Espresso Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe
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An espresso chocolate chip biscotti recipe with espresso powder, coffee extract, and chocolate chips. The best espresso biscotti for dunking in your morning cup of coffee.
Why Make This Espresso Biscotti Recipe?
Biscotti has always been one of my favorite Italian bakery treats. In New York, my go-to spot for biscotti (and tiramisu, and cannoli, and cheesecake, and…) is Veniero’s in the East Village. Whenever I’m downtown I try to stop by for an Italian pastry and a cappuccino.
On days when I don’t have time to make a trip to the bakery, it’s fun to whip up a batch of biscotti at home, and this espresso chocolate chip biscotti recipe is one of my all-time favorites. I love dunking these crunchy cookies in a cup of coffee. They also freeze well and thaw quickly, so they’re great when you need a make-ahead recipe, or a last-minute dessert.
Espresso Chocolate Chip Biscotti Ingredients
To make this espresso chocolate chip biscotti recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour – Or plain flour, in the UK. For British bakers, I recommend McDougall’s in the red-and-white striped bag; the protein content most closely matches most American brands of all-purpose flour.
- Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar adds sweetness and crunch.
- Espresso Powder – I tested this biscotti recipe with Medaglia D’oro espresso powder. I used 1 tablespoon (about 4 grams) but you can add more if you enjoy a very pronounced coffee flavor. If you can’t find espresso powder, you can substitute finely ground instant coffee granules instead.
- Baking Powder – Along with eggs, baking powder gives the biscotti logs their lift.
- Ground Cinnamon – I like to add ground cinnamon to my biscotti. Feel free to omit if you aren’t a fan.
- Kosher Salt – Balances out the sweetness of the sugar and chocolate. I test my recipes with Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- Unsalted Butter – Cold and cubed. You’ll use your hands to add the butter to the dry ingredients via the same “rubbing in” method you’d use for making classic British scones.
- Eggs – You’ll need 3 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus one additional egg white for brushing the biscotti log.
- Coffee Extract – My favorite coffee extracts are Trablit (a high-quality extract favored by many professional pastry chefs) and Nielsen-Massey. Choose a good-tasting extract—it will heavily influence the taste of your finished biscotti. For more on choosing a coffee extract, see my notes below. Save the rest of the bottle to make coffee ice cream.
- Vanilla Extract – Opt for a good-quality vanilla extract, or use vanilla bean paste.
- Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips – You’ll need 165 grams, or about 1 cup, of semi sweet chocolate chips or miniature chocolate chips. You can also use chopped dark chocolate, or dark chocolate chips.
- Demerara Sugar – Demerara sugar (or Turbinado sugar, or Sugar in the Raw) creates the crunchy topping.
How to Make Espresso Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Choosing a Coffee Extract
Trablit is a highly concentrated coffee extract made in France. It’s a nice addition to many recipes, from cookies to whipped cream to buttercream frosting. If you can’t find Trablit, you can opt for another coffee extract (Nielsen-Massey makes a great one) or use vanilla extract instead.
Espresso Biscotti Recipe Tips and Tricks
Choose your slice size. The total number of cookies produced will depend on the size of your slices. The wider the slices, the less cookies this recipe will make.
- Keep the butter cold. Thisrecipe calls for cold, cubed butter, not softened or room temperature. To incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients, you’ll use the “rubbing in” method, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like— rubbing the butter and flour between your fingertips, until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. It’s the same technique I use for scones, shortbread, and shortcrust pastry.
- Dunk in dark chocolate. For an extra-fancy finished product, try dipping half of each biscotti slice in dark chocolate. I think Valrhona Guanaja 70% would work especially well.
- Flour your work surface. Before rolling, flour your countertop to prevent the dough from sticking. The dough will be wet, so keep your hands and your work surface well-dusted as you shape the logs.
Special Tools for Making Biscotti
Although this biscotti recipe doesn’t require much special equipment, you might find the following tools helpful:
- Bench Scraper – You’ll want to have a bench scraper on hand when making this biscotti recipe. A simple plastic bench scraper (the kind you’d use for breadmaking) will help with mixing the dough, as well as with portioning it into logs.
- Pastry Brush – You’ll need a natural-bristled pastry brush to apply the egg wash to the tops of the logs.
- Serrated Knife – Use a serrated knife (bread knife, the kind with a saw-toothed edge) and a gentle sawing motion to cut the partially-baked logs into individual biscotti slices. Do not use a chef’s knife.
- Metal Ruler – For measuring the logs and evenly portioning the biscotti slices.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
These espresso biscotti cookies are best-served within 1-2 days of baking.
Store leftover biscotti in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment, for up to three days.
To freeze: Layer between sheets of parchment and freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature.
Other biscotti recipes you might enjoy:
Pumpkin Spice Biscotti
Rainbow Biscotti
White Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t for get to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Espresso Chocolate Chip Biscotti
- Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield18-20 biscotti 1x
An espresso chocolate chip biscotti recipe with espresso powder, coffee extract, and chocolate chips.
Ingredients
256 grams all purpose flour (2 cups), plus more for dusting countertop
200 grams granulated sugar (1 cup)
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
60 grams unsalted butter, cold and cubed (4 tablespoons; 2 ounces)
150 grams lightly beaten whole egg (about 3 large eggs)*
2 teaspoons good-quality coffee extract, such as Trablit
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
160 grams semi sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips (5 2/3 ounces; about 1 cup)
1 egg white, beaten
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C). Line 2 half sheet rimmed baking trays with parchment or silicone mats.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, granulated sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt.
Add the cubed butter. With your hands, rub together until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, coffee extract, and vanilla extract and use a bench scraper to combine, working the ingredients together until a soft, sticky dough forms.
Work the chocolate chips into the dough.
On a very generously floured countertop or a silicone rolling mat, divide the dough into 2 equal portions.**
Shape each portion into a log, approximately 8 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Arrange logs on 1 prepared tray, allowing 5-6 inches of space in between. With a pastry brush, brush both logs with egg white.
Sprinkle generously with Demerara sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until puffy, well-risen and set. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes on tray.
With a palette knife, lift logs onto a large cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal, creating 1-inch wide slices.
Divide slices between both prepared trays. Arrange slices upright and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until dry to the touch.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Store espresso biscotti in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Notes
*I recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the eggs. Too much egg can make the dough overly wet and sticky.
**Dough will be sticky. Keep your hands and countertop well-floured as you work. If the dough is too sticky to shape into a log, work in some extra flour from the countertop as necessary.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
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