Delicious & Easy Vegan Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti: The Perfect Eggless Treat for Dunking and Gifting
Discover how to make irresistible vegan chocolate pistachio biscotti! These delightful, twice-baked cookies are incredibly flavorful, packed with rich chocolate and crunchy pistachios, and surprisingly easy to prepare. Perfect for dunking into your favorite hot beverage or sweet wine, they also make exquisite handmade gifts. Best of all, they’re completely eggless and dairy-free, catering to all your vegan baking needs.
Biscotti, affectionately known as Cantuccini in their native Italy, are a classic Italian biscuit revered for their distinct crunch and satisfying texture. This beloved confection is twice-baked, a process that removes moisture and gives them their characteristic hardness, making them ideally suited for dunking. Traditionally enjoyed with a glass of Vin Santo (a sweet dessert wine) or a strong espresso, biscotti transform into a tender, flavorful treat when softened by a warm liquid. This not only prevents you from potentially “breaking your teeth” on their initial firmness but also creates a delightful fusion of flavors and textures.
Our vegan chocolate pistachio biscotti take this experience to another level. The dark chocolate chips embedded within the cookies become wonderfully melty when submerged in a hot drink, releasing an extra burst of cocoa goodness that perfectly complements the nutty pistachios. This recipe is a delightful adaptation of my earlier vegan almond and cranberry biscotti, proving once again that traditional treats can be effortlessly and deliciously veganized.
You might think that because traditional biscotti often rely heavily on eggs for structure and moisture, creating a vegan version would be challenging. However, it’s surprisingly simple! By replacing the fat and liquid provided by eggs with a careful balance of plant-based oil and non-dairy milk, we achieve an equally impressive texture and rich flavor. The result is a batch of eggless and dairy-free biscotti that are just as crunchy, flavorful, and satisfying as their traditional counterparts, without compromising on taste or quality.
Crafting Your Own Vegan Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating these delightful vegan chocolate pistachio biscotti is a rewarding process, and the steps are straightforward. Follow this detailed guide to bake a batch of these crunchy, flavorful treats. (For precise ingredient quantities and full instructions, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card below.)
The First Steps: Preparing Your Dough
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the caster (superfine) sugar, room-temperature unsweetened soy milk, neutral oil (such as olive oil, or melted refined coconut oil), and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the mixture is perfectly smooth and all components are well integrated.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the plain (all-purpose) flour, cacao or cocoa powder (cacao offers a richer, more intense chocolate flavor), baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Sifting is crucial for preventing lumps and ensuring an even distribution of leavening agents, contributing to a consistent texture.
- Form the Dough: Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently at first until a rough, shaggy dough begins to form. At this point, incorporate your roughly chopped pistachios and dark chocolate chips. Continue mixing until these delicious inclusions are evenly distributed throughout the dough. For the final touch, use your hands to bring the mixture together, forming a cohesive ball of dough. This gentle kneading helps ensure a tender crumb.
Shaping and the First Bake
- Shape the Logs: Divide the dough ball into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface (or directly on your parchment-lined baking sheet to minimize handling), shape each portion into a log approximately 5 cm (2 inches) wide. Arrange these logs well-spaced apart on a baking parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently use your hands to slightly flatten them and square off the edges. This meticulous shaping is key to achieving perfectly uniform biscotti slices later.
- Initial Baking: Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven and bake the dough logs for 35 minutes. They should feel firm to the touch when ready, indicating they are cooked through and ready for the next crucial step.
Cooling, Slicing, and the Second Bake
- Cooling Period: Once the logs are firm, remove them from the oven and carefully transfer them to a wire rack. Allow them to cool for a full 20 minutes. During this time, the logs will firm up further, which is essential for clean slicing. While they cool, remember to reduce your oven temperature as specified in the recipe card for the second bake.
- Precise Slicing: After the cooling period, use a very sharp serrated knife to cut the logs into diagonal slices, each about 1 to 1 ½ cm (around ½ inch) wide. It’s crucial not to rush this step; attempting to slice them before they’ve cooled adequately will result in crumbling and uneven biscotti. Take your time and use a gentle sawing motion. (Insider tip: the end bits are perfect for “taste testing” and make a delicious chef’s perk!)
- The Second Bake: Arrange the sliced biscotti cut-side down on the same baking sheet. Return them to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Then, flip each slice over and bake for an additional 10 minutes. This second baking phase is what gives biscotti their signature dry, crisp texture. They should appear mostly dry and firm up considerably as they cool.
- Final Cooling and Storage: Remove the biscotti from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once entirely cool, store your delicious vegan chocolate pistachio biscotti in an airtight container. When stored properly in a cool, dark place, these biscotti can maintain their freshness and crunch for several months, making them excellent for batch baking or preparing ahead for gifts.
Expert Tips for Perfect Vegan Biscotti Every Time
Achieving bakery-quality vegan biscotti at home is entirely possible with a few insider tips:
- Precision with Measurements: As with all baking, accuracy is paramount. I strongly recommend using metric measurements with a digital kitchen scale rather than relying on cup conversions. Cups can be wildly inconsistent, leading to varied results. A scale ensures precision, better consistency, and often a less messy baking experience!
- The Best Non-Dairy Milk: While many non-dairy milks will work in this recipe, unsweetened soy milk is highly recommended. Its higher protein content more closely mimics the properties of egg, contributing to a superior texture and structure in your vegan biscotti. If you opt for other milks (like oat or almond), ensure they are unsweetened to avoid altering the sugar balance.
- Coconut Oil Caution: If you choose to use melted refined coconut oil, be mindful of your milk’s temperature. Ensure the non-dairy milk is at room temperature, or even slightly lukewarm, to prevent the coconut oil from re-solidifying and creating lumps in your mixture.
- Patient Slicing is Key: Never attempt to slice the baked dough logs before the full 20 minutes of cooling time has elapsed. The logs need this time to firm up sufficiently. Slicing too early will make them crumbly and difficult to cut neatly. Biscotti, vegan or otherwise, can be tricky to slice perfectly. Expect a few crumbles – it’s part of their rustic charm! Use a very sharp serrated knife, ideally with a narrow blade, and employ a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down hard. If you find the crust too hard, a very light mist of water on the surface, left for a minute, can sometimes soften it slightly for easier cutting.
- Adjusting for Texture: The beauty of biscotti lies in their customizable crunch. If you prefer a slightly softer biscuit, reduce the duration of the second bake by a few minutes. Conversely, for an extra-crispy, super-crunchy biscotti that stands up to hearty dunking, extend the second baking time slightly.
- Flavor Variations: Don’t limit yourself to pistachios and chocolate chips! This recipe is incredibly versatile. Feel free to swap them out for other nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts, or incorporate dried fruits such as cranberries, dried cherries, or candied citrus peel.
- Citrus Twist: For an exciting flavor variation, try adding the finely grated zest of one orange to your wet ingredients. The vibrant citrus notes will beautifully complement the chocolate and create a delicious chocolate orange biscotti!
- Optimal Storage: For maximum longevity and to preserve their delightful crunch, store your completely cooled biscotti in an airtight container. Keep them in a cool, dark pantry away from direct sunlight and humidity. Stored this way, they will remain fresh and enjoyable for several months, making them perfect for preparing ahead or for last-minute gift-giving.
More Vegan Cookie and Biscuit Recipes to Love
If you’re a fan of these vegan chocolate pistachio biscotti, you’ll love exploring other delightful eggless and dairy-free cookie and biscuit recipes. Expand your vegan baking repertoire with some of these fantastic options:
- Vegan Shortbread Fingers
- Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Festive Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
- Hearty Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Vegan Biscotti with Almonds and Cranberries
- Sweet Maple Cookies
- Charming Vegan Easter Biscuits
- Seasonal Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Indulgent Chocolate Raspberry Skillet Cookie for Two
If you’ve enjoyed baking this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Please take a moment to rate it, leave a comment below, or share your creations on Instagram by tagging @domestic_gothess and using the hashtag #domesticgothess. Your feedback and photos inspire me!
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Vegan Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
Ingredients
- 180 g (¾ cup + 2 Tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) unsweetened soy milk (other non-dairy milks will work but soy really is best) room temperature
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (I use olive) or melted refined coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 230 g (1 + ¾ cups + 2 Tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 50 g (⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp) cacao or cocoa powder (I use cacao)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 80 g roughly chopped pistachios
- 80 g dark chocolate chips*
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, soy milk, oil and vanilla extract until well combined.
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In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cacao or cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until it forms a rough dough then add the pistachios and chocolate chips and mix until they are well distributed. Use your hands to bring it together into a ball.
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Divide the dough into two even pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape each one into a log about 5cm (2in) wide. Place them well spaced apart on the baking sheet and use your hands to slightly flatten them and square off the edges for perfectly shaped biscotti.
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Bake the logs for 35 minutes until they are firm to the touch.
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Remove the logs from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 160°C/140°C fan/325°F/gas mark 3.
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Once the logs have cooled, use a very sharp serrated knife to cut them into diagonal slices about 1 to 1 ½ cm wide. Don’t put too much pressure on the knife, try and gently saw through.
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Lay the slices cut side down on the baking sheet and return them to the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for another 10 minutes. They should look mostly dry though they will firm up more as they cool. .
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Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. If you want really crisp biscotti you can leave them in the oven for a further 5 minutes
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Once cool store in an airtight container.
Notes
- *Some brands of dark chocolate chips are vegan friendly but not all are so do check the packet to make sure.
- For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
- This recipe will work with any non-dairy milk (except probably coconut), but unsweetened soy milk really is best as it has the highest protein content and therefore most closely mimics the egg.
- If you are using coconut oil, make sure that the milk is room temperature, or even lukewarm, otherwise you risk the coconut oil re-solidifying.
- Don’t try slicing the logs before the 20 minutes cooling time is up otherwise they will be hard to slice and crumbly.
- Biscotti are tricky to slice neatly, vegan or otherwise, and you will get some crumbles no matter what you do. You need to make sure that you use an incredibly sharp serrated knife, preferably with a narrow blade, and don’t put too much pressure on the biscotti – try and gently ‘saw’ through the crust. If you are struggling to slice them you can try spraying the crust with a bit of water and leaving it for a minute before slicing them, this should help to soften the crust a little so it is easier to cut through.
- If you want softer biscuits you can reduce the second bake time a little; and if you want really super crunchy ones you can increase it a bit.
- Try adding the finely grated zest of an orange to the wet ingredients for a chocolate orange twist.
- The biscotti will keep for several months provided they are stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
