Mandel bread, also known as mandelbrot, are classic Jewish cookies. Similar to Italian biscotti, these crunchy cookies are perfect for dipping in tea or coffee. This easy, classic recipe came to me courtesy of a reader, by way of her grandmother Bubbie Ruth. Usually they are twice-baked to make them crispy and crunchy. Additionally, they can be soft-baked for a more tender texture. No matter how they are made, Bubbie Ruth’s Mandel Bread deserves a spot in your recipe box!
A Brief History of Mandel Bread, aka Mandelbrot
Mandelbrot cookies are an Ashkenazi Jewish dessert dating back to the early nineteenth century. Mandelbrot are closely related to the Italian cookies known as biscotti, which were first made in the Middle Ages. The word mandelbrot means almond (mandel) and bread (brot) in both German and Yiddish. In America, these tasty little cookies are known as mandel bread. Typically mandel bread are twice-baked, which makes them crispy and crunchy. They’re perfect for dipping in your tea or coffee. Because most of the moisture is baked out of them, they also have a fairly long shelf life.
The origin of Jewish mandelbrot is a bit of a mystery. In the wonderful book Jewish Cooking in America, Joan Nathan writes about the history of mandelbrot cookies and their similarity to other cookies made in Europe and Eastern Europe:
“With a large Jewish population in Piedmont, Italy may have been the place where Jews first tasted biscotti and later brought them to Europe where they called them mandelbrot, which literally means almond bread. In the Ukraine, a similar cookie not necessarily with almonds but made at home, thuskamish, was served. In Italy they are often eaten as a dessert dipped into wine or grappa. In Eastern Europe Jews dipped them into a glass of tea, and because they include no butter and are easily kept they became a good Sabbath dessert.”
A Family Recipe for Mandel Bread
Today’s simple and tasty recipe for mandel bread comes to us courtesy of blog reader Beth Steiner. Beth writes a cooking blog called Someone’s in the Kitchen with Brina. Beth’s Hebrew name is Brina; her blog focuses on easy kosher recipes. Her family recipe, Bubbie Ruth’s Mandel Bread, is sweetened with chocolate chips.
Beth Steiner in the kitchen cooking a kosher meal
Of this recipe, Beth said:
“My father’s mother, Bubbie Ruth, was an amazing cook and baker. One of my favorite memories is working in her kitchen, patting rolls of mandel bread dough into the baking pan. She would always bring a fresh batch with her when she and my Zadie came to visit from Florida. After Bubbie died in 2002, my mom took over the recipe and always stores it in her special mandel bread tin. She would send it to my sister at college and once sent me a huge batch when I was living abroad in Israel. Bubbie Ruth’s Mandel Bread is a staple at every family gathering. I have her KitchenAid mixer and every time I use it to make her mandel bread, I feel close to her all over again.”
Beth’s Bubbie Ruth
I use my KitchenAid mixer to make these, in memory of Beth’s Bubbie Ruth. You can use an electric hand mixer if you prefer. Note that I’ve included a Soft Mandel Bread Variation at the end of the recipe for those who prefer a softer version of this cookie.
A special thanks to Beth for sharing this delicious recipe!
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Bubbie Ruth's Mandel Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can sub chopped nuts, candied fruits, etc.)
- Ground cinnamon and granulated sugar for dusting
NOTES
Instructions
- Mix together oil and sugar until combined, then add eggs one at a time. After the eggs are combined, add vanilla.
- Sift together all the dry ingredients and add them slowly to the sugar/egg mixture.Once the dough is smooth and sticky, pour the chocolate chips in and mix.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours (at least 2) or overnight.
- Lightly oil your hands and form 4 long rows with the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I line the cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup). Each strip of dough should be 3-4 inches wide. They will spread out a lot during cooking, so make sure you leave enough space between the rows.
- Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. While mandel bread is baking, in a flat shallow dish, combine ¾ cup of sugar with enough cinnamon to turn the mixture light brown. It’s best to eyeball this – it shouldn’t be too brown or too white.
- Take the mandel bread out and turn the oven down to 250 degrees F. Slice the mandel bread into biscotti sized pieces.
- Roll each cookie into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Put the pieces back on the cookie sheet on their sides.
- Bake for another 15 minutes until they’ve achieved the texture you desire. The longer they stay in the oven, the crisper they will be. If the slices are big or wide, you might need longer than 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it and don’t over-bake, as this cookie tends to dry out quickly. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Favorite Recipe. It’s just like my Moms. Lost her a few years ago, and preparing these brings find memories ❤️
Every year I try a new Christmas cookie recipe. I came across this recipe and decided to give it go. All I can say is THANK YOU BUBBIE RUTH! These are so delicious, I’ve made them twice already. This is a definite keeper, made them exactly as the recipe states. Simple, delish, perfect.
These are just right – not too sweet. I decided to give them a try and added 1/2 c of chopped toasted almonds and 1/2 c chocolate chips. The recipe is easy to follow. Next time I will use my stand mixer. My hand held mixer isn’t up to the thickness of the batter. Also, my oven runs a bit hot so I did the second bake time at 10 minutes.
Perfection with a good cup of coffee. Thanks.
I wish I had read this first!😂🤣😆
I burned up my hand mixer motor!
They tasted great. However, they broke up and crumbled from the start. This was even before baking. What should I have done to prevent them being too crumbly?
That’s odd, I’ve never had it happen with this recipe. Sounds like not enough liquid in the dough. Did you use large size eggs, and add the whole cup of vegetable oil?
Like and love it!👍
Thank you! Happily I saw your recipe, had a craving,the ingredients, and the time to give it a try. FABULOUS results! I wouldn’t change a thing. I will consider using a bit of Anise on one of the loaves next time to impart an Italian taste as well.
I made this for the first time ever for Yom Kippur and it was a HUGE hit! The recipe was easy to follow and it turned out amazing. I did cut the initial baking time down to 20 mins at 350 then just an additional 5 at 250 and they were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I can’t wait to make again. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
I’m so glad you like my Bubbie’s recipe!
My first batch is in the oven and it looks fabulous! I’ve only made it using cake meal (every year for Pesach) and can’t wait to have the “real “ version! I love all your recipes! Stay safe.
Thanks Nadine! Enjoy. 🙂
Hello, I want to make the Mandel Bread but I want to use my kitchen scale. I notice that the recipe says that 1 cup of vegetable oil is 218 ml.. I thought 1 cup is 250 ml.?
Hi Yvonne, those measurements are auto-calculated by the recipe system I use on my site. I cannot advise on the calculations. If you prefer, you may use another metric calculator, there are many available online.
I am so gad to see this recipe! I cannot wait to try it. My dear friend always supplied me with Mandel but never got around to jotting down the recipe., She died a few years ago and her recipe went with her sadly. I have seen Mandel in supermarkets occasionally but they could not complete with hers ever. So I thank you sincerely for this one. I will tell you, something you probably already know, this recipe is very similar to my Italian Biscotti recipe – there are as many variations as there are regions in Italy but I keep mine simple. I will be so glad to add your Bubbie’s Mandel to my holiday gift packages. Love the sweet story you tell about her. Stay safe!
Enjoy Anna! Very sorry to hear about your friend.
Great recipe, thank you! Made my first batch last week and it turned out exactly how I remember my Bubbie making mandel bread (but my family calls it Kamish bread).
Amazing recipe
Just made my second batch – in the oven now!
So good ..
Thank you
Great recipe Tori! I used coconut oil for the oil and they turned out great! Very flavorful and they sliced beautifully.
I’ve been making mandelbrodt with minor variations of this recipe for years. It’s one of my family’s favorite cookies but this is the first time I saw an instruction to turn down the oven temperature so significantly for the second baking. What a difference! These were perfectly (lightly) browned and a huge hit!
Wonderful! So glad it turned out well for you.
Just made my first batch of mundle bread! They came out great! It was a fun and very easy recipe! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
How do you keep them from breaking apart when you slice them before baking again? I follow the recipe exactly, tastes delicious but not very pretty.
I make thick slices, and use the edge of a metal spatula to cut the pieces. That helps!
Could you be slicing them too soon? I have been making this exact recipe for years with no problem. If you make these again let the loaves cool a bit before slicing.
Oops..I forgot to mention fresh orange rind in my last message. I teas orange extract, 2 TBL orange rind and 1 cup cranberries.. sorry ..This makes a fragrant and yummy mandebread
I am using orange extract instead of vanilla and dried cranberries instead of chocolate chips. Absolutely amazing and fragrant!! Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe!
Thanks for the recipe, may I suggest adding the rind of one (organically grown) orange and some of the juice. My Bubbie was a fantastic baker but I could never get exact amounts from her, and that’s pretty much my method now as well. Makes it difficult to share actual recipes, so it’s more about sharing baking ideas.
Ah yes… I have my grandmother Hattie’s metal recipe file with at least 4 recipes for Mandelbrod; each is missing either quantities, directions, time or temperature!!! That is what brought me here today…perhaps once I’ve had success I’ll make some notes and go from there. BTW – she was a fantastic baker as was my mom.
I just found your website while searching for Mandelbrot recipes. I’m using my own Bubbie’s recipe, but I haven’t made it in years! My Bubbie’s recipe calls for making the dough into 7 strips. It uses 4 eggs and 1 cup of walnuts. Will try it with almonds next time. Truly enjoyed reading about the history as well as the comments.
Mine already in the oven but I’ll try Beth’s recipe next time. Loved all the comments. This is definitely one recipe that brings out only the best of memories. Thanks so much.
Great recipe, I use half chopped almonds, half chocolate chips and a little almond extract . Parve and easy to make. Everybody loves it and it makes a large amount.
I have a recipe that came from my mother. She worked in a Jewish meat market in Albany, NY in the 1940’s. A woman there gave her a recipe for Mandelbrieter. It is a little different then your recipe calling for 4 eggs combined with 1 cup of sugar. Then you add 4 TB of Crisco or other shortening of your choice and 2 tsp of almond flavoring. I fold in a whole jar of maraschino cherries drained and cut into quarters, and a cup of toasted slivered almonds. Flour and baking powder come last. It forms a very sticky dough like yours looks. However here is where it gets interesting, because I believe you are making it wrong. My mom always always used a cut up brown grocery bag, but I use parchment now. You put a good couple cups of flour on the bag, then spread half you dough out length wise in the flour being sure to cover the dough completely, because now you are going to lift the bag and roll it back and forth over to the edge and then let it roll out onto your cookie sheet! There will be lots of flour and that is okay. It should take up the length of the cookie sheet. You use the rest of the dough and make another roll. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. They will come out nice and brown, and very moist. We slice it on a diagonal, so it looks like biscotti, but it is soft! I have never seen this recreated anywhere other then my mom’s kitchen. It is very difficult to make if you don’t watch how it is done! I just taught my son how to do it, as I will not be around forever!
Hi Mary, mandel bread is typically made to have a biscotti-like texture. To make soft mandel, you simply bake it for less time on the second bake. The technique you share is interesting and I’m sure people will appreciate reading about it. However, I would hesitate to say that any family recipe is “wrong” simply because it has a different technique. This recipe has been in Brina’s family for generations, so to her family it is “right,” just as your technique is “right” for your family. Very glad you are passing the recipe down through the generations, that is important!
Yes, this is what I had growing up as well. Mandel bread was always a thick cake like consistency, I miss it so thank you! I wonder if it was a regional difference in the US? I’m from NY.