Chocolate Chip Mandelbrot Cookies

Mandelbrot in Yiddish literally means “almond bread.â€‌ The twice-baked cookie made with oil and almonds dates back to 19th century Eastern Europe. There are many variations made of different dried fruits and nuts. My chocolate chip version is more modern-American.

Chocolate Chip Mandelbrot Cookies

Average Rating: 5

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. + chilling Bake: 35 min./batch + cooling
YIELD: about 4 dozen

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons grated orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unblanched almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  • 1. Whisk eggs and 1 cup sugar until well blended. Add oil, orange zest and extract; whisk until smooth. In another bowl, whisk flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into orange mixture. Stir in almonds and chocolate chips. Refrigerate, covered, for 3 hours.
  • 2. Preheat oven to 350°. Using lightly oiled hands, divide dough into 4 portions. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, shape 2 portions into 7x4-in. rectangles. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake until tops are golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
  • 3. Cool on pans on wire racks until cool enough to handle. Transfer baked rectangles to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut diagonally into 1-in. slices. Place cut side down on baking sheets. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over slices. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 127 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated fat), 12mg cholesterol, 42mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.