Chai Tea Biscotti

Winter is finally here in full force! Much of the country is buried under a blanket of snow, and we find ourselves wanting to stay inside under some nice warm blankets of our own. Few things are better on a chilly winter day than a nice hot cup of coffee and a delicious treat to dip in it. Our Chai Tea Biscotti recipe puts a spicy spin on the classic Italian biscuit and is sure to help you through even the most frightful winter day.

You may associate biscotti with a trip to your favorite trendy coffee chain, but these crispy cookies have ancient, and rather rugged, roots. Biscotti began life as a convenience food during the days of the Roman Empire. Unleavened wafers were baked once to cook them, then baked a second time to ensure they were completely dried out. This would allow them to be kept for quite a long time, making them a staple of the Roman Legions, who would carry the biscuits on lengthy campaigns.

Biscotti, as we know them today, were developed in Tuscany during the Renaissance. A Tuscan baker began flavoring the biscuits with almond and served them alongside a sweet local wine. The dry biscotti were dipped in the wine, soaking it up and bringing out even more flavor. This pairing is still quite common in Tuscany today, where the biscotti are served with a dessert wine called Vin Santo. And you thought biscotti and coffee were a dynamic duo!

Speaking of perfect pairings, one of our favorite combinations has always been biscotti and Chai tea. This got us thinking: what if instead of dunking our cookies into the tea, we put the Chai inside the biscotti? The resulting biscuits are a little sweet, a little spicy, and tastier than any coffee shop biscotti you’re likely to encounter. Bake a batch, grab a mug of your favorite hot beverage (or sweet wine), and enjoy a delicious escape from the winter blues.

Chai Biscotti Recipe

Yields 24-30 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Cardamom
  • ¼ cup strongly-brewed Chai tea, room temperature
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon Madagascar Vanilla Extract
  • ½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the brewed tea, whole egg, egg white, milk, and vanilla. Pour into bowl with dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Mix in chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Shape each half into a 10-in. x 2- in. rectangle, and place on a baking sheet coated in cooking spray. Bake at 350° for until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Move pans to wire cooling racks.

Once the dough is cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board, and use a serrated knife to slice diagonally into ¾-inch slices. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray again, and place biscotti cut-side down on the sheets.

Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes per side, or until firm. Transfer to wire cooling racks. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container.