Crunchy with a light almond flavor, Mandelbrot {Mandel Bread} is a twice-baked, non-dairy Jewish cookie that’s similar to Italian biscotti. I like to enjoy them with tea or coffee for Rosh Hashanah, Hannukkah, or just because. If you love biscotti, you’ll love these too!

Mandel Bread Jewish Cookies Recipe

Mandel bread (also known as Mandelbrot) is a Jewish dessert I grew watching my mom make every year for holidays like Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Hanukkah. Between these cookies and a slice of honey cake, the new year was always off to a sweet start!

Similar to Italian biscotti, these Jewish cookies are crunchy and fairly dry (perfect for dipping in coffee!) and have a light almond flavor. I add a dusting of cinnamon sugar for some added sweetness as well.

While mandel bread can be a traditional Passover treat, my recipe does include white flour, so it shouldn’t be served for Passover. I find it’s perfect for Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, and other Jewish holidays. You don’t need to be Jewish to enjoy it, though. If you love biscotti, you’ll love this almond-flavored cookie too.

Helpful Tips

• Knead the dough if needed. Before rolling out the logs, the dough should be smooth but a bit sticky. If it’s forming crumbles instead, gently knead it with your hand until it comes together. (But don’t go too crazy, as you don’t want gluten to form and create tough cookies.)
• Make sure the logs are even. I recommend weighing each piece of dough before rolling it into a log, so that each one cooks evenly. The dough is pretty forgiving if you need to add or remove a piece.
• Leave room on the cookie sheet. The dough does spread a bit as it bakes, so be sure to leave a few inches between the logs. If they do bake together a bit, you can use a knife to separate them later.
• The baked cookies should have a light golden brown color. They will not be hard when you first pull them out of the oven, so color is the best way to tell if they’re ready. After the second bake, they will turn crunchy when they cool.

How to Make Mandelbrot Step by Step

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a rimmed 15½ x 12½ cookie sheet with parchment paper. Let some hang over on the two long sides (for easier removal later).

Make the cinnamon sugar. Combine ¼ cup sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk 4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1¼ cups granulated sugar, 4 tsp baking powder, and 3 oz. sliced almonds together in a bowl.

Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine 3 eggs, ¾ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup orange juice, and 1 tsp vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the flour and blend on low speed until the dough is combined, smooth, and sticky.

Shape the dough into logs: Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each of the 4 pieces into a log approximately 13 inches long. Place the logs on the cookie sheet and flatten them into a rectangle that’s 15 inches long by 2 inches wide.

Bake: Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let the mandelbrot rest for 1-2 minutes, separating any logs that are now touching.

Transfer each log to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces.

Bake again: Transfer the cookies back to the cookie sheet, cut side down, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the cookies, top with more cinnamon sugar, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve: Allow to cool and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Come the holidays, I like making these mandelbrot cookies and dipping them into a steaming hot cup of Irish Coffee, and serving them alongside a fresh fruit salad, and a batch of rich and creamy no-churn strawberry ice cream.

How to Store Leftovers

Mandel bread cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. I recommend adding wax paper between layers, so the cinnamon sugar doesn’t cause them to stick together.

To freeze the cookies, allow them to cool completely then store them in a freezer-safe container, with parchment paper between layers. They will keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Just form the dough into the logs as instructed, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer bag. Thaw the dough on the counter, then proceed with the recipe as usual.

More Cookie Recipes To Try

• It doesn’t get any easier than this Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe, made with just 3 everyday pantry ingredients.
• These nostalgic Butter Cookies are a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth treat. A holiday classic.
• These Chocolate No Bake Cookies are creamy, with a little crunch, and super addictive.