Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Biscotti

You are going to love this crunchy Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Biscotti. It makes the perfect companion to your holiday hot cocoa!

When it comes to tasty treats around the holidays, biscotti is one of my favorite things to make. They last longer than most Christmas cookies and I also enjoy a good excuse to have cookies with breakfast!

These Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Biscotti are surprisingly simple to make. They do require a little time, but the process is easy to follow. It’s like getting a crunchy version of my favorite chocolate & mint pairing – Peppermint Fudge. Once you try these cookies, you’ll want them all year long!

CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PEPPERMINT BISCOTTI
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I first made these cookies for a cookie swap. I was matched up with three other bloggers, kind of like a secret Santa exchange, but with cookies! We all mailed our cookies to our assigned friends and then we wait for the cookies to start arriving. It is a pretty happy day when you get a dozen cookies in the mail, and the surprise factor is so much fun!

The other bloggers and my family loved the recipe so much I’m sharing it with all of you!

WHAT IS BISCOTTI?

Biscotti originated in Italy and are essentially twice-baked dipping cookies. Though traditional biscotti usually has almonds, it is made from a simple dough that is easy to customize for many occasions- like the holidays!

This Chocolate Chip and Peppermint Biscotti is definitely unlike other Christmas cookies you may be used to. These sweet and crispy treats go along amazingly with a cup of holiday hot cocoa or your favorite latté. I appreciate the subtle sweetness of biscotti cookies mixed with the satisfying snap of each bite. 

Biscotti Ingredients

Peppermint: If you happen to fall in love with this recipe you can keep making it long after the holidays are gone! Peppermint can often be seen as a more seasonal flavor, but these biscotti cookies are equally delicious if you do not add the peppermint extract.

Almonds: Are you a biscotti purist? Feel free to add some almond slivers for added crunch.

Chocolate: I always say, you cannot go wrong with chocolate. I like using semi-sweet or dark chocolate for a rich flavor. You can use whatever chocolate you have on hand though.  White chocolate is another great option if you prefer a sweeter chocolate coating for this biscotti recipe.

HOW TO MAKE BISCOTTI

1. Make sure your oven is preheated to 350 degrees. In your large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. 
2. Add the eggs into your butter and sugar mixture one at a time and then finish by adding the peppermint extract.
3. In a separate medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
4. Add your dry ingredient mix into the wet ingredients until combined and then add in one cup of chocolate chips. Mix them in until evenly distributed. 
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.
6. Divide your dough in half spread it out on your sheet into two long, skinny rectangles approximately 2-inches x 10-inches each. Then bake for 30-35 minutes until your biscotti is golden brown. 
7. Once you remove the cookie sheet from the oven, slide the parchment paper off and onto a cutting board. Slice your biscotti loaves crosswise, starting at one of the shorter ends, to make cookie sticks.
8. Place your biscotti back onto the cookie sheet, cut side down, and bake for another 15 minutes. Then remove them from the oven and let them cool.
9. Melt the remainder of your chocolate chips using a double boiler and dip your cooled biscotti cookie in the melted chocolate about halfway. Place your dipped cookie onto a piece of wax paper (or the cooling rack over a pan) and let it cool until the chocolate has hardened. Then enjoy!

If you want to make your biscotti more festive, add some sprinkles or crushed candy canes onto the melted chocolate before it hardens.

I hope you enjoy making and sharing this biscotti recipe and find some other yummy cookie choices to make this Christmas season too! Get all my favorite holiday cookies here, and be sure to make some sugar cookie icing to decorate!

Why is biscotti so hard?

I wouldn’t say biscotti are hard so much as crunchy and not soft.

Biscotti comes from the Italian “bis” + “cotto” meaning twice cooked. So of course these cookies are going to be more crunch than chewy. But that’s what makes them perfect for dipping in a cup of coffee or tea to soften them up!

Should Biscotti have butter?

Traditional biscotti recipes don’t use butter or oil. The eggs are the binding agent.

Butter also give biscotti a shorter shelf life. (But these cookies never last long at our house anyway!)

I like to use some butter for a slightly softer (still crunchy) cookie.

TRY THESE OTHER HOLIDAY DESSERT RECIPES

• Eggnog Biscotti – If you love eggnog as much as I do, this eggnog biscotti is right up your alley.
• Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti – All of my favorite fall flavors in one delicious biscotti cookie recipe.
• White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge – This fudge is the perfect mix of creamy and minty.
• Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels – Crunchy, delicious, and simple to make.
• Spiked Peppermint Hot Chocolate – This grown-up hot chocolate is a perfect pairing for a holiday biscotti.
• More dessert recipes…

TOOLS TO MAKE THIS CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PEPPERMINT BISCOTTI RECIPE

Baking Sheets: These non-stick baking sheets give all of my cookies that perfect golden brown finish.

Double Boiler: This double boiler perfectly melts chocolate and is easy to clean after.

Parchment Paper: Made transferring these biscotti cookies from the cookie sheet to the cutting board a breeze.

*This post originally posted on 12/11/2013.