Lydia’s Chocolate Chip Biscuits
The recipes of our childhood are always the most delicious, especially when they’re wrapped in memories of loved ones. This vintage recipe for chocolate chip biscuits creates perfectly toasted, crunchy, biscotti cookies that are bursting with rich chocolate chips. They have a delicate, refreshing hint of citrus that beautifully complements the chocolate flavor. They are a delicious treat with a cup of coffee or tea and a beautiful celebration both tradition and taste.
History of this Recipe
I am so honored to share this scrumptious recipe inspired by my friend Christine's beloved grandmother, Lydia. Every year, Lydia would bake an impressive two dozen varieties of cookies for the holiday season, but her "chocolate chip biscuits" were such a crowd-pleaser, that she made them on repeat throughout the year. Lydia would keep her cookies sealed in airtight tins, stacked high in her dining room, so they were always ready for guests. Pictured here is Christine’s cherished keepsake – one of the very tins that often held these delicious treats.
Lydia loved to visit with friends and family and enjoy these biscuits with a "nice cup of coffee.” Christine often reflects on her grandmother’s legacy, and the recipe for these biscuits has been passed down through the generations, ensuring that Lydia’s spirit and love for baking live on.
Chocolate Chip Biscuits Ingredients
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- GRANULATED SUGAR
- MELTED UNSALTED BUTTER
- BAKING POWDER
- KOSHER SALT
- LARGE EGGS
- LEMON EXTRACT
- ORANGE EXTRACT
- ORANGE ZEST (Optional if you want to deepen the orange flavor a bit more.)
Step-by-Step Directions for Preparing Dough
- Preheat oven to 325° and line baking sheet with parchment paper
- Mix eggs and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 30 seconds until fully incorporated.
- Add melted butter and mix to combine.
- Add lemon and orange extracts and orange zest and mix on low speed to combine.
- On the lowest speed, add flour, baking powder and salt just until the dough comes together.
- Finally, add in chocolate chips all at once and turn mixer on the lowest speed just to disperse the chocolate chips.
Directions for Shaping Dough and First Bake
- Separate dough into two equal parts.
- Dough will be sticky, so roll it out on a lightly floured board into a long log shape (about 10-12 inches long and 2-3 inches wide).
- Lightly pat the top of the dough log to create a flatter, more squared off shape.
- Position the two dough logs on lined parchment paper about 4 inches apart.
- Bake at 325° for about 30-35 minutes on the middle rack until it looks solid and lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cooled for about 10 minutes. Lift up the logs and place them on a cutting board and use a serrated to cut them into slices.
Second Bake
Increase temperature to 350° and bake for about 8-10 minutes one one side. Remove pan and flip biscuits to the other side and bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden.
Decorating the Chocolate Chip Biscuits
If you enjoy a beautiful rustic biscuit, you can stop right there. But if you want to dress them up a bit for the holidays, there is no end to the creative options you can explore. Decorating these alongside family and friends is a really fun activity, especially during the holiday season.
For this particular recipe, I enjoy decorating them by dipping them into melted chocolate, drizzling them with white chocolate using a piping bag, and dotting them with candied orange and crushed hazelnuts.
For variety and interest, I decorate some biscuits on their sides, some along the bottoms, and others along the top arches. If you are dipping them in chocolate, you can rest them on a parchment lined board or baking sheet and place them in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets.
You can store these biscuits in an airtight container or tin on the counter for up to ten days. Enjoy!
If you try this recipe and like it, THANK YOU so much for leaving a star review in the recipe card below!
Lydia’s Chocolate Chip Biscuits
Description
The delicious chocolate chip “biscuits” are complemented by delicate citrus flavors and a satisfying crunch. They can be served as is or optionally embellished by dipping them in chocolate and adding candied orange and hazelnuts. Because of their double baking process, they will last in an airtight container for a couple weeks, making them the perfect treat to have on hand and enjoy with company, as Lydia liked to do, over a “nice cup of coffee”.
Ingredients
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 cup of granulated sugar or 200 grams
- 4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted or 60 grams
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest (optional for a slightly deeper orange flavor)
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour or 370 grams
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoons of Kosher salt
- 1 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips or 175 grams
Instructions
Preparation of Dough
- Preheat over to 325° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a standing mixer on medium speed, mix eggs and sugar for about 30 seconds until fully incorporated.
- Add melted butter and continue to mix for about 10 seconds.
- Add extracts and orange zest and stir on low just to combine.
- On the lowest speed, add flour, baking powder and salt just until the dough comes together.
- Finally, add in the chocolate chips all at once and turn the mixer on lowest speed to disperse chocolate chips. Be careful not to overmix.
Shaping the Dough
- Separate the dough into two parts.
- On a floured surface and with light floured hands, roll each ball of dough into a log about 10-12 inches long and about 2-3 inches wide.
- Using your hand tap the top of each log slightly to flatten or square off the log. The two logs can be baked on the same pan but leave about 3-4 inches of space in between them.
- OPTIONAL : If you want to create a deeper golden color and sheen, use a pastry brush to brush the top surface with an egg wash (1 beaten egg + 2 TBSP water).
- Bake the dough for about 30-35 minutes until it looks solid and lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Second Bake
- Turn the oven up to 350°.
- After the biscuit dough has cooled for about 10 minutes, lift them up onto a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut them into slices.
- Lay the slices flat on their sides on a lined baking tray and put them back into the oven for about 8-10 minutes until they are toasted a nice golden color. Remove them from the oven and flip them to the other side and bake for for another 6-10 minutes based on your oven and desired color preference.
- Remove them from the oven to cool completely.
Dressing them Up
You can absolutely stop right there! They are perfect as is and that is how Lydia, whose recipe this is, enjoyed them. I love to leave some “undressed” but to decorate many of them with some of the flavors from the recipe as well as some complimentary flavors.
I set up a station with cut up candied orange pieces, melted bittersweet chocolate, melted white chocolate and crushed toasted hazelnuts. Creativity abounds with toppings! If you are dipping them in chocolate, you can put them in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes until the chocolate sets.
Notes
Chocolate Chip Biscuits can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 10 days.
Meet Our Matriarch Muse : Lydia
Signature Dishes
- Chocolate Chip Biscuits
- Scrippelles
- Pizzelles
I love biscotti! And orange and chocolate is one of my favorite combos. Just made these and they were so good!