Mandelbrodt with Chocolate Chips

Mandelbrodt is the Jewish cousin of Italian biscotti, and this version is loaded with chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Made with oil instead of butter, it’s naturally dairy-free, which makes it a go-to for kosher baking after meat meals.

The dough gets shaped into flat loaves, baked once, sliced, then baked again cut-side up until toasted and golden. That double bake is what gives mandelbrodt its signature crunch. The cinnamon-sugar coating goes on before the first bake, so it caramelizes into a sweet, fragrant crust.

Flour your hands before shaping the loaves. This dough is oily and sticky, and trying to shape it with clean hands is a losing battle. Keep the loaves about 3 inches wide and ¾ inch tall for even baking and slices that are the right thickness for dunking into coffee or tea.

Pro Tips

• Cut the loaves while still warm from the first bake. They firm up quickly, and cold loaves crumble when sliced.
• Use a sharp serrated knife for clean cuts. A dull blade drags the chocolate chips and tears the dough.
• These freeze beautifully in airtight containers. Pull them out as needed and they thaw in minutes at room temperature.

Variations

• Swap pecans for almonds (sliced or slivered) for a more traditional mandelbrodt.
• Use white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet for a sweeter, milder cookie.
• Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the dough for a citrus twist that pairs well with the cinnamon sugar.