Cherry Chocolate Mandel Bread

Print Recipe

Crunchy almond cookies with cherries and chocolate chips

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Resting Time2

Total Time3

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: Cookies

Servings: cookies

Calories: 174kcal

Author: The Modern Knish

Ingredients

Mandel Bread

1 cup slivered almonds coarsely chopped
½ cup aquafaba (see tips)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup dried cherries chopped
½ cup vegan chocolate chips

Chocolate Drizzle

⅔ cup vegan chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the chopped almonds evenly over the cookie sheet. Toast the almonds in the oven for 5-8 minutes, keeping a close eye to ensure they don't burn. Set aside to cool and turn off the oven.
In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat the aquafaba until consistently foamy, 2-3 minutes.
Add the sugar, oil, and almond extract to the bowl containing the aquafaba and blend on medium until smooth.
Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl and blend until well combined.
Fold in the toasted slivered almonds, cherries, and ½ cup of the chocolate chips with a silicone spatula until well distributed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or place batter in an airtight container and put it in the fridge for at least two hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil your hands, then divide the batter into four flat logs and arrange them on two parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
Allow the logs to cool, about 25-30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 250ºF.
Transfer the cooled logs to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice each log into 8-10 pieces. Place the cookies on their side on two parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp. Turn off the oven and leave the cookies in the oven to rest for at least another 30 minutes or so.
Once the cookies are fully cooled, prepare the chocolate drizzle. Add ⅔ cup of chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon of oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 25-30 second increments, stirring well in between, until the chocolate chips are fully melted and smooth. Use a squeeze bottle or spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.

Notes

Lightly oil your hands before handling the mandel bread batter after it has chilled. This will make it easier to divide up the sticky batter.
When cutting the logs after the first bake, try not to saw the pieces; use a quick, forceful motion to slice the logs.
Note that the cookies will firm up more as they rest, so do not overbake in the second bake.
I like to place the cookies on a wire rack set over a foil-covered baking sheet before drizzling with chocolate. This minimizes the mess.

Nutrition