A crunchy, spicy-sweet treat born from curiosity, beans, and a whole lotta cinnamon.
You ever have one of those moments where your curiosity gets louder than your logic? That was me standing in my kitchen with a bowl of cooked Rio Zape beans, a container of cocoa powder, and this voice in my head saying, “What if you made biscotti with beans?”
Now let me back up a bit.
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I’m part of the Rancho Gordo Bean Club, yes, it’s a real thing and yes, it’s glorious. This month a few members that are local to each other decided to host a bean-themed potluck. People were signing up to bring everything from seven-layer dips to smoky salads, and I thought: Wouldn’t it be wild if I brought a dessert?
I’ve always been the type to play with flavors and challenge expectations, especially in the kitchen. I love introducing people to something they think they won’t like, only to have them go back for seconds. So I started imagining a biscotti that married warm spice, rich chocolate, a tiny kick of heat, and the secret ingredient no one saw coming: beans.
Specifically, Rio Zape beans one of my favorite heirloom bean for baking. They’re creamy, earthy, and once blended into dough, they disappear into the background while giving the biscotti a tender crumb and satisfying bite. No bean taste. Just pure magic.
And because I’m me, I couldn’t resist adding a full tablespoon of cinnamon. I love cinnamon the way some people love sunshine on a chilly morning. And to round it out? Toasted pecans, mini chocolate chips, and a whisper of Rancho Gordo New Mexican Red Chile Powder, it’s the kind of warmth that makes you raise an eyebrow and go, “Wait…what’s in this?”
💡 What You’ll Love About This Biscotti
Crunchy edges + tender interior
Chocolate + chile = the perfect duo
✨ The Recipe
Created by Lynn Sims
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked Rio Zape beans, mashed
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used a tablespoon because I love cinnamon)
½ tsp Rancho Gordo New Mexican Red Chile Powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and mashed beans.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chile powder, baking powder, and salt.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
If the dough feels too soft to shape, you can add a few more tablespoons of flour and chill it for 30 minutes.
With floured hands, form into two logs (about 10” x 2.5”) on the baking sheet and gently flatten.
Bake for 25 minutes, then let cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 325°F.
Slice each log into ½” pieces on a diagonal. Place cut-side down and bake again for 10 -12 minutes per side.
Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
🍵 How to Serve It
Dunk in coffee, Mexican hot chocolate, or even a glass of almond milk
Drizzle with melted dark chocolate and a pinch of flaky salt
Gift in a mason jar with a tag that says, “Bet you didn’t know there were beans in this.”
Final Thoughts:
This recipe made me feel creative, connected, and just a little bit mischievous and isn’t that the best kind of baking? It reminded me how versatile beans can be when we think outside the bowl.I hope you give this one a try. And if you do, tell me: did you double the cinnamon too?
WanderLynn Cooks 