Food and Recipes Desserts Cookies Mandel Bread Be the first to rate & review! Biscotti-like Mandel Bread are twice-baked delights best served with coffee or tea. By Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse is a pastry chef and food writer with over 15 years of experience in the culinary arts. She's worked as a pastry chef in some of the finest restaurants in New York City, as a culinary instructor, and as a recipe developer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on March 2, 2025 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Active Time: 35 mins Chill Time: 3 hrs Total Time: 5 hrs 45 mins Yield: 40 cookies Jump to recipe These slender, pecan-studded cookies may look like biscotti, but are actually a traditional Jewish cookie. They're called Mandel Bread, and the name comes from the Yiddish word mandlbroyt, which means almond bread, as a common ingredient in the cookies is almonds. This recipe, courtesy of Anita Estroff, of Vidalia, Georgia, uses a more Southern nut instead: pecans. These cookies bake up deliciously crisp on the edges with a more tender crumb in the center. The combo of vanilla, almond, lemon, and orange extracts pairs perfectly with the pecans, or alternatively, melty chocolate chips bejeweled throughout. (A combination of both nuts and chocolate is lovely as well.) This recipe has a relatively high yield, making it great for gifting and sharing with loved ones. The dough can also easily sit overnight, meaning you can split up the baking to fit your schedule. Editor's note: The recipe was contributed by Anita Estroff; the intro and recipe tips were written by Katie Rosenhouse. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 6 large eggs 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. lemon extract 1 tsp. orange extract 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chopped pecans Directions Beat eggs: Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Increase mixer speed to high, and gradually add sugar; beat on high speed until mixture has doubled in volume and is pale yellow in color, 4 to 5 minutes. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Reduce mixer speed to medium; gradually beat in oil and almond, vanilla, lemon, and orange extracts until combined. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Combine ingredients, and chill: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Add chocolate chips or nuts; fold by hand with a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and chill until dough is firm, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Shape dough: Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape one-fourth of the dough (about 1 3/4 cups) into an 8- x 4-inch rectangle (about 3/4 inch thick) on 1 half of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with another one-fourth of the dough, spacing rectangles 3 inches apart. Cover and refrigerate remaining dough until ready to use. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Bake dough: Bake in preheated oven until edges are lightly golden and tops bounce back when pressed, about 20 minutes. (Dough rectangles will spread significantly in oven.) Let cool on baking sheet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Slice cookies: Carefully place 1 cooled rectangle on a cutting board. Cut crosswise into about 10 (3/4-inch) slices, wiping knife clean between cuts. Return slices to parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cut side up, spacing 1/4 inch apart. Repeat with second rectangle. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Bake again: Bake at 300°F until lightly golden around edges and toasted, 20 to 25 minutes, carefully turning cookies once halfway through baking. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Finish and cool: Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Let cookies cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack, 30 to 45 minutes. While cookies cool, repeat shaping and baking process with remaining chilled dough. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The Difference Between Biscotti and Mandel Bread At first glance, it may be hard to pinpoint the difference between biscotti and Mandel Bread. They're both sliced, twice-baked cookies, firm in texture and dotted with nuts or chocolate chips. But while they're both perfect for dipping in tea, coffee, or even wine, Mandel Bread are often made with additional fat for cookies that aren't quite as dry as biscotti, and tender enough to be enjoyed on their own. Mandel Bread are also typically sliced thicker than biscotti, and are sometimes coated with cinnamon sugar for a sweet touch on the exterior. Ingredients for Mandel Bread Made primarily using pantry staples, here's what you'll need to make Mandel Bread: Large eggs: Whipped to add volume and lightness to the dough.Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cookies.Vegetable oil: Added for a rich crumb.Almond, vanilla, lemon and orange extracts: Using multiple extracts may seem unusual, but the nuanced boost of flavor can't be beat.All-purpose flour: The base of the cookie dough.Baking powder: Leavens the cookies.Kosher salt: Enhances the flavor of the Mandel Bread.Chocolate chips or chopped pecans: For additional flavor and texture. Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser How To Store Mandel Bread Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Freeze for longer storage (up to three months). Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Frequently Asked Questions Can I substitute the type of flavoring used to make Mandel Bread? If you prefer one type of extract over another for this recipe, you can use what you prefer and leave out the others. You can also flavor these cookies using zest or spices. Can I add dried fruit to Mandel Bread? Just like biscotti, Mandel Bread can be made using a variety of nuts, chocolate chips, flavored chips, or dried fruit in the mix. Just substitute the nuts or chocolate chips for an equal quantity of any mix-in you prefer (or a combination). Does the dough need to be chilled for Mandel Bread? Chilling the dough makes the cookie dough easier to shape, and keeps the rectangles from spreading too quickly in the oven. We recommend chilling for that classic Mandel Bread cookie shape. Can I make bigger or smaller Mandel Bread? Shape the cookies into longer, thinner rectangles for smaller cookies. Go larger for bigger ones (you'll need to adjust the baking time based on the size of the rectangles). Rate It Print Additional reporting by Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse is a pastry chef and food writer with over 15 years of experience in the culinary arts. She's worked as a pastry chef in some of the finest restaurants in New York City, as a culinary instructor, and as a recipe developer. learn more