By: Robin Kurss

My Grandma Esther Grossman made mandelbread for every holiday.  When she moved to Florida, she would send us a tin of them monthly as well. I’ve adapted her recipe for Rosh Hashanah by adding a bit of honey. Wishing you a sweet, happy and healthy New Year!!

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients:
• 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 extra large eggs
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 cup warm coffee (regular or decaf)
• ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips and ½ c sliced almonds
• Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top
• Optional: You can also make this with raisins and walnuts by using ½ cup golden raisins and ½ cup chopped walnuts.

Directions:

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and sift together. In another bowl add the oil, honey, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla, coffee and whisk together well. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix gently to incorporate. If using chips and almonds or other addition, add in.

3. Place dough in fridge for about an hour to firm up (it is stickier because of the honey’s increased water content). Divide the dough in half and shape it into 2 rectangular logs about 10 to 12 inches long by 4 inches wide. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the loaves are set and a little browned on the bottom. Slide the parchment onto a cooling rack and let it sit for 5 minutes. Place back on the cookie sheet and slice mandelbread to the thickness you like. Bake them a second time. Lower the temperature of the oven to 300. Place the cookies cut side down. Bake for 8 minutes and take them out and turn them and bake them another 8 minutes until crisp. Let the cookies cool on the pan. These freeze well if you want to bake them ahead!