Home » Recipe Type » Desserts » Cookies » David Lebovitz’ Chocolate Biscotti — Great Recipe
4.6 from 5 reviews
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Several months ago a dear friend casually mentioned in an email her disappointment with a batch of chocolate biscotti she had just baked. I have been obsessed with finding a good chocolate biscotti recipe ever since, testing recipes, fiddling with proportions, and generally just eating and eating and eating some more. I think I have started each morning for the past two months with a chocolate biscotti. None, however, was particularly satisfying until I discovered David Lebovitz’ recipe.
I held out on making this recipe for so long because I didn’t think a biscotti recipe without butter would be good. Boy was I wrong. These are divine. Perfectly sweet. Not too hard. Crumbly. Soft. Not too soft. Loaded with chocolate andstudded with almonds. A perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee. I am convinced there is no better way to start the morning (and mid-morning and afternoon and early evening, etc.).
For those biscotti-making novices out there, there is nothing tricky about baking cookies twice.I basically followed Lebovitz’ instructions to a tee: baked the logs first for 25 minutes at 350ºF; let them rest for 15 minutes; sliced them up and baked them for 15 minutes more, which was a little bit less than recommended but a perfect length to achieve the texure I like. Yum yum yum.
I also can’t emphasize enough how easy baking becomes when you introduce a digital scale to your arsenal of kitchen tools. I tend to measure in ounces but Lebovitz’ recipe was in grams, which seem to be more precise. This recipe is a winner. Make these biscotti. They’re a real treat.
And if you’re not so much a chocolate fan, try these almond biscotti — it’s another great recipe.
Chocolate Biscotti
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.6 from 5 reviews
- Yield: 20 biscotti (appx)
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Description
Source: Adapted fromDavid LebovitzFor notes regarding cocoa and other matters, check out his post. I do think using good cocoa makes a difference. I had good results with Ghirardelli.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280g) flour
- 3/4 cups (75g) top-quality cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 3 large eggs*
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 cup (125g) almonds, toasted and very coarsely-chopped
- 3/4 cups (120g) chocolate chips
Notes:
*Twice now I’ve had to whisk up another egg and add it to the batter at the end to help the batter bind together. So, if your batter doesn’t seem to be forming a mass, beat up an extra egg and mix it in. That should help. Next time I think I’ll just add 4 eggs.
** I chose not to glaze/eggwash my biscotti. I feel a glaze in unnecessary with chocolate biscotti. If you wish to glaze, however, refer to David Lebovitz’ post.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat together the 3 eggs, sugar, and vanilla & almond extracts. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, then mix in the nuts and the chocolate chips until the dough holds together.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough in half. Form each half into a log. Transfer the logs onto the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the dough feels firm to the touch.
- Remove pan from the oven and cool 15 minutes. On a cutting board, use a serrated (or not … I’ve used both types) knife to diagonally cut the cookies into 1/2-inches slices. Lay the cookies cut side down on baking sheets and return to the oven for 15 minutes*, turning the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies feel mostly firm.
Notes
* Lebovitz bakes his for 20 to 30 minutes during the second baking. I like my biscotti not too crisp and have found good results with just 15 minutes of baking second time around. Also, really make sure your oven is at 350º or less — the chocolate will burn if your oven is hotter.
**Once baked, cool the cookies completely then store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If you wish, the cookies can be half-dipped in melted chocolate, then cooled until the chocolate hardens.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes) —Reply
These look mouth-watering!! *drool*
Eliana —Reply
These biscotti look like heaven girl!!! And you’re so right about a scale. I can’t live without mine.
Anna —Reply
Great biscotti recipe. I did end up using 4 eggs as well as adding a little water as I had no more eggs.
Will be making again. Thanks !!alexandra —Reply
Great to hear, Anna!
Allison —Reply
I found your site through a link on another blog the other day. Ironically, I have been searching for a chocolate biscotti recipe for the past few weeks. Jackpot 🙂
Sharon —Reply
I love chocolate biscotti! I make a hazelnut chocolate biscotti that’s fairly simple and very yummy. But this sounds delish! Thank you for posting this.
kristen —Reply
these are DELICIOUS!!! thanks for the recipe. I made them today & I just cut them up & put them back in the oven for partII… I wanted to just eat them up right then & there. so good. the almond extract makes them extra delicious – and it’s not overpowering at all, but the perfect flavor!!
PS I was 1/2 way done making these & realized I was all out of almonds. so I used 1 C chocolate chips & 3/4 C craisins.
alexandracooks —Reply
Kristen – chocolate chips and raisins sound amazing! So glad you liked the recipe. I just made some gingerbread biscotti, too, that were fantastic. I’ll have to report back on those soon! Happy New Year!
Linda —Reply
Hello!
I have your biscotti recipe in the oven as we speak. I have made biscotti before and my concern is the batter is more like a cake batter. Difficult to form into logs. I used an additional egg too. Please advise. Thanks!alexandra —Reply
Hi Linda,
So sorry for the delay here! How did they turn out? I have to admit, I haven’t made these in ages, but I remember the dough being tricky to work with but forgiving in the end. It sounds as though the dough is too wet? Were you using a scale or measuring cups to measure? I know at different times of year, flour absorbs moisture differently, so it’s possible that due to the weather, the flour was hydrating better — next time, I might just add a bit more flour or even chill the dough before I try to shape it into logs. Hope that helps!
Ali
kristen —Reply
(ps I found this recipe on pinterest)
Sarah at Buttered-Up.com —Reply
There’s biscotti craze in our family these days and this looks like it would fit right in. Love that you didn’t add a glaze and the rich color you got. Butter is definitely the way to go!
Aurelia —Reply
They look sooo delicious. Mouth-watering like wooow!
alexandracooks —Reply
Aurelia — they are so good! It has been ages since I’ve made them, but you are reminding me of their goodness. I need to make a batch soon.
Andy Simpson —Reply
Making this now. Four eggs from the get go. Have no almonds. No worries. Tossed in about a third of a cup of dried cranberries. As George Carlin used to say, “Take a chance!” Dough is made and two rolls are in the convection oven now.
alexandracooks —Reply
Oh my gosh, fun! I hope they turn out well for you! Love the idea of dried cranberries. Love the George Carlin quote. Haven’t made these in ages, but think I might need to now. Happy Holidays!
Nicole —Reply
Just tried these, such a great chocolate flavor! I had a whole bunch of shelled pistachios left over from another recipe, so I used those instead of almonds and I am really happy with how they came out
*the dough seemed dry, so I added the 4th egg and then it seemed too wet… idk, maybe I will just add a yolk next time. good suggestion though!
alexandra —Reply
Yum! I love the idea of pistachios. I haven’t made these in ages, so I’m sort of blanking on the texture of the dough, but I like your thinking. Thanks so much for writing in!
Laurie —Reply
Best biscotti I ever made! I didn’t have almonds, I added 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract and then dipped them in bittersweet chocolate and crushed peppermint on one end….omg….Smashing peppermint sticks is a pain!! lol! XO!
alexandra —Reply
So happy to hear this, Laurie! And wow, love the chocolate and crushed peppermint adornment. So festive! Merry Christmas, Laurie! xoxo
Angela —Reply
I went with the four eggs and (unless I made a mistake somewhere) just literally poured the dough onto the parchment paper, figuring I might as well not throw it out. When it rose it spilled over onto the floor of the oven and burned. I’d skip the fourth egg unless you know your cookies won’t hold together. Did nibble off an edge and still tasted pretty good.
alexandra —Reply
Oh no! I’m so sorry. I’ve never found the batter to be pourable, which is why i add another egg, but I’ll have to make these again to refresh my memory — it’s been awhile. I’ll report back when I do. Sorry for the trouble.
Leslie B. —Reply
Hi. Just a thought. I started making biscotti many years ago from the Gourmet magazine feature on them. The recipe calls for just one egg yolk, so I reserve the white and add a little of it if the dough doesn’t cohere. I found that if you use a stand mixer and mix SLOWLY, but longer, the dough comes together eventually. I’d use two eggs in your recipe to start and see if the third was needed. Beaten first, of course.
alexandra —Reply
Leslie, thank you for this! I haven’t made these in ages, but the recipe has been problematic for some. Great tip on starting with 2 eggs. Will revisit soon!
Anna —Reply
Dutched or undutched cocoa powder? The link to David’s cocoa notes doesn’t work.
alexandra —Reply
I almost always use Dutch, but I don’t think it matters too much actually. On this post, I include a passage from a book that explains the difference: https://alexandracooks.com/2012/10/30/double-chocolate-cake-fair-trade-cocoas-a-delicious-giveaway-from-lake-champlain-chocolates-dark-chocolate-sea-salt-caramels/
paty —Reply
Huge fan of both you, and David L’s. Huge like i trust you both with my life:)
Made these yesterday with Hershey’s Cocoa. I am sorry that i didn’t run to the store to buy the better dutch processed cocoa as he suggested. No depth to the taste of chocolate. otherwise, texture etc. were great…just would not use the cheap stuff again. Thanks for enriching my life with your posts!alexandra —Reply
Paty, you are too funny … loved this comment 🙂 I so appreciate you writing in with this. It’s amazing to me how much of a difference using good cocoa powder makes in the final outcome, even for things like frostings/icings, but particularly in baked goods. Thanks so much for your kind words!
Laurie Barrick —Reply
They turned out great. I used three eggs. Dough was perfect. I will make them again!
alexandra —Reply
Great to hear, Laurie! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ellie —Reply
Hi, l don’t see butter or oil in your biscotti.
Ellie from qCanadaAlexandra Stafford —Reply
Hi! There isn’t butter or oil in this recipe 🙂
Marisa —Reply
Delicious and very sophisticated tasting! I had just purchased a biscotti pan (USA pan) and wanted to give it a try. My first batch was a sourdough discard almond biscotti, which while very tasty, the structure of the biscuit caused almost all of the slices to fall apart. I then tried these double chocolate almond biscottis and the texture was perfect for cutting and the taste was incredible. I did have a bit of a brain lapse and added 2 oz of room temperature butter to the wet ingredients because the butter was sitting out on the counter for a different recipe and I didn’t read the directions/ingredient list properly. Because of that, I only added the 3 eggs called for. The dough was very thick and not too wet. I molded it into single log and baked in the biscotti pan for 30 minutes. The center was slightly underdone, but convection-baking at 200F for 30 minutes on each side crisped everything up. Thanks for sharing the recipe! I love your videos and your website – particularly for all things sourdough.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
So nice to read all of this, Marisa 🙂 🙂 🙂 I haven’t made this recipe in ages, and I’m so happy to hear it turned out well. I have never heard of a biscotti pan, and now I’m intrigued! Thank you for your kind words and thanks for writing, too 🙂
