to feel a bit dry. Turn slices over and bake a further 10-15 minutes. The biscotti should be mostly dry by this point, with the center still slightly soft. The cookies will set up further while cooling. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Drizzle
- Mix together the confectioner’s sugar, nutella, and milk with a spoon until smooth. Add more confectioner’s sugar and/or milk as needed to reach a flowing consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the top or sides of each biscotti. Allow to set up for 30 minutes before handling.
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