Italian-style twice-baked cocoa slices with visible walnut pieces and a dry crisp crumb.
Chocolate Walnut Biscotti
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Allow about 150 minutes: 35 hands-on, 15 chilling or resting, 70 whole-batch cooking and 30 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale and US measuring tools
- Mixing bowl and spatula
- Two parchment-lined 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Cooling rack
- Cutting board and serrated knife
- Ruler
- Fine sieve for cocoa
Italian-style twice-baked cocoa slices with visible walnut pieces and a dry crisp crumb.
Ingredients
Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.
Instructions
Mix the dough
- 1Mix the doughWhisk flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. In another bowl stir softened butter with sugar, then mix in eggs and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients, followed by walnuts chopped into approximately 1/4-inch pieces. Press together just until no dry flour remains.
Shape and first-bake
- 2Shape and first-bakeHeat the oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan. Divide dough equally and shape two logs, each about 10 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide, on one lined sheet with 3 inches between them. Bake on the middle rack for 28–30 minutes, counting 30 minutes for this stage. Tops should feel set and small surface cracks may appear; do not judge the cocoa dough by color alone.
Rest and slice
- 3Rest and sliceLeave the logs on their sheet for 15 minutes; this intermediate rest is the 15-minute rest component in the timing. Reduce the oven to 300°F (149°C) conventional or 275°F (135°C) fan during the rest. Transfer logs to a cutting board. With a serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, divide each log into 14 slightly diagonal slices, including the end pieces, about 5/8–3/4 inch apart along the log. This makes 28 cookies.
Dry both batches
- 4Dry both batchesLay 14 slices cut-side down on each of two lined sheets. Bake one sheet at a time at the reduced temperature for 10 minutes, turn each slice and bake another 10 minutes. Repeat for the second sheet: the drying stage takes 40 minutes, giving 70 minutes of total oven cooking with the first bake. The faces should feel dry and the centers firm as they cool.
Cool for crispness
- 5Cool for crispnessTransfer each dried batch to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Allow the full 30 minutes after the final batch; do not seal while warm.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Sift lumpy cocoa before weighing or mixing.
Technique & texture
Chop walnuts coarsely enough to show on the sliced faces but not so large that they tear the logs.
Finishing & serving
Use a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down through nuts.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 7 days | Keep fully cooled cookies airtight in a cool dry room, separate from moist cookies. |
| Refrigeration | Not needed for baked cookies | Avoid condensation that softens the crumb. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 1 month | Freeze wrapped unbaked dough airtight; thaw in the refrigerator before shaping and baking. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 1 month | Freeze completely cool cookies airtight with parchment separators. |
| Restoring | Before serving | Thaw inside the closed container at room temperature. |
Notes
- Allow the 15-minute log rest before sawing; the 70-minute oven allowance includes both drying sheets. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 28; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a chocolate coating?
No. Chocolate flavor comes from cocoa in the dough; the slices are not dipped or drizzled.
How do I judge the first bake in dark dough?
Look for set tops, lightly cracked surfaces and a log that holds its shape when transferred after the rest.
Can I skip the second bake?
The second bake dries the sliced crumb. Skipping it produces a softer cookie with different storage qualities.
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