This Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti is packed with semi-sweet chocolate chunks, toasted hazelnut pieces and dried cherries. Enjoy them plain or dip the ends in melted chocolate and chopped hazelnuts for an extra-special finish.
Biscotti are endlessly customizable, and each holiday season I remake my favourite biscotti by swapping nuts and fruit. Past variations include pistachio with cranberry and apricot with almond. This year I chose crunchy hazelnuts, dark chocolate and dried cherries, and kept a touch of orange zest and juice to lift the chocolate flavour.
How to Make it
This recipe yields about 65 biscotti. To make a smaller batch, halve the ingredients. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
Ingredients Overview
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder and salt
- Orange zest and juice
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla and almond extracts
- Raw hazelnuts — toast, remove skins and chop coarsely. Toasting ahead saves time.
- Dried cherries (Bing or Rainier). Dried cranberries are an acceptable substitute.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chunks
Steps Overview
Toast the hazelnuts first to sharpen their flavour. Zest one orange and squeeze enough juice for 4 tablespoons (the recipe uses a small amount of orange juice to plump the cherries).
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then use a stand mixer (paddle attachment) to cream the butter, sugar and orange zest. Add extracts and eggs, then fold in the dry mix and finally the hazelnuts, cherries and chocolate chunks. Do not overmix.
Biscotti are baked twice. Shape the dough into logs and bake until lightly golden. Let cool briefly, slice the logs diagonally with a serrated knife into 1/2–3/4-inch slices, and return the slices to the oven to dry and crisp. For a slightly tender biscotti, shorten the second bake; for very crunchy biscotti, bake a few minutes longer.
Tip: Use a serrated knife and let the logs cool 10 minutes before slicing to reduce crumbling.
Serving Suggestions
Serve biscotti with coffee or tea for dunking, or follow the Italian tradition and pair them with a glass of Vin Santo or another sweet dessert wine. Dipping the ends in melted chocolate and rolling them in chopped toasted hazelnuts makes a beautiful gift or party treat.
Storage Instructions
Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature; they keep well for several weeks. You can also freeze them for up to three months, making them convenient to prepare for the holidays in advance.
Enjoy!
More Delicious Sweet Treats
- Nutella Hazelnut Brownies
- Holiday Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Rolled Baklava
- Chewy Almond Marzipan Bars
Hazelnut Chocolate Biscotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon finely grated orange rind
- 4 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1½ cups raw hazelnuts, toasted, skins removed and chopped coarsely
- 1 cup dried cherries, chopped
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks, chopped
- Chocolate and Hazelnut Topping
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks, melted
- ½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Zest one large orange to yield 1 tablespoon and set aside.
- Squeeze the orange to obtain about 4 tablespoons of juice.
- Place the dried cherries with the orange juice in a microwaveable bowl and heat for about 45 seconds, then set aside to soak.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In the stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter, orange zest and the remaining cup of sugar for about 3 minutes on medium until fluffy.
- Add vanilla and almond extracts, then add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold in the toasted hazelnuts, soaked cherries and chocolate chunks without overmixing.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions. On a well-floured surface, gently knead each portion and shape into a log about 2 inches wide.
- Place two logs on each prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, rotate the sheets, then bake another 10 minutes or until logs are light golden and start to crack on top.
- Remove from oven and cool on the sheet for 10 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325°F.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the logs diagonally into ½–¾ inch thick slices.
- Place slices cut-side down on the baking sheet and bake 7–8 minutes until pale golden, flip and bake another 7 minutes, or until they reach your preferred level of crispness.
- Transfer biscotti to a rack to cool completely before storing. To dip, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 15-second increments, stir until smooth, dip the biscotti ends and roll in chopped hazelnuts. Let set on parchment before storing.
Notes
- To toast hazelnuts: preheat oven to 350°F, spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast 10–15 minutes until fragrant and skins blister. Cover with a towel to steam for 3 minutes, then rub to remove skins. Cool and chop coarsely.
- To slice without excessive crumbling, let the baked logs cool 10 minutes and use a sharp serrated knife to cut on the diagonal.
- Biscotti store well in an airtight container for several weeks and can be frozen for up to three months.