Grain-Free Mandel Bread / Biscotti (Kosher for Passover / Otto’s Cassava Flour)

I call this recipe Mandel Bread / Biscotti because there’s little (if any) difference between these 2 cookies. I want everyone to feel free to enjoy them – no matter one’s heritage, or holiday celebrating. With both Passover and Easter coming within the next week, these will be an excellent addition to any holiday dessert table! While delicious on their own, they’re especially fun to dip into coffee or tea!

Both mandel bread and biscotti are traditionally twice-baked, once as a loaf and then again after being sliced. This is what makes them especially crunchy, as opposed to a more cakey cookie. Because the moisture is baked out of them, they can be made days ahead and retain their freshness, especially if kept in an airtight container at room temperature. (Unfortunately, I can’t report how long exactly this recipe will stay fresh since we gobble them up way too quickly!!!)

This recipe is kosher for Passover, as it’s grain and dairy-free, and doesn’t contain any leavening. It’s made of only a few simple, whole-food ingredients and no refined sugar. The main ingredient is cassava flour, which is a welcome change during the 8 days of Passover when EVERYTHING is made of matzo!

Cassava (a.k.a. yuca) is the incredibly versatile root vegetable that is the focus of this blog. Yuca/cassava is gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, Vegan, Paleo, Whole30 approved, soy-free, and typically considered safe for those following an autoimmune protocol (AIP friendly.) (Note: this recipe is not nut-free, as almond flour and slivered almonds are added.)

Click link : Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava.)

Click link: Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca (Cassava.)

Cassava flour is a whole-food flour made simply by drying and grinding the white flesh of peeled yuca/cassava root. With its neutral taste and similar consistency to wheat flour, it’s easily substituted for wheat flour (or matzo cake meal) in this recipe.

Click link: Getting to Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour

I use Otto’s Cassava Flour for all my baking. It can be found in specialty stores or online here by clicking the link below. 

Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound

Click here, or on the SHOP link in the menu bar above, to see the recommended pantry items and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes.

Check out the yuca/cassava snacks! – All personally taste tested and approved by myself and my family! 

By ordering Otto’s Cassava Flour and other recommended products through our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional cost to you. All recommended products are ones that I personally use in my own kitchen. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!

 Let’s make Grain-Free Mandel Bread / Biscotti

These are incredibly simple to make and delicious to eat!

The word mandel means almond, and biscotti are traditionally made with nuts, so I chose Almond Mandel Bread / Biscotti as the basic version of this recipe. I’ve also included chocolate chip and cinnamon variations below. YUM!!! Feel free to play around with different extracts and add ins to create your own personal favorite.

Almond Mandel Bread / Biscotti    (See printer-friendly recipe below.)

Makes 16 pieces (About 5″ long x 3/4″ high)

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup Otto’s Cassava Flour

2/3 cup almond flour

4 teaspoons potato starch

2/3 cup avocado oil

2 cage-free eggs

2/3 cup organic maple syrup

2 teaspoons almond extract

1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl blend dry ingredients, including Otto’s Cassava Flour, almond flour, potato starch, and salt. In a second bowl blend wet ingredients, including avocado oil, egg, almond extract, and maple syrup. Combine contents of two bowls by adding wet ingredients to dry ingredient bowl. Blend thoroughly. Mix in slivered almonds.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough in half. With moistened hands, form 2 loaves on parchment lined baking sheet. To ensure even baking, make certain thickness of loaf is even throughout.

Place on middle rack of preheated oven (set to 350 degrees) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. 

Using a spatula, carefully place each loaf onto a cutting board. Using a fine, sharp knife, slice into cookies. Carefully place cookies back on parchment lined baking sheet, cut-side down, and place back into oven for an additional 15 minutes to dry and lightly brown. (Check after 10 minutes to ensure cookies aren’t burning.)

Once edges brown, remove from oven and allow to cool.

Enjoy!!

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Flavor Variations:

Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread / Biscotti      (Kosher for Passover)

For the chocolate chip version, simply swap out the slivered almonds for dairy-free chocolate chips! I use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels. or Pascha Organic Dark Chocolate Chips (55% or 85% cacao.) They’re both gluten, dairy, soy, and nut-free! Check them out by clicking link below!

Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels, 9 Ounce

Mini Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Morsels can also be used.

Cinnamon Mandel Bread / Biscotti     (Kosher for Passover)

For the cinnamon version, swap out the almond extract for vanilla extract and leave out the slivered almonds. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to batter, and sprinkle additional on top.

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5 from 2 votes

Print

Grain-Free Mandel Bread / Biscotti (Kosher for Passover / Otto's Cassava Flour)

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

I call this recipe Mandel Bread / Biscotti because there's little (if any) difference between these 2 cookies, and I want everyone to feel free to enjoy them - no matter their heritage, or holiday celebrating. They are Kosher for Passover, but would be an excellent addition to one's Easter dessert table as well! While delicious on their own, they're especially fun to dip into coffee or tea! These cookies are twice-baked, once as a loaf, then again after being sliced. This is what makes them especially crunchy. Since the moisture is baked out of them, they can be made days ahead and retain their freshness, especially if kept in an airtight container at room temperature. (I can't report exactly how long they stay fresh since we gobble them up too quickly to know!!!) The main ingredient is cassava flour, which is a welcome change during the 8 days of Passover when EVERYTHING is made out of matzo!

Course: brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: Italian, Jewish

Servings: 16

Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup Otto's Cassava Flour
• 2/3 cup almond flour
• 4 teaspoons potato starch
• 2/3 cup avocado oil
• 2 cage-free eggs
• 2/3 cup organic maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a large bowl blend dry ingredients, including Otto's Cassava Flour, almond flour, potato starch, and salt.

3. In a second bowl blend wet ingredients, including avocado oil, egg, almond extract, and maple syrup. 

4. Combine contents of two bowls by adding wet ingredients to dry ingredient bowl. Blend thoroughly.

5.  Mix in slivered almonds.

6. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. 

7. Divide dough in half and place each half on parchment lined baking sheet. 

8. With moistened hands, form 2 loaves. To ensure even baking, make certain thickness of loaf is even throughout.

9. Place on middle rack of preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. 

10. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

11. Using a spatula, carefully place each loaf onto a cutting board.

12. Using a fine, sharp knife, slice each loaf into approximately 8 cookies (loaf can easily crumble if not careful.)  

13. Carefully return sliced cookies to parchment lined baking pan, repositioning them so they're cut-side down. 

14. Place back into oven for an additional 15 minutes to dry and slightly brown. (Check after 10 minutes to make sure they aren't burning.) Once edges brown and cookies harden, remove from oven and allow to cool. 

15. Enjoy!

Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey.  My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional.  If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.