🎶It’s the most wonderful time of the year… 🎶

Holiday baking time, that is!

And this year I’m adding a new treat to my must-have list of cookies—these Chocolate Gingerbread Biscotti! Light and crisp, biscotti are the ideal after-a-big-holiday-dinner treat to have with your coffee. And with dutch cocoa powder and tons of festive spices, these biscotti, in particular, are chock full of flavor.

History of Biscotti

Biscotti are a traditional Italian treat (though this flavor is decidedly non-traditional). In Italy, biscotti are often dunked in Vin Santo (a dessert wine), though outside of Italy it’s common to dip them in espresso or coffee.

The word “biscotti” originates from the medieval Latin word “biscoctus” which means “twice-cooked”(according to Wikipedia).

Wikipedia also tells us that twice-baked breads like this were a “staple food of the Roman legions.” And while you may not be off to conquer a neighboring land (in fact, I hope you’re not), a batch of these long-lasting cookies will make a lovely addition to your holiday treat table.

Twice Baked for Twice the Flavor

This crispy, crunchy treat is so crispy and crunchy because it’s baked twice. First in log form, then cut into slices. This double baking dries the biscotti out, making them nice and crisp. It also makes them last longer: Kept in an airtight container, biscotti will stay tasty and delicious for weeks.

And a delicious treat you can bake long before you need them is just what we need around the holidays.

Easy as…Biscotti

Even with the double baking time, biscotti are quick and easy to make. So easy, in fact, that I think we should change the well-known adage “easy as pie” to “easy as biscotti.” When you think about it, pie isn’t all that easy to make. But these biscotti are.

You don’t even need an electric mixer for this recipe. You just whisk the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, combine them, form the dough into logs, and bake. Then let them cool, slice, and bake again. The white chocolate dip is optional—these biscotti are utterly delicious without it. Or if you don’t like white chocolate, they’d be great dipped in dark chocolate as well.

If you like this recipe, you’ll also love my other biscotti recipes: these Mini Almond Biscotti and these choose-your-own-adventure-style Biscotti with multiple flavor options (including an orange-fennel one, which is my personal favorite).

Happy baking, friends, and Happy Holidays!

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