Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe

Mug of coffee with bowl of gingerbread biscotti sat next to it.

5 from 4 votes

Traditional Italian Biscotti with a twist. My Gingerbread version has the signature crunch with the warming spices and flavour of gingerbread. Perfect for the Holiday Season.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Cooling time10

Total Time1 5

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: biscotti

Calories: 62kcal

Author: Emma Duckworth

Ingredients

150 g light or dark brown sugar firmly packed
1 orange, zest
250 g plain flour (all-purpose)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
60 g unsalted butter melted and cooled
60 g molasses
1 small egg for egg wash
1 teaspoon milk for egg wash
100 g white chocolate bar finely chopped

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Preheat the oven and infuse the sugar. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and orange zest and using your fingertips, rub the two together for 1 minute. This releases the orange zest oils.
Add dry and then wet ingredients and mix. Into the bowl with the sugar, sift in the dry ingredients; flour, ginger cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, baking powder and salt.
Make a well in the centre, then add the wet ingredients; eggs, butter and molasses. Using a rubber spatula, work from the middle out to mix the ingredients until just combined.
Form mix into dough and chill. When thoroughly mixed, squeeze the dough with floured hands and form it into a rough disc. Use floured hands to shape it into a rectangle (It will make it easier to divide later on).
Wrap the disc well in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to an hour until it's easier to handle.
Shape dough. Lightly dust a work surface and your hands with flour. Divide the dough into two with a sharp knife, and using your floured hands, roll each portion into the shape of a log.
Place each log onto a baking tray and continue to shape the two halves into a 40cm (16 inches) long x 5 cm (2 inches wide) log. Leave space between the logs, as the dough will spread while baking.
Egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Make an egg wash by whisking the remaining egg and milk in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the logs.
Bake and slice. Bake the biscotti for about 20 to 25 minutes or until firm and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 135°C (275°F). After 10 minutes, using a sharp serrated knife, cut the logs diagonally into 2cm (3⁄4-inch) slices. Place the slices back on the parchment-covered baking tray, standing up with a space between each one. If lying the slices down, make sure to flip them over halfway through.
Bake again. Bake the biscotti for another 20-25 minutes or until dry and crisp. Allow them to cool fully. Once cooled, there will still be a little give in the biscotti. If you want very dry, hard biscotti, add another 10 minutes to the baking time.
Optional white chocolate decoration. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not come into contact with the water. Or microwave for 30-second increments, stirring between each, until melted.
Once melted, remove from the heat and dip the top or drizzle chocolate over each biscotti before placing them back onto the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the fridge for 10 minutes to help the white chocolate set.

Notes

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.

To Store & Freeze: Biscotti can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Biscotti can be frozen for up to 3 months.

TIP 1: Maximise flavour. Infuse the orange zest into the sugar to increase the depth of flavour.

TIP 2: Floured work surface and hands. The dough can be wet to the touch, and flouring your hands and benchtop will save you when shaping it into logs.

TIP 3: Cooling time. 10 minutes is the perfect time to slice the biscotti. If it cools too much, it can crack and crumble.

TIP 4: Double bake. My recommendation is 25 minutes to bake for the second round. This dries out the biscotti enough to make it crunchy but not enough to break your teeth.

Nutrition