Salted Chocolate Almond Biscotti Recipe

These salted chocolate almond biscotti have a sophisticated flavor that will appeal to lovers of bitter coffee and salted caramel. They are not cloyingly sweet, and if you like your desserts with a dose of crunch and a bit of bite, then these biscotti are calling your name.

As a recipe developer and blogger, I've made my fair share of sweets that appeal to just about everyone. But the ones that excite me are those that make every bite feel intentional, and which I crave alongside my morning cappuccino. These chocolate biscotti belong to this kind: the desserts that have a surprising element, the baked goods that feel like they're hiding a secret and you just need one more bite to figure out what it is. With dark Dutch-process cocoa, chunks of crunchy almonds, a deep, indulgent ganache coating half the cookie, and a smattering of flaky sea salt that melts on your tongue, these Italian biscotti are layered, complex, and the perfect crossover between salty and sweet.

Born in Tuscany, biscotti are dry cookies baked twice for a signature crunchy texture that makes them perfect for dipping into coffee. Our recipe follows the traditional pattern, while implementing all the necessary tips that help you achieve the perfect biscotti. I wanted to make biscotti that taste good on their own and not just when paired with a drink. That's where the salted ganache sets these apart. The contrast between the crunchy, cocoa-rich cookie and the thick, glossy coating gives you two textures in every bite, and the flaky salt keeps the sweetness from going too far. These are the type of cookies I love having for an afternoon snack, and even feel proud to give to friends. Because baked goods taste better when shared, right?

For the biscotti themselves, gather all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking soda, kosher salt, granulated sugar, large eggs at room temperature, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and whole raw almonds, roughly chopped.

For the dark chocolate ganache, grab heavy cream, 70% dark chocolate, and a flaky sea salt like Maldon.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until a stiff dough forms.

Work in the almonds.

Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet and shape it into a log, roughly 12 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes until the logs are set, and a few cracks appear on the surface. Remove it from the oven and let it cool on the sheet for 20 minutes. Do not skip this rest or the logs will crumble when sliced.

Reduce the oven to 325 F.

Transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a slight diagonal into slices ½ inch thick.

Arrange the slices cut side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 12 minutes, flip each biscotti, then bake another 12 minutes. The biscotti should feel dry and firm to the touch.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes without stirring.

Whisk from the center out, adding more heavy cream if necessary, until the ganache is smooth and glossy. Cool the ganache to room temperature until it's thick enough to coat without dripping, about 15 minutes.

Dip the bottom half of each biscotti into the ganache, letting the excess drip off.

Place the biscotti on a parchment-lined sheet. Immediately sprinkle the ganache with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Let the biscotti set at room temperature until the ganache is firm, about 30 minutes, or refrigerate for 10 minutes. Serve.

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If you're new to baking, you may be surprised to learn that there is more than one type of cocoa. In fact, there are eight different types of cocoa powder, and they're not all made equal. Celebrity chef and icon of American elegance Ina Garten swears by Dutch-process cocoa powder for cakes, specifically Pernigotti cocoa powder, and we happen to agree.

Dutch-process cocoa powder is treated with an alkali solution that works to neutralize its natural acidity, resulting in a powder with a darker color and a smoother, mellower, and more well-rounded chocolate flavor. It can also be called Dutched-process cocoa powder, or Dutched cocoa powder for short, and it's not the same as natural cocoa powder.

In baking, this difference matters because cocoa interacts with leavening agents. Natural cocoa is acidic, which means it reacts directly with baking soda to create rise. Dutch-process cocoa is neutral, so it cannot activate baking soda on its own. Recipes using Dutch-process cocoa with baking soda need a separate acidic ingredient, like buttermilk, to trigger the reaction. In this biscotti recipe, the eggs serve that purpose. We chose Dutch-process cocoa because it gives the biscotti a dark color and a smooth, intense chocolate flavor. You could use regular cocoa instead, but your biscotti will have a lighter color and taste a bit more acidic. Just avoid using black cocoa, which is ultra-alkalized and will give you dry, brittle results.

There are some things to play with in this chocolate-almond biscotti recipe. First, the added flaky sea salt, which is one of my favorite parts, may not be for everyone. Don't switch up the salt, as you may end up with overly salted cookies. Instead, you could add a pinch of salt straight into the warm ganache as it's melting, to allow for a more mellow touch of salt.

I love to add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a mocha version. It also deepens the chocolate flavor by playing on the bitter/sweet balance. A tablespoon of orange zest stirred into the wet ingredients gives you a nice chocolate-orange biscotti flavor that pairs well with the ganache. Or if you want to add a slight kick, just half a teaspoon of cayenne powder added to the dry ingredients will add warmth and a bit of spice.

For the ganache, you could work with chocolate chips and even milk chocolate if you want a sweeter topping. White chocolate will give you a starker visual contrast, taking this from monochromatic double chocolate to the realm of marbled biscotti that feel like a confection.

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