Chocolate Walnut Biscotti
Biscotti are an easy treat to make…and they make great neighbor/teacher gifts!
These Chocolate Walnut Biscotti are one of my favorites!
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I finally took some time to clean out our spice pantry the other day. It was getting a little unruly in there! The garlic powder was encroaching into the chili powder’s territory. The oregano apparently had an all night party at some point recently. And don’t even get me started on the cayenne pepper! Spicy! Seriously, though, that cabinet was bursting at the seams…so it was time to clean it up a bit. Here are just a few of the more random things from my foray into the spice pantry:
- Bay leaves. Not that strange of an item. Until you remember that most recipes only call for 1-2 bay leaves. I had a bag large enough to last 10 years. Maybe 11. And that’s assuming I made lots of recipes using bay leaves…which I don’t. Same goes for the Taco Seasoning. I think I found no less than about 5 cups worth of Taco Seasoning. Apparently we forgot we had some, so we bought more. Then we did it again…4 more times.
- Cranberry balsamic vinegar. Delicious when added to a salad. But I always forget that we have these flavored balsamics and olive oils. I end up going to the ‘regular’ versions of both…and thus I end up with a surprisingly large collection of tiny bottles. I’m looking at you, habanero olive oil and smoked olive oil.
- Curry powders. Laura loves Indian food. And I’ve gotten to where I enjoy it, too. But does anyone need 5 types of masala and even more varieties of curry powder? Great seasoning…but I think we’re set on that front for quite a while. Especially when you consider that dried spices slowly lose their flavor over time.
- Gumbo filé. Ever heard of this one? Filé powder is ground sassafras leaves, and it’s used to thicken gumbo. It also lends a nice earthy flavor to the dish. But here’s the thing: I can’t find filé powder up here. So I think my stockpile of filé is totally acceptable!
- Tartufato salt. Ever heard of tartufato salt? Didn’t think so. It’s actually pretty cool! Tartufato salt is truffled salt. Salt with bits of truffles mixed in. We picked up this unique seasoning on our honeymoon to Assisi, Italy. Oh, did I mention that was about 5 years ago now? Oops. Glad I found this one…we’ll have to actually use it now!
- Ancestral trapichazi. Never heard of trapichazi? Don’t worry. We hadn’t either until one of our friends brought this back after she studied in Argentina last year. It’s a seasoning mix that is common in Argentinian foods. But we have no idea what type of trapichazi we have…and there’s no ingredient list to find the types of spices in the mix. Guess we’ll have to experiment with that one night…
- Loveless Cafe’s BBQ Dry Rub. Put this one in the same section as Puckett’s Butt Rub. Both are from Nashville. My mother and sister live in Nashville, so it’s not surprising that my pantry contains several types of BBQ rubs. And I love to smoke various meats, too. But I have enough spice rubs to last at least 2 years…maybe 3.
- Buffalo Popcorn Seasoning. I found this gem hiding in the corner. We used to use it all the time, but then I think we just forgot about it. That, and if you accidentally take a big whiff of your popcorn and inhale some of this seasoning…well, just don’t do that. Still, I’m glad we found it again. I think I need some popcorn this afternoon!
Ok, that’s enough of the tour through David’s spice pantry. One thing that I never run out of? Chocolate! In this case, cocoa powder. And I also keep large bags of several different types of nuts in the fridge. Pecans, almonds and walnuts are pretty much always in stock. I grabbed the walnuts and whipped up a batch of Chocolate Walnut Biscotti the other day. Tasty…and perfect with a morning (or evening) cup of coffee!
I make biscotti fairly regularly, and I’ve posted several different varieties here on Spiced. I gotta say that these Chocolate Walnut Biscotti rank right up there near the top. Perfectly crispy and chocolate-y with a nice flavor from the chopped walnuts. I thought about dipping these bad boys in white chocolate or perhaps drizzling a simple icing on the top. But in the end, I decided to keep it simple with just a light dusting of powdered sugar.
If you’ve never made biscotti, then these Chocolate Walnut Biscotti need to be on your list! They’re great to keep on hand during the holidays when friends drop by to visit…and they would also make for great neighbor and teacher gifts! (If you’re using these as teacher gifts, just make sure your school isn’t a nut-free zone.) Enjoy!
What is your favorite (edible) neighbor/teacher gift for the holidays?
What is the strangest spice you have hiding in your pantry?
Chocolate Walnut Biscotti
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ Tbsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ cups walnuts chopped
- {Optional} powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Using a countertop mixer, add the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder. Mix on medium-low speed until mixture is fully combined and smooth.
- Add the eggs and milk; mix on low speed until fully absorbed.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder and chopped walnuts and mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Transfer dough to a lined baking sheet and shape into a 6"x10" log.
- Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and allow it to cool for 7-8 minutes. Transfer biscotti to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice the log crosswise into 3/4" slices. Place each biscotti cut-side down on a lined-baking sheet.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and continue baking for another 28-30 minutes, or until the biscotti turn crispy on the cut edges. (Tip: Pull the pan out of the oven and carefully press on one of the cut edges. It should be fairly hard and crispy. If you’re able to press down, then return the pan to the oven and continue baking several more minutes.)
- {Optional} Once biscotti have fully cooled, dust tops with powdered sugar.
Hi David! I thought I have a lot of spices and herbs, not compared to your I don’t! These biscotti are perfect for shipping to friends and I love chocolate and walnuts together! These would be pretty good dunked in hot chocolate!
Well, here’s the thing, Dorothy. I have a lot of random spices and herbs that I don’t ever use. I probably actually use the same amount as you! Oh, and good point about shipping biscotti…they would hold up well in the mail for sure! And now I want a biscotti dunked into my coffee…I’ll save the hot chocolate for later this afternoon! 🙂
Sounds like you have some unusual spices in your pantry. There is always something new to learn about in the food world isn’t there. Anyway, love biscotti and this combo is one of my favorites. Hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving.
Yeah, we definitely have some unusual spices in the pantry, Cheri. Unusual spices that we never use! But we totally should try some of those out…after all, cooking is all about learning and trying new things, right? 🙂 Thanks so much, and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well!
Hello David!! I hope you Laura and Robbie had a Happy Thanks Giving, I have never heard of some of the spices and I am intrigued by Gumbo filé, sounds like something I have to try!
We did indeed have a great Thanksgiving, Gaila! But I could definitely go for a couple more days off…haha. Do check out gumbo file. It’s a natural thickener for soups/gumbos, and it adds a mild flavor, too. For me, gumbo isn’t gumbo without a nice big spoonful of file stirred in! 🙂
Yay!!! Another biscotti recipe! I used to make Biscotti for my boyfriend’s parent every Valentines Day; they were Italian and very particular about their sweets, yet they loved my biscotti and even asked for my recipe. The relationship didn’t work out but I still have love for the parents, and I want to send them some treats for Christmas. Just so they remember how awesome I was. They would love these Chocolate Walnut Biscotti.
Yes! Mary, I think you and I are biscotti twins. I totally remember your story about the biscotti for your ex-boyfriend’s parents. 🙂 (On a side note, how nice are you for sending them Christmas treats this year!?! Maybe they’ll remind their son what he missed out on! Haha!) Biscotti are so fun to make, and I always enjoy playing with the recipe and coming up with new twists. Hope your post-Turkey Day week is going well, my friend!
You’ve described all your spices in such a hilarious way that I chucked a few times while reading this post, David. There’s one highly important matter which needs to clear up, though. You haven’t said anything about lavender. David, what’s going on with lavender? Do you have any? Have you used up that 15 pound bag I sent you some time ago? Well, did you receive it indeed? Do you need more? Please keep me updated cause this is a worrying situation, David! And while you’re looking for lavender in your pantry, let me enjoy these delicious biscotti. Believe me or not, but I made this first time ever only last year, few times. Once I opted for the best combo of cranberries and pistachios and the second batch was some chocolate biscotti with white chocolate and…lavender! Both turned out excellent! I should make some this time again – that would be your Christmas gift. Which flavor do you prefer?:)
You know, I didn’t mention lavender in this post, Ben. I have no idea why not. Because I do have a jar of dried lavender sitting right next to that strange Argentinian spice mix. Clearly, I need to use it more because the top is a little bit dusty! I would gladly accept a shipment of biscotti from you! Just do me a favor and include a 30-pound bag of lavender? I don’t want to risk running out anytime soon… 🙂
Hola! Soy argentina y nunca he escuchado hablar de esa especia que ud habla. No se habrá confundido con una marca?? Aquí usamos mucho el chimichurri.Pero jamás vi el nombre Trapichazi en un estante de supermercado.
Hey there, Carito! Interesting. Our friend brought us this container of a spice mix called ‘trapichazi’ back from her trip to Argentina. She said she got it at a local market. Who knows what that spice mix is! Haha! Thanks so much for commenting. 🙂
I love biscotti! Because I’m super extra, I would totally end up dipping these in chocolate and adding more walnuts… and THEN dipping the biscotti into a mocha. All my health food tendencies go to the side road when it’s the holiday season!
Oh, I totally thought about dipping these bad boys in more chocolate, too, Medha! But then I got lazy. In truth, then I had to go get Robbie from daycare…so I just opted for the simple dusting of powdered sugar. Maybe I need to make another batch now…haha! And healthy food tendencies? During the holidays? Yeah, right! 🙂
haha.. to answer your question “But does anyone need 5 types of masala and even more varieties of curry powder? ” YES you do! I have around 20 masals which I use regularly for Indian cooking. you need so many spices for authentic Indian cooking 😉 but I get how much stuff we accumulate over the years, it’s crazy. I should clean my pantry too, it’s such a mess! These biscotti sound lovely, perfect with my coffee !
20 different masalas!?! You know, as I was writing the post and mentioning 5 different varieties, a little voice in the back of my head was saying, “Hey, I bet folks who cook a lot of Indian food have way more varieties than me.” And it looks like I was right! Indian cooking uses so many spices!! I bet you have some fun (funny?) spices hanging out in the way, way back of your spice cabinet, Manali! 🙂
David, I thought I knew my spices and then today I come across some I’ve never ever heard of like Gumbo filé, Tartufato salt, & Ancestral trapichazi! I don’t think is an unsual spice, but I bought it awhile back and hardly ever use the dried version of tamarind – so I have a pkg that’s probably about 3 years old on my spice shelf – which reminds me, I gotta clean mine out too!
And – nut in the fridge?! I keep ’em in an airtight container in my pantry – gosh am learning all sorts of things today!
Love these biscotti – Lil Shashi and I usually give homemade cookies for Christmas and I’d be lying if I said I’d make a batch of these to gift cos GOSHDARN – they are too good to share! 🙂
Hey, like I said, I’ve got a really random collection of spices in there! The gumbo file isn’t that strange…especially if you live near Louisiana. But the tartufato salt and the ancentral trapichazi? Yeah…that’s odd! I don’t even know what to do with that trapichazi! Dried tamarind, huh? That reminds me that I have a container of dried lime peels in there. It’s ground up into a powder, and I have no idea what to do with it. It just sounded like fun so I bought it! Haha!
Yeah, I picked up the nuts in the fridge trick a while back. I guess it all depends on how fast you go through them, but the oils in nuts can go rancid over time. Trust me…this happened once, and it smelled awful!
I propose we get together and trade Christmas treats. A stack of your waffles for some of these biscotti? 🙂
Oh, I totally hear ya about the pantry, particularly spices, getting unruly. It’s like you tidy it away and think to yourself that it’s always gonna stay nice and neat and no way is that gonna get messed up again and it do! And I agree, that cayenne is spicy….a little rebel there 😉 And I also hear ya on the flavoured oils and vinegars. I hardly ever use them and they just collect and collect and collect. I tided away my pantry a few months ago but now that the holidays are creeping up, it’s getting a little messy again and it’s soon time to reorganize. Don’t you just feel a sense of accomplishment when you do organize something?
Anyway, I’m rambling 🙂 These chocolate walnut biscotti look scrumptious and would be perfect right now to dunk in my morning coffee…and also perfect for gifting. Pinned!
Hope you’re having a great week 🙂
Yeah, I totally agree with you about the spice cabinet, Dawn. I try to keep it nice and clean and organized…but overtime it just ends up getting cluttered. And that’s how stuff like tartifato salt gets lost in the back for 5 years! I really do need to find a way to use up all of these flavored oils and vinegars. Those bottles take up way too much space! Week is going great over here in upstate New York…I hope your’s is going well, too! Although I could definitely go for the weekend again right about now. 🙂 Thanks!!
Chocolate and walnuts? I’m in! I haven’t made biscotti in years. I think I need to make a festive one for the holidays. I also need to clean out my spice cabinet. LOL! Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
Oh, you totally should go make some biscotti for the holidays, Tamara! They’re so easy to make…and they’re always impressive to serve to company (or give to friends). Hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving break, my SC friend! 🙂
Happy (belated) Thanksgiving David! This biscotti looks like a total winner! I hope you and your family had an awesome day!
Why thank you very much, Lucie! We did indeed have a great Thanksgiving…but now I am totally ready to stop for Christmas. 🙂 I hope you are enjoying the holiday season so far!
Wow! It sounds like you have a well-stocked pantry. That is always a good thing. Love your biscotti recipe. I have never made biscotti, I really need to put it on my to-do list.
Well, a nicely stocked pantry of spices certainly is helpful…but not when it’s overflowing with all sorts of things you don’t use! haha! Definitely do put biscotti on your baking list. They are surprisingly easy, and they’re always impressive to serve to family and friends. Thanks, Dawn!
Dude, you have a whole middle Eastern market in your kitchen… I love it! I had to laugh at the bay leaf part- How funny, most massive curry/crockpot recipes call for ONE bay leaf. ONE.
This biscotti looks like the fuel I need to give mine a good clean. I mean, four kinds of peppercorns? Totally necessary 😀
Dude, bay leaves have always confused me. It’s crazy how an entire pot uses just one leaf. A bag of bay leaves will literally last me 10 years! I say bake up some biscotti and munch away while cleaning out that crazy mess of peppercorns you’ve got! 🙂
“dust buffalo roaming under our couch” that is a riot! You’re a funny guy Dave.
Methinks those poor bay leaves need to hit the road. Fresh is pretty amazing. The trapichazi is a new on me, thanks, will check it out. Wow, you have Loveless? That is magic as is their (my all time fav) BBQ sauce. I order all the time!
Now as for my 2 spice cabinets and 1 drawer… we won’t even go there. 🙂
Now I must admit I have yet to take a stab at making biscotti. Don’t hold it against me, but I’m usual making a scone or biscuit. These need to be my first. Thanks Dave.
Yeah, those poor bay leaves do need to hit the road…and don’t come back no more, no more, no more. Hit the road, bay leaves, and don’t come back no more. Sorry…I got carried away there! 🙂 Yeah, you should totally check out trapichazi…that sounds right up your alley! Apparently there are different varieties. I have no idea what variety we have though, so that doesn’t help much.
You totally need to take a stab at biscotti! I know scones are good, but biscotti are, too! Plus, they are pretty awesome to serve to company along with a cup of hot coffee. Yum!
That truffled salt sounds fun! And I’m so with you on the taco seasoning, I always buy more without realizing that I already have some stashed somewhere in my kitchen.
So I totally have never made biscotti before! My mom loves it, so I’m bookmarking this recipe to make over the holidays when I’m staying at her house.
I seriously think I have about 6 cups of taco seasoning stashed away in different corners of my spice cabinet, Nicole! Enough for a lifetime! Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you’ve never made biscotti before. Definitely do it over the holidays! It’s a fun and easy recipe…and I’ve totally changed it up a bunch of different ways. This is an American style biscotti recipe in that the biscotti are hard but definitely more crumbly than the Italian style biscotti. I prefer this style as it means I can eat them either plain or with coffee…while the Italian style need to be dunked or you’ll be visiting the dentist! 🙂
hello David, As a professional baker may I make a suggestion? It is important that you mix the baking powder and the salt with the dry ingredients not the butter and eggs. You do not want to activate the leavening ingredient too soon( some of it is activated with moisture). Another hint is to beat the butter and sugar for at least 2-3 minutes( in a stand mixer) longer if using a hand held. You want the mixture to take on a lighter color and begin to look fluffy.
Hey Judy! Thanks so much for passing along these tips! I usually do cream the butter and sugar together first, so I don’t know what I was thinking here. But that’s an excellent tip about the baking powder with the dry ingredients. Thanks so much for sharing, and Happy Holidays!!
The recipe calls for milk. Where in the instructions does the milk get incorporated into the batter?
Ack! I can’t believe I made that typo in the recipe, Rose. I am so sorry! I just updated the recipe, but the milk goes in with the eggs in Step 2. I hope you weren’t in the middle of making this recipe at the time. Happy baking, and I do hope you enjoy these biscotti. They’re fun and tasty! And Happy New Year! 🙂
No problem. I actually made them without the milk and they turned out good. I am sure with the milk, the are even better. Thank you and Happy New Year!!
Thanks for letting me know, Rose! You’re right…that’s not much milk at all. Not sure it even needs to be there. Good to know it can be omitted. I’m really glad these turned out well for you. Happy New Year! 🙂
They look and sound amazing, and I’ll definitely make them…
I hope you enjoy these biscotti! They are quite tasty. 🙂