This Double Chocolate Hazelnut and Orange Biscotti Will Make Your Mornings Extra Special

Maybe it’s the season, but lately, I’ve been romanticizing the everyday. As in, how can I make the little mundane moments feel a bit more special?

I’ve taken to drinking my afternoon matcha out in the driveway under the sunshine, putting on lipstick just for the heck of it, and indulging in the good chocolate I always keep in my stash but am usually saving for another day.

I’ve also turned to my morning coffee as an opportunity for a special moment. Honestly, most mornings I have been rolling straight from bed to my standing desk that is currently sitting atop my parent’s dining table and drinking my iced coffee from a mug during my first meeting of the day. I know, glamorous.

And then the other day, someone on my team made the mention of taking time for ourselves. That while we are all busy and just trying to make it through our to-do list for the day, it’s okay to take time here and there. Most of the time, I would just smile and agree because who wouldn’t?

But this time, I actually implemented the advice, and let me tell you, it makes a world of difference to take a moment for yourself and come back to your to-do list.

So, enter my new biscotti and coffee routine.

Okay, yes, I will admit, I find having a chocolate biscotti with my coffee feels a little indulgent. But you know what? It has been the best indulgence in the entire world and has brought me so much joy on the few mornings a week that I’ll treat myself. I fill my mug of coffee, grab a crunchy biscotti, and will go sit out in the yard (yes, I mean actually go sit in the grass) and enjoy my morning moment of quiet while the sun gets a bit higher in the sky.

While I’ve taken to enjoying these cookies in the morning, my dad loves them for an evening post-dinner treat. See? Something for everyone!

So here’s the deal with these—I didn’t want something overly crunchy that would crack my teeth, nor did I want something super sweet. A little tinkering of ingredients and this is the combination we’ve come to love.

Dark chocolate is obviously the way to go, and use a good cocoa powder. I love this one from Diaspora Co. for its beautiful cocoa flavor (it really does make a difference!). And at least in our house, chocolate and orange are best friends. I love the slightly bitter and citrus flavor that the zest adds in here which adds some extra depth to the cookie without adding sweetness. The hazelnuts add a nice crunch and who doesn’t love a double-dip of chocolate?

These are actually quite easy to make too! Bring the dough together, form into a log, and bake. You’ll notice the dough spread quite a bit in the oven, but I do like a long biscotti, so this worked perfectly for what I was going for. Slice the cooled dough, bake again, and then decorate. There’s an almost brownie-like quality to these guys, and they might even find a place in any future cookie boxes that I make.

Obviously, feel free to play around with mix-ins if you like. Perhaps toss in some almonds, maybe pistachios? White chocolate would also be wonderful here. The options are endless!

Double Chocolate Orange and Hazelnut Biscotti

Serves 15 cookies

This Double Chocolate Hazelnut and Orange Biscotti Will Make Your Mornings Extra Special

By Suruchi Avasthi

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

45 minutes

Categories

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Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4 tbsp butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• zest of 1/2 orange
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
• for topping: melted chocolate, chopped hazelnuts, rose petals

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Stir/sift together and set aside.
3. Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined - it will be slightly crumbly. Add the vanilla and orange zest, combine.
4. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter sugar mixture and mix until thoroughly combine.
5. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold together until combined. Add the chocolate and chopped hazelnuts. Stir to combine. The dough will be sticky.
6. Form the dough into a log about 15 inches long and 3 inches wide. I find that dipping my hands in water helps to keep the dough from sticking while forming it.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes. The dough will have spread. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for about an hour.
8. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
9. Slice the cooled cookie into 1 inch or so wide cookies. Turn cookies on their side and space out around the baking sheet.
10. Bake for another 15 - 20 minutes until the cookies are crisp. Remove from oven and let cool.
11. To decorate, drizzle over dark chocolate and desired toppings. Enjoy!