The air is crisp and two little words are on the tips of everyone’s tongue and emblazoned on their t-shirts: Pumpkin Spice!

These classic and trendy flavorings of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg make you think of cozy book nooks, warm pies and friends gathering.  But you know what else fits perfectly into this picture? Coffee and baked goods! Few things make me as happy as coffee and things I can eat while drinking coffee. Enter Biscotti, Pumpkin Spice Biscotti. A crisp, slightly sweet, dunk able cookie seasoned with the seasonings of the season and drizzled with a blend of dark chocolate and bold coffee to give it an irresistible appearance and a hit of chocolate to start your day off right.

But seriously: This is an easy recipe to pull together if you prep your ingredients first. Make your pumpkin spice mix ahead of time or buy it at the store, if you prefer. Set out your butter and eggs about an hour before hand so they are room temp. Measure out your ingredients before you start so you focus on baking. Biscotti is a twice baked cookie. This means that you will make your cookie dough, shape it into a log shape, bake it, slice it and bake a second time. You will need clean damp hands to shape your dough before your first baking as it is the easiest way to shape it up. After your initial bake, allow your dough to cool before slicing with a serrated knife, carefully sawing the whole way through. This sawing will prevent crumbing and ensure a professional looking slice that invites that chocolaty drizzle.

Make an extra cup of Blue Collar Joe Coffee right after your second bake so it will be hot enough to melt the chocolate for the mocha drizzle!!! 

This recipe makes a beautiful and inviting cookie that is perfect for a morning in your “If you can read this bring me COFFEE” socks and your “I run on Pumpkin Spice” hoodie. The biscotti also makes thoughtful, easy but impressive gifts for teachers, co-workers and in-laws. Be sure to use a bakery box as bags will invite crumbs and a diminished appearance. Details are everything, darling.

Pumpkin Spice Biscotti with Mocha Drizzle

Author: Tara Miller

Serves 14-16 pieces

Prep: 20 min

Cook Time: 30-40 min plus cooling time

Total time: approx. 1.5 hours

Pumpkin spice mix

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground nutmeg

Biscotti Ingredients

85 g unsalted butter* room temp (6 tbsp)

133 g granulated sugar (2/3 cup)

4 g salt* (3/4 tsp)

5 g vanilla extract (1 generous tsp)

7 g baking powder (1 ½ tsp)

120 g free range eggs room temp (2 large eggs)

240 g unbleached all-purpose flour (2 cups)

3 g pumpkin spice mix (1 tsp)

Biscotti Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 Deg. F. Cover one large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

In medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice and gently whisk. Set aside.

In mixer with beater attachment set to low add butter and beat on medium until smooth and fluffy (about 2 min). Add in sugar, salt and vanilla and beat on medium until fluffy (about 2-5 min)

Add in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated (mixture may look curdled).

With mixer set to low, add in flour mixture slowly to prevent it flying out of bowl until all mixture is added and incorporated. 

Transfer dough to rimmed sheet pan in center. With damp hands gently press, shape and smooth dough into a rectangle about 3” wide by 12” long by 1” tall. The mixture will spread while baking. Dampen hands as needed to shape.

Bake dough for 20-25 min until there is a light crust on the outside and the dough doesn’t give when lightly pressed with finger. Place sheet pan on cooling rack and allow to cool to room temp. Leave oven on. 

Once biscotti dough is cool place it on a cutting board and slice in generous ½ – ¾ ’’ pieces using a serrated knife. Saw all the way through each slice. If you attempt to push down too much on the knife the slices with crumble. 

Place slices back on rimmed sheet pan and bake for another 10 min. Flip each piece over and bake for a further 10 min until each side is a golden brown and crispy. Allow to cool completely before decorating with mocha drizzle.

Mocha Drizzle Ingredients

1 cup of hot Blue Collar Joe Coffee (I used Columbian)

90 g chocolate chips (½ cup)

Instructions

Add chocolate chips to medium mixing bowl (microwavable) and slowly add in hot coffee, mixing together with a rubber spatula until mixture is smooth and pourable (like hot fudge). If the hot coffee doesn’t melt the chocolate enough, put bowl in microwave for short, low powered bursts of 5 sec until the chocolate is melted just enough to pouring consistency. If chocolate gets too hot it will look grainy and you need to start over. You want it just warm enough to come together. 

You can add the pourable drizzle to a small pipping bag or condiment bottle to drizzle over one side of your biscotti or you can drizzle it with a spoon. Allow chocolate to set for about 10 min before serving. 

Store biscotti in airtight, hard-side container. Storage bags will result in lots of crumbs. 

*Notes

If using salted butter instead decrease salt by ¼ tsp.