This easy high altitude recipe for chocolate biscotti makes the most perfect biscotti for dunking in hot coffee or tea. There’s chocolate chips and Dutch-processed cocoa powder in the biscotti for a rich chocolate flavor, and each one is spread with swirls of melted dark chocolate.
Looking for more high altitude chocolate recipes? You’ll love these chocolate white chocolate chip cookies, chocolate truffle cake, and chocolate fudge cake with ganache drip.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Triple the Chocolate. There’s just no such thing as too much chocolate, and with cocoa powder, chocolate chips and melted chocolate, there’s so much to love about this dark chocolate biscotti.
Easy to Make. If you’ve never made biscotti before, just follow along with my step-by-step photos, and you’ll learn how easy the process is.
Perfect for Gifting. Since biscotti has such a long shelf life, it’s perfect for giving as hostess gifts for the holidays, or included in a Christmas cookie box.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Flour. All-purpose flour gives the biscotti dough structure and strength.
- Cocoa Powder. A good-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder adds a rich chocolate flavor and deep color.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar sweetens the biscotti.
- Baking Powder. Leavening agent.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
- Eggs. Binds the dough together to give the cookies structure.
- Butter. Adds a rich buttery flavor, as well as makes the biscotti crisp as they bake.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Chocolate Chips. I added mini chocolate chips to the dough for extra chocolate flavor. And the melted swirls of chocolate spread onto the sides of the biscotti make these irresistible.
Instructions
Make and chill the dough.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Add the 3 beaten eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract, and stir everything together into a soft, sticky dough. Let cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours, until well chilled.
TIP: Make sure you leave about 4 inches between each portion of dough on the baking sheet, since they will spread out as they bake. Use two baking sheets if you need more space.
Shape and bake the dough (first bake).
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and line a large baking sheet (or two medium baking sheets) with parchment baking paper.
- Divide the chilled dough into three portions (about 10 ounces each), dusting each portion with a little flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Roll or press each portion of dough out into a rectangular-shaped log, measuring about 3×8 inches and about 3/4 inch thick.
- Whisk up the last remaining egg, and lightly brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are starting to brown, and the biscotti has spread out and puffed up a bit. If you gently press on the center of one, it should feel baked through, not raw or doughy.
- Remove from the oven, and let cool for exactly 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 325F.
TIP: Be sure to reduce the oven temperature to 325 F for the second bake.
Cut and bake the biscotti again (second bake).
- Use a large spatula or cake lifter to carefully lift the slabs of biscotti onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife (I find that a chef’s knife works best) to slice the slabs into individual biscotti about 3/4 – 1 inch thick. Gently place the biscotti back onto the baking sheet, turned on their side with the cut side facing up.
- Bake the biscotti for 10 minutes. Turn the biscotti over, so the other cut side is facing up, and bake for 10 more minutes. Cool completely.
- Make sure the biscotti is completely cooled and hardened before storing it in an airtight container.
Add some melted chocolate.
- For the melted chocolate, melt the 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in a double boiler until smooth. You can use a spoon or piping bag to just drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti, or dip one end in and shake off the excess. I used a spoon to spread and swirl the melted chocolate along one side of the biscotti.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 1-2 hours until the chocolate sets and hardens.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of cocoa powder did you use?
I used Rodelle Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Can I add nuts to the biscotti dough?
Of course. Chopped walnuts, pecans or macadamia nuts would all be great in this chocolate biscotti.
Why are my biscotti not crispy?
After the second bake, if your biscotti aren’t crisp after cooling completely, then they may be slightly under-baked. You can return them to the oven for a few minutes to finish drying out.
Why does my biscotti crumble when I cut it?
If you cut the biscotti while it’s too hot, it can crumble when you cut it. If it cools for too long, it can become hard and break when you cut it. Be sure to cool the biscotti after the first bake for the time stated in the recipe, no more and no less.
Do biscotti harden as they cool?
Yes, after the second bake, as your chocolate biscotti cools off, they will finish hardening and drying out.
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Easy High Altitude Dark Chocolate Biscotti
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping the dough
- 6 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- 1 large egg (for egg wash)
- 1 ¼ cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Add the 3 beaten eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract, and stir everything together into a soft, sticky dough. Let cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours, until well chilled.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and line a large baking sheet (or two medium baking sheets) with parchment baking paper.
- Divide the chilled dough into three portions (about 10 ounces each), dusting each portion with a little flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Roll or press each portion of dough out into a rectangular-shaped log, measuring about 3×8 inches and about 3/4 inch thick.Make sure you leave about 4 inches between each portion of dough on the baking sheet, since they will spread out as they bake. Use two baking sheets if you need more space.
- Whisk up the last remaining egg, and lightly brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are starting to brown, and the biscotti has spread out and puffed up a bit. If you gently press on the center of one, it should feel baked through, not raw or doughy.
- Remove from the oven, and let cool for exactly 10 minutes on the baking sheet.Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.
- Use a large spatula or cake lifter to carefully lift the slabs of biscotti onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife (I find that a chef's knife works best) to slice the slabs into individual biscotti about 3/4 – 1 inch thick. Gently place the biscotti back onto the baking sheet, turned on their side with the cut side facing up.
- Bake the biscotti for 10 minutes. Turn the biscotti over, so the other cut side is facing up, and bake for 10 more minutes. Cool completely.
- Make sure the biscotti is completely cooled and hardened before storing it in an airtight container.
- For the melted chocolate, melt the 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in a double boiler until smooth. You can use a spoon or piping bag to just drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti, or dip one end in and shake off the excess. I used a spoon to spread and swirl the melted chocolate along one side of the biscotti.Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 1-2 hours until the chocolate sets and hardens.
if i am not in a high altitude location, do i need to change anything to this recipe??
I wouldn’t think so.
Can’t wait to try this! Do I need to temper the melted chocolate chip mixture before dipping the biscotti?
You can, but I didn’t temper it.
Can I leave dough in fridge overnight?
I haven’t tried that, but I don’t think it would be a problem.
These are delicious! I made many Christmas cookies in 2023 and these are the cookies my husband always goes back to! Recipe is easy to follow and they are delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe Heather! So excited to have an expert on high altitude baking to turn to.
Being a coffee fanatic who loves my morning coffee and afternoon (Fika Time) coffee, this biscotti is perfect! We live in CO at 8,780 feet. Recipe comes out beautifully! Thanks for all the beautiful recipes❤️ Maybe one day you’ll do an almond or chocolate croissant. No easy task at altitude!