Mema’s Mondel Brot
Recipe by Belinda Donner · June 2025
A classic twice-baked cookie, crunchy, nutty, and kissed with orange and brandy. Perfect for coffee or tea, and even better shared with someone you love.
Mondel brot (also spelled mandelbrot) is the Ashkenazi Jewish cousin of biscotti, a twice-baked cookie that’s been a staple of Jewish bakeries and home kitchens for generations. The name means “almond bread” in Yiddish, and these crisp, fragrant cookies are meant for dunking, sharing, and savoring slowly.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups nuts (almonds or walnuts), coarsely chopped
- ½ orange, zested and juiced
- Cinnamon and sugar mixture (for rolling)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Whisk together eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and brandy until well combined.
- 3
Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just incorporated.
- 4
Fold in chopped nuts, orange zest, and orange juice.
- 5
Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each into a log about 1 inch thick.
- 6
Roll each log in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
- 7
Place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
- 8
Remove and let rest 5 minutes. Reduce oven to 300°F.
- 9
Slice logs into cookies about ½-inch thick. Lay cut-side down on baking sheet.
- 10
Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes until golden and crisp.
- 11
Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Chef's Notes
These cookies keep well and are perfect for gifting or dunking in your favorite hot beverage!
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This recipe is shared with love from our community. We hope it brings warmth and sweetness to your table.
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