These White Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti cookies are a perfect Christmas and winter cookie recipe. A crisp Italian dessert with seasonal flavors.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
White Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti is a delightful variation of traditional biscotti that incorporates the classic holiday flavors of white chocolate and peppermint.
Biscotti are twice-baked Italian cookies known for their crunchy texture, making them a perfect accompaniment to coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
These Italian cookies are packed with seasonal mint flavor, creamy white chocolate, and a crisp cookie texture.
They are just perfect for your Christmas cookie platters and the winter season!
What is Biscotti?
Biscotti is an Italian cookie that means “twice baked.”
The key to biscotti is their twice-baked nature, which gives them a crunchy texture.
It is a very crisp cookie that is flat and long, getting its name from a double bake first as a loaf and then as slices.
There are many different flavors of biscotti, such as our Chocolate Chip Biscotti and Lemon Lavender Biscotti.
Ingredients
All Purpose Flour
Sugar
Unsalted Butter
Large Eggs
White Chocolate Chips
Crushed Peppermint – these can be bought already crushed, or you can crush up candy canes or peppermint candies yourself.
Peppermint Extract
Baking Powder
Salt
Instruction Overview
In a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed. It will look like wet sand.
Add in one large egg at a time.
Add the peppermint extract.
On low speed mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined.
Add the white chocolate and peppermint pieces and mix until just incorporated.
Shape the dough iun two logs on a parchment lined baking sheet, approximately 2 inches wide and 12 inches long.
Bake until just starting to crack on top, approximately 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes. It is very important to let it cool slightly, so it does not fall apart, and also important that it does not cool much longer as it will be very difficult to cut.
Slice the logs into cookie pieces approximately 1/2 inch thick.
Place back on the baking sheets and bake again 15 minutes. The cookies will be very slightly soft in the very center still, but will harden as they cool.
Let cool completely before decorating as desired.
Kim’s Tips
The dough will seem almost too dry. As long as it presses together, you are good! Dough that is too wet will be difficult to work with.
It is very important to let it cool slightly, so it does not fall apart, and also important that it does not cool much longer as it will be very difficult to cut.
Modifications and Substitutions
The cookies will continue to crisp up when they are cooling on the baking sheet. If you want them extra crunchy and crisp, bake a couple minutes longer.
If you want longer cookies, make one log that is about 4-5 inches wide instead. The baking times will also increase slightly.
This cookie is made in a stand mixer for ease, but can also easily be made in a large bowl with a hand mixer if desired.
FAQs
What is the secret to making biscotti?
The signature of a biscotti is that they are baked twice. First in loafs, and then again when sliced, until crunchy.
Should biscotti be hard or soft?
Biscotti are hard cookies.
Does biscotti mean stale cookie?
No. Biscotti means “twice cooked.”
What’s the difference between biscotti and cantuccini?
They are practically the same thing. These cookies are made the same way but originate from different parts of Italy. Cantuccini is traditionally made with almonds, and biscotti have been known to be made with many different ingredients.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
White Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti
Equipment
- Stand mixer or large bowl and hand mixer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring spoons
- Knife
- Silicone Baking Mats or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- crushed peppermint candy more if desired for decorating
- ½ cup white chocolate chips optional for decorating, or bright white candy melts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a large bowl with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, combining fully before adding the other.2 large eggs
- Add the vanilla and briefly mix to combine.¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Reduce speed to low. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add the white chocolate chips and peppermint pieces, and mix on a slow speed until just incorporated.1 cup white chocolate chips, crushed peppermint candy
- Remove the dough from the bowl and split into two halves.
- Roll the dough out into two logs approximately 12 inches long and 2 inches wide (slightly flattened with your hands). Place on a silicone mat or parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake the loafs for about 20 minutes, or until they are starting to develop cracks on the top.
- Remove from the oven and let the logs cool for only 10 minutes. See note 1.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the logs, at a diagonal, into cookies approximately 1/2 inch thick.
- Place all of the slices onto the baking sheet again (touching is fine as they will no longer expand).
- Put the cut cookies back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.The cookies will feel crisp on top but still slightly "give" and push down in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack completely before storing in an air tight container up to 1 month.
- If desired, decorate once completely cool by dunking into or drizzling white chocolate or bright white candy melts.
Notes
- It is very important to let the logs cool slightly, so it does not fall apart, and also important that it does not cool much longer as it will be very difficult to cut.
- If adding a decoration, do not do this until the cookies are cool. Otherwise the chocolates will run off and not stick.
