Last updated on August 3rd, 2026.
My Mandel Bread Cookies are a family heirloom I am proud to share. Often called the Jewish Biscotti, they are tender, crisp, and famously coated in cinnamon sugar. Crips, and crumbly from the inside out, they are loaded with flavor yet practically beg to be dunked into a hot cup of coffee or a cold cup of milk (because kids lobe them just as much)
In Yiddish Mandelbrot bread means almond bread so congratulations, you just learned your first, or two new Yiddish words. Now say Oh-Vey and you are practically a member of the family.
Out of all the cookies recipes I bake on a regular basis, I always have a jar of these cookies on my kitchen counter, right next to a jar of these addictive Greek Butter Cookies. They are surprisingly delicious, and an excuse for friends to come visit.
The Secret To This Recipe
Unlike their dry, hard to bite Cantucci cousin, these cookies are their tender alter ego. Don’t get me wrong, they are still crisp from the twice-baked method, and sturdy enough to hold their shape after a long dunk in a hot cup of joe. But they are so tender they practically crumble into a buttery crumb with every bite.
The secret ingredient is vegetable oil. Allow me to clarify:
Classic Italian Biscotti is fat free, which is why it is so crispy and hard to bite. This recipe, on the other hand, uses a full cup of oil. Because oil is liquid, it coats the flour practicals more evenly than solid fat, limiting gluten development and creating a much more tender cookie that’s crisp on the outside yet wonderfully tender and crumbly with every bite.
Let’s Bake
It took me a few years and many tries to perfect this recipe so it is easy to follow and will guarantee the best results every time. Please pay attention to the following tips and notes:
- Make sure the oil, sugar, and eggs are fully incorporated into a smooth mixture before adding the flour mixture.
- Avoid transferring the logs to a cutting board while they are still warm, as they might break.
- If the dough is sticky, wash your hands, then divide and shape the dough without drying your hands. Repeat as needed, ensuring you shake off any excess water from your hands.
- The second bake is what determines how crisp the cookies are. If not baked long enough, they might be crisp on the outside and slightly soft at the center. Since your oven is different than mine the timing might be different. The way to know, is to check a cookie after about 15 minutes of chilling. Break it, then press the center, if it is still soft, return the cookies tot he oven and bake for extra 10-12 minutes. If it is hard and crumbly it is done.
For Almond Flavored Cookies: Add 1 tsp almond extract with the eggs. Replace the chocolate chips with slivered almonds. Brush the top of the cookies with egg whites and sprinkle with more sliced almonds.
Storing the cookies, and freezing
At room temperature, in cookie jars, or an airtight container for up to three weeks.
To freeze the cookies, wrap them in groups of 5 using plastic wrap then place them in a freezable bag and freeze for up to 6 weeks.
Yields
Each log make about 18 cookies, and a total of 36 cookies.
Tender Mandel Bread Cookies, The Jewish Biscotti
Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup (150g) Sugar
- 1 Cup (200g) Oil
- 3 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 3 Cups (360g) AP flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 Cup (120g) Mini chocolate chips
- 2 TBS Cinnamon Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour (360g) and baking powder (2 teaspoons).
- In a bowl of a standing mixer, place the sugar (200g), oil (2240ml), and eggs (3) and mix on medium-high until fully blended.
- Add the flour mixture followed by the chocolate chips (120g). Turn the mixer off.
- Divide the dough in two and shape each part into a 3×14-inch log.
- Bake 25-30 minutes and remove from the oven or until the cookies are pale dry and puff, allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300F.
- Use a serrated knife to slice each loaf into 1-inch slices and place each slice flat on the side. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of cinnamon sugar.
- Return to oven and bake for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes remove and turn cookies the opposite side, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 12 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
Video
II have always made a similar recipe, but decided to try yours. Slight differences, but WOW, these are great! I have my 2nd batch in the oven now. Made the first one yesterday. Thanks so much for a great recipe!!
thank you so much, Cindi! so glad to hear that, this is definitely one of my favorite recipes!
These look good, but there are no amounts for the almonds and almond extract.
Use 3/4 cup slivered almonds and 1-2 teaspoons almond extract.
The cookies are delicious but I’m not sure why the cinnamon sugar wouldn’t “bake” or “stay” on. I cooked them a little longer, hoping that would help, but it didn’t. Might try another recipe next time.
It’s ok if the sugar does not stick completely, as long as it provides the flavor
No salt???
No.
The dough is delicious… the cookies are still in the oven. But a couple observations! I cook in grams and when I used the slider to double the recipe, it didn’t double the grams. So I had 6 eggs in a single batch. I noticed right away and mixed up another batch without eggs and then blended them. In the top, it says when gathering the ingredients to include salt. But then it wasn’t in the recipe so I put in a teaspoon hoping it was an omission.
Also, I don’t have almonds or almond oil. But I had some marxipan! I rolled it out and put it down the middle. Hoping the dough will rise around it… to be continued.
Hi Genevieve, I am not sure what you mean when you say the slider. 1 teaspoon salt for a double batch should be ok, let me know how it turns out, you made a lot of changes and I am course about the marzipan filling.
3 cups of flour is 420 g. 140 g per cup
Some measure one cup 120g and others 140, depending on the brand. That’s why it is important to use a kitchen scale.