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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread

    By Wendy Sondov · Published: Apr 8, 2017 · Modified: Mar 12, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    The recipe for The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread has been requested by everyone who has ever tried it! Mandel bread is a traditional Jewish cookie, related historically to the Italian biscotti. Like biscotti, mandel bread (also known as mandelbrot or kamishbrot) is baked in a loaf shape, then sliced and often baked again for crunchiness. This recipe for The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread replaces the usual all-purpose flour with cake meal (flour made with very finely ground matzoh) and potato starch. They are baked only once to create a melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookie that is more than slightly addicting!

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel BreadMany years ago, there were newspapers. They were made of paper and ink. Newspapers could be delivered to your home or purchased from a drugstore or a metal newspaper box on street corners. When you held a newspaper, the ink would sometimes rub off on your fingers. When you went off to college, your mother or grandmother would clip articles of interest out of the newspaper and mail the article to you. In an envelope. From the post office. The newspaper was the main source of all kinds of information. Besides the obvious reporting of news, the classified section was the go-to source for job searches and real estate. The weekly food section, shared recipes that became family favorites. The recipes were cut-out and stored safely in a recipe box, where those yellowing bits of newsprint became treasured inheritances passed from generation to generation.

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread

    Of course, there are still some newspapers. We get three delivered to our house daily. My kids grew up watching their parents read newspapers, but today they both get their information from the computer. I used to clip articles for my son when he went off to college, but he told me to stop. He could find the same article on the internet. However, a newspaper often shares information you might not have considered googling.

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread

    In those days gone by, there were not only city newspapers, but weekly free local papers as well. In the food section of our local paper, the now defunct St. Louis West County Journal, I found this recipe for The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread. I never would have searched the internet for a mandel bread recipe (Passover or not) because my previous exposure to mandel bread was my grandmother’s nut filled cookies that I stayed as far away from as possible. The word mandel is the German and Yiddish word for almond. However, The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread has no nuts! Instead it’s pure melt-in-your-mouth cookie and lots of chocolate chips. While other Jewish kids were complaining about the lack of good cookies during Passover, my kids were happily munching on The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread, wishing that I would bake it more than once a year!

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread

    I haven’t tried to adapt this recipe using non-Passover ingredients. Though I have seen many recipes for non-Passover mandel bread that use all-purpose flour, the texture is going to be more like a crunchy biscotti. My one attempt to create a gluten free version of this mandel bread using almond flour, didn’t turn out as planned. The dough sort of melted in the oven, resulting in a tray filled with Chocolate Chip Almond Cookie Squares, a new Passover favorite!

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread is guaranteed to be a hit at your seder table and throughout Passover. The relatively dry texture of mandel bread keeps the cookies tasting delicious for at least 7 days.

    Wishing everyone who celebrates a Happy Passover!  Chag Pesach sameach!  ! חג פסח שמח

     

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread

    The World’s Best Passover Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread

    A melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookie ideal for Passover snacking.
    4.91 from 22 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, European, Jewish
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 36
    Calories: 212kcal
    Author: Wendy Sondov
    Adapted From: St. Louis West County Journal newspaper

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
    • 6 large eggs
    • 2 ¾ cups matzo cake meal
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ cup potato starch
    • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together cake meal, salt, and potato starch. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter.
    • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
    • Gradually add the cake meal mixture. Mix until combined.
    • Stir in the chocolate chips.
    • Wet hands minimally and form the dough into 4 loaves on the prepared baking sheet. Each loaf should be about 2” wide. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
    • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until just turning golden brown.
    • Remove from oven and cut on baking sheet while still warm, into ½” – ¾” slices.
    • Use a spatula to move mandel bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
    • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 7 days.

    Notes

    Packing tips
    Wrap 3-4 slices of mandel bread, cut sides together, in plastic wrap. Place wrapped bundles snugly in a plastic storage container or freezer weight ziplock bag.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 202IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheMondayBox or tag #themondaybox!

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pamela Minuk

      April 19, 2022 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      A huge, huge hit! Thank You, Thank you!

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        April 19, 2022 at 8:55 pm

        I so glad that your Mandel Bread was a hit! I've made three batches this year (2 regular and 1 with gluten free cake meal). Happy Passover!

        Reply
    2. Ruthie Stoakes

      April 11, 2022 at 1:39 pm

      Well these are delicious! Just came out of the oven...I read that someone else put them back in the oven for a few min after slicing. I'm definitely interested going to do this! It's perfect for anyone with nut allergies as well! Thank you thank you !

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        April 11, 2022 at 2:06 pm

        Hi, Ruthie. I'm glad you are enjoying the mandel bread. They will taste even better tomorrow! We like ours softer like a cookie but you can definitely second bake (like you do with biscotti) for more crunch. Happy Passover!

        Reply
    3. Adrienne

      April 02, 2022 at 3:08 pm

      I’ve been making this same recipe for years. However, lately I have reduced the sugar and cake flour just a bit. My family has always loved it these. Fun to see them online.

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        April 02, 2022 at 3:49 pm

        Hi Adrienne. I found this recipe decades ago in a local community newspaper. It's been our favorite ever since. 🙂 I love hearing that others have the same recipe and learning where they got theirs! Happy Passover!

        Reply
    4. Sharon

      March 26, 2021 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was simple to make. Once I cut the pieces I than coated them again with cinnamon/sugar and baked them for another 10 - 15 minutes. We like it crunchy and it was great.

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        March 27, 2021 at 9:37 am

        Hi, Sharon. Happy Passover! I'm delighted that you enjoyed this recipe and were able to successfully adapt it to the crunchy texture you like best! The extra cinnamon sugar sounds wonderful!

        Reply
    5. ngood

      March 26, 2021 at 2:57 pm

      3 stars
      Followed the recipe, but the loaves melted into a giant puddle during baking.
      What could have been the problem? Oven is fine, and loaves formed okay at first.

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        March 26, 2021 at 4:06 pm

        Hi. I'm sorry your mandel bread didn't work. I've never had this recipe fail. I've made several batches in the last few days and have been getting comments (see below) on the blog and in social media that the recipe is working for others as written (with butter) as well as with Passover margarine and coconut oil. I can only make guesses while troubleshooting for you. The first question I would ask is whether you made any substitutions? This recipe does not work without cake meal and potato starch. Did you use the amounts indicated in the recipe? Are you sure all of the ingredients made it into the dough? I hope this is helpful!

        Reply
        • Bernice

          April 09, 2022 at 10:07 pm

          Can I use oil to make it parve instead of butter?

          Reply
          • Wendy Sondov

            April 10, 2022 at 7:54 pm

            I haven't ever made these with oil, so I can't say for sure, but margarine works for making the cookie parve. Happy Passover.

            Reply
      • Jodi

        April 14, 2022 at 4:35 pm

        I also just made this recipe with no substitutions at all and they also came out in big giant puddles. They spread almost the entire width of the pain. I make regular biscotti all the time and never had this issue. I am not sure what happens. It is a pity as I was making desserts to bring to someones house tomorrow. Oh well….

        Reply
        • Wendy Sondov

          April 14, 2022 at 7:25 pm

          Hi, Jodi. I'm sorry to hear that your mandel bread didn't turn out. I have never had that happen! If you see my response, I would appreciate knowing what brand of cake meal you used. Today I was making this recipe with gluten free cake meal (for the first time) and noticed a huge difference between Yehuda and Manischewitz. The ingredients are different with the two brands and the Yehuda mandel bread came out much flatter and spread quite a bit. I always use Manischewitz regular cake meal for this recipe and now I'm wondering if the brand used makes a difference.

          Reply
    6. Amy S

      March 25, 2021 at 6:22 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is just what I was looking for. I halved the recipe, added 1/2 c chopped walnuts, and toasted the Mandel Bread slices for 10 minutes at 325, as I usually do for the non KP ones. I also made a vegan batch, using vegan shortening and 1/2 mashed banana per egg. They both came out great!

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        March 25, 2021 at 8:26 am

        Hi, Amy. Thank you for commenting with your great results!! I am delighted that your mandel bread turned out exactly the way you wanted. I am sure your variations will be very helpful to others looking for substitutions! Happy Passover!!

        Reply
    7. Barbara T. Ulanet

      March 24, 2021 at 11:39 pm

      Wendy, what ingredient can I use to replace 1/2 of the sugar or should I jus cut the sugar to 1 cup?

      Is an egg substitute good to use for some of the eggs? If so, can you offer any fat free recommendations?
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        March 25, 2021 at 8:33 am

        Hi, Barbara. Because sugar effects texture as well as sweetness, I am not sure what would happen if you cut out 1/2 cup of sugar. Could you cut out 1/4 cup of the sugar and up to 1 cup of the chocolate chips? I have not made these fat free, but a reader who commented above yours (Amy S) wrote that she successfully used 1/2 mashed banana as a substitute for each egg. Would that work for you? It seems like this recipe works with many kinds of fats (coconut oil, margarine, butter) but I don't know that it could be made completely fat free. I hope this is helpful. Adjusting recipes for dietary requirements can be tricky! Good luck and happy Passover!

        Reply
    8. Marilyn @ marilyndishes

      March 24, 2021 at 1:28 pm

      These are delish!!!

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        March 24, 2021 at 2:22 pm

        Hi, Marilyn. I'm delighted that you are enjoying the mandel bread! I just finished baking two batches myself. 🙂

        Reply
    9. MFA

      March 15, 2021 at 9:23 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for this tasty passover recipe! May i ask about freezing? I'd like to bake and freeze. Thanks

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        March 15, 2021 at 9:56 am

        Hi. You are welcome for the recipe! It wouldn't be Passover at my house without these cookies. 🙂 You can definitely freeze the mandel bread and they really do stay delicious at room temperature for at least 2 weeks. Happy Passover!

        Reply
      • Suzanne

        March 23, 2021 at 8:35 pm

        5 stars
        Do you think I could use coconut oil instead of butter?

        Reply
        • Wendy Sondov

          March 24, 2021 at 7:56 am

          Hi, Suzanne. I have never used coconut oil in this recipe so I am not positive how it would effect the texture of the cookies. In theory coconut oil should work. Recently I've received several requests for non-dairy substitutions. As I start my Passover baking this week I am going to give it a try and add my findings to the notes in the recipe card. Happy Passover!

          Reply
          • Suzanne

            March 24, 2021 at 10:31 pm

            I made them with coconut oil. Fabulous! Great recipe and easy.

            Reply
            • Wendy Sondov

              March 25, 2021 at 8:36 am

              Hi, Suzanne. Thank you for letting me know that the coconut oil works! That will be a great substitute for those who want dairy free and either can't find Passover margarine or prefer coconut oil. Enjoy the mandel bread and happy Passover!

            • Leah

              March 30, 2021 at 8:29 pm

              Suzanne, I have coconut oil but I have never use. How much did you use? Thanks

            • Wendy Sondov

              March 30, 2021 at 8:48 pm

              Hi, Leah. I tried out this recipe with coconut oil and the mandel bread came out delicious. Use the same measurement for the solid coconut oil as for the butter, 1 cup. Enjoy!

          • dy

            April 13, 2022 at 12:58 pm

            hi! what can we use as a parve substitute? Thank you dear

            Reply
            • Wendy Sondov

              April 13, 2022 at 1:33 pm

              Passover margarine works in the recipe as a parve substitute. Happy Passover!

    10. Ellen Warmstein

      April 13, 2020 at 8:14 am

      My supermarket does not have potato starch. Can I substitute with corn starch or potato flakes?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        April 13, 2020 at 9:08 am

        Hi, Ellen. Though I haven't tried it, I think corn starch would work. Both starches are very similar. I wouldn't use potato flakes because it is dried potato pulp not starch and I have no idea how that would effect the recipe. I hope this helps. I'd love to know how your mandel bread turns out. 🙂

        Reply
      • Linda

        March 02, 2021 at 3:55 pm

        Can I use 3/4 cup of canola oil instead of butter? Thank you.

        Reply
        • Wendy Sondov

          March 02, 2021 at 4:06 pm

          Hi, Linda. I haven't tried the mandel bread with vegetable oil, but I think it should work. 3/4 cup of oil would be the correct amount to use instead of the 1 cup of butter. I'd love to know how it works if you give it a try!

          Reply
      • Susan

        March 23, 2021 at 5:43 am

        What about almonds in this recipe? How does one make this to include almonds ? I don’t understand how mandel bread recipes have no almonds (when mandel means almond).

        Reply
        • Wendy Sondov

          March 23, 2021 at 8:00 am

          Hi, Susan. Happy Passover! You are quite right about mandel meaning almond. As I explain in the post, I am allergic to tree nuts (as are many other people) and therefore don't include them as add-ins to my recipes. No problem if you want to make these with almonds though. My recipe includes 2 cups of chocolate chips. Vary the add-ins you use however you like, just keep to the 2 cup amount. If you want chocolate chip- almond mandel bread, I would start with one cup of each. You can always adjust to taste. Enjoy!

          Reply
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