If you love the flavor combination of mint and chocolate, these Sourdough Peppermint Biscotti are for you! The unique addition of sourdough discard introduces a subtle tanginess and depth, elevating the biscotti's overall flavor profile. Since biscotti are twice baked, they taste fresher and keep for much longer than other cookies, making them perfect for gift-giving or a festive party favor.
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Why I developed this recipe
If you’ve seen my recipe for Sourdough Biscotti, you already know how much I love these cookies. This unique flavor combination was inspired by you, the readers of Make It Dough! Some of you reached out, expressing an interest in infusing a festive touch into your biscotti, specifically by incorporating peppermint extract and crushed peppermint candy into the recipe.
After receiving a few emails about the topic, curiosity got the best of me and I needed to try it out for myself!
What makes this biscotti special?
Aside from the addition of sourdough discard, peppermint extract makes these biscotti truly unique. Peppermint adds a bright, fresh flavor that complements dark chocolate and imparts a uniquely festive character to these cookies.
Make a festive sourdough biscotti basket! Check out recipes for Sourdough Almond Biscotti, Sourdough Chocolate Biscotti and Sourdough Cranberry Orange Biscotti.
Ingredients and substitutions
All-purpose flour: The protein content of all-purpose flour results in tender and light biscotti. Don’t substitute whole wheat flour in this recipe or your cookies may become dense and dry.
Sourdough discard: Both sourdough discard and active sourdough starter will work in this recipe. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, add 28 grams of flour and 28 grams of water to your biscotti dough.
Peppermint extract: Use peppermint extract and not mint extract which will make these biscotti taste more like mouthwash!
Chocolate chips: I incorporated a blend of dark and white chocolate chips for this recipe. Feel free to use either one if that's what you have available in your pantry.
Crushed candy canes: I used candy canes in this recipe since they are much easier to crush than peppermint candies and easier to source than crushed peppermint candies.
See recipe card for full ingredient amounts.
Tip
Check the baking powder in your pantry for freshness by combining a pinch with a drop of vinegar—if it fizzes, it's good for this recipe!
Baking with Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard adds a great tangy flavor to these biscotti. Conveniently, you can use your discard straight from the fridge without the need to activate or feed your sourdough starter since it won't be used for bread-making in this recipe.
Whether opting for older discard with a more pronounced acidity or using freshly-fed sourdough starter, both variations yield delicious biscotti, each offering a slightly distinct flavor.
Step-by-step Instructions
STEP 1: Mix the butter, sugar and extract until no lumps remain.
STEP 2: Stir in wet ingredients.
STEP 3: Fold in the dry ingredients and bring the dough together using your hands.
STEP 4: Flatten the dough into a large log, and sprinkle cane sugar on top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
STEP 5: Slice the loaf into 14 equal portions.
STEP 6: Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F and bake for 30 minutes.
Tip
Baking the biscotti in an upright position ensures even baking, eliminating the necessity to flip them halfway through the baking process.
STEP 7: Coat the bottom of the biscotti with melted chocolate.
STEP 8: Drizzle layers of melted chocolate on top and sprinkle crushed candy cane.
Top Tip
- Both active sourdough starter and sourdough discard will work for this recipe.
- Weigh your ingredients instead of measuring with cups and tablespoons. It's more accurate and will help guarantee your chances of success.
- Don't over bake your biscotti or they may become too hard, dry and have a burnt flavor.
- Let your biscotti cool before decorating with chocolate.
How to store biscotti
Biscotti will last for up to 7 days when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Double-baking biscotti not only enhances their crisp texture it also removes excess moisture. The reduced moisture content helps prevent the growth of mold and preserves the biscotti's freshness for an extended period.
Recipe FAQs
The sourdough flavor will depend on the unique flavor of your sourdough discard. Discard that’s been kept in the fridge for longer will have built up more acidity and will have a more intense flavor. Discard from a freshly fed starter will have a sweeter, milder flavor.
Absolutely! Simply use the same proportion of freshly fed sourdough starter in the recipe. Your starter won’t add a strong tangy flavor to your biscotti, but it will still work.
If you don’t have a starter, but still want to try out this recipe, simply add 28 grams of all-purpose flour and 28 grams of water to your dough. The recipe will still turn out delicious, but you won’t have the tangy flavor of sourdough.
Baking powder and sourdough starter cannot be interchangeably used in recipes due to their distinct leavening mechanisms.
Baking powder provides quick, instantaneous chemical leavening, while sourdough starter involves a slower natural fermentation process by wild yeast and bacteria.
Substituting one for the other would significantly alter the texture, taste, and overall outcome of the baked goods.
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Sourdough Peppermint Biscotti
Equipment
- piping bag optional
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Ingredients
Dough
- 113 grams unsalted butter softened
- 170 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 56 grams sourdough discard
- 1 egg large
- 240 grams all-purpose flour
- 7 grams baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Topping
- 20 grams cane sugar
- 100 grams dark chocolate chips
- 100 grams white chocolate chips
- 4 grams coconut oil divided
- 3 candy canes crushed
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the dough: Mix the butter, sugar and extract with a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula until no lumps remain.113 grams unsalted butter, 170 grams cane sugar, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Stir in the wet ingredients and until fully combined.56 grams sourdough discard, 1 egg
- Fold the dry ingredients in, bring the dough together into a ball with your hands.240 grams all-purpose flour, 7 grams baking powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Shape the dough: Using your hands form a large log out of the cookie dough and flatten slightly so it’s about 1-inch thick, it should be about 12 by 3 inches. Sprinkle cane sugar on top.20 grams cane sugar
- Bake: Bake for 40 minutes or until the middle looks set, and the log looks lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Trim off the edges, then slice into 14 pieces and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Arrange the biscotti into an upright position to ensure even baking, eliminate the necessity to flip them halfway through the process.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F and bake for another 30 minutes or until they look dried out but not too dark.
- Cool the biscotti: Allow the biscotti to cool for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze: Melt the white chocolate chips and the dark chocolate chips separately, either using a double boiler, or in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals. Stir occasionally to prevent the chocolate from scorching.100 grams white chocolate chips, 4 grams coconut oil, 100 grams dark chocolate chips
- Divide the coconut oil and mix it into the melted chocolate to achieve a thinner consistency.
- Fill two piping bags with half of the melted chocolate and white chocolate.
- Decorate: Spread the melted chocolate on the bottom of the biscotti. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes to let the chocolate harden and set.
- Pipe layers of white chocolate and chocolate on top of the biscotti. Top with crushed candy canes.3 candy canes
- Enjoy and store: These are best enjoyed once they have fully cooled and the chocolate has set. Store leftover in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 7 days.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
- Sourdough discard and active starter will work for this recipe.
- Letting your butter soften at room temperature is preferable to softening it in the microwave. You can cut the butter into tablespoon pieces to let it soften faster.
- Use up to 1 ½ teaspoon of Peppermint Extract if you want a most intense flavor.
- Baking powder has a limited shelf life. Make sure yours is still effective by combining a pinch of baking powder with a drop of vinegar. If the mixture fizzes, then it will work.
- Avoid over baking your biscotti to prevent excessive browning, resulting in a texture that is overly hard and dry.
- Biscotti will last for up to 7 days when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Nutrition
Nutrition info provided are estimates.
Did you make this recipe? Do you have questions? Let me know below!