With the bittersweet flavor of dark chocolate and the heat and bite of crystallized ginger, these Dark Chocolate & Ginger Biscotti are like a gingerbread cookie all grown-up and dressed with a little bit of extra richness. Easy to make, these are the perfect pairing for a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa and are good at any time of day–dessert, breakfast, mid-day coffee or tea break. Versatile and simple, these are a beautiful addition to any holiday cookie tray or for just any day.
Thanksgiving is over which means that it’s that time of year again and it’s time to get thinking about holiday baking. Whether you have a cookie exchange coming up, agreed to bring dessert to a holiday gathering, or just want to embrace some classic winter flavors in the comfort of your own home while putting up a tree or watching a movie or getting your Christmas shopping done online, these Dark Chocolate & Ginger Biscotti are simple, delicious, and the perfect accompaniment to warm you up on a cool winter day.
The base of these biscotti are similar to a gingerbread cookie thanks to the molasses and the spices. Add in the chocolate and spiced ginger, and you have a rich and spicy gingerbread bite.
If you’re worried about the smell or flavor of the olive oil, you can easily swap out for vegetable oil. The smell may be strong at first, but the taste isn’t as noticeable once the biscotti are baked. I personally like the way the fruitiness of the olive oil pairs with the chocolate and the ginger. It’s subtle, but it helps to deepen the flavor a bit more.
Even better is that these biscotti can be baked ahead of time and frozen, ready to pull from the freezer and drizzle. Despite being double baked, they are quick to throw together and taste like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45-50 minutes |
| Passive Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
biscotti
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- 295 grams all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/16 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 117 grams granulated sugar
- 60 grams light brown sugar
- 89 mL olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 eggs large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp molasses
- 75 grams dark chocolate 70%, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 140 grams crystallized ginger
- coarse/flaked sea salt for sprinkling
- 50 grams bittersweet or dark chocolate for drizzling
Ingredients
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- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet--or two small baking sheets--with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt. Set aside.
- n the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat together the oil and sugars until light in color. This should take about 2-3 minutes on medium high. Add in the eggs 1 at a time and beat until combined. Add in the vanilla extract and molasses. Mix until combined.
- Mix in 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix until the dough just starts to come together. Add in the second 1/2 and mix until just combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir in the chopped chocolate and crystallized ginger until evenly distributed; be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Using the rubber spatula, split the dough in half. Lightly flour your hands (the dough will be a bit sticky), and on the prepared baking sheet, shape the dough lengthwise into two logs about 3" x 12". (If using one large baking sheet, try to shape your logs along the edges as they will spread while baking and you don't want them to bake into one another). Sprinkle the logs with a bit of coarse or flaked salt.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. In the meantime, lower the oven to 300°F. After the 10 minutes has passed, transfer the two logs to a cutting board or countertop. Using a serrated knife, cut diagonally into 1/2" thick slices.
- Line the baking sheet with another piece of parchment paper and line up the sliced cookies so that one of the cut sides faces up.
- Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes at 300°F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. The biscotti will feel soft while hot, but they will harden and dry out as they cool.
- Once cooled, move to a wire rack or set on top of a piece of wax or parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, start with 30 seconds on high and stir. Continue to heat for 15 seconds on high until fully melted. Using either a piping bag with the tip cut off (or a spoon), drizzle the melted chocolate over the up-facing side of the biscotti. Allow the drizzle to set-up and store in an airtight container.