• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Humbly Homemade
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Summer Baking
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Summer Baking
×
Home » Recipes » German Cookies

German Almond Horn Cookies with Almond Paste

Published: Oct 26, 2023 · Updated: Mar 12, 2025 by Carissa Erzen · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
5 from 1 vote

Learn how to make these chewy German almond horn cookies called Mandelhörnchen with just 6 simple ingredients! The soft almond paste + almond flour dough is shaped into horns or crescents, then rolled in sliced almonds. After they bake, give them a generous dip in dark chocolate for the ultimate coffee break treat!

Chocolate-dipped almond horn cookies stacked on a silver platter.

Traditional German Almond Horn Cookies

German almond horns cookies are called Mandelhörnchen since they're shaped in a curve that resembles a horseshoe or the horn of a bull for good luck. They're also known as almond crescent cookies, since their shape is reminiscent of a crescent moon, similar to my favorite German vanilla crescent cookies.

I personally find these popular German cookies quite sweet, so I love to dip the ends in dark or bittersweet chocolate to add a rich, bitter contrast. And since the dough is made with almond flour and almond paste, these old fashioned cookies are light and delicate. Honestly, I love to enjoy these chewy cookies for as a sweet afternoon snack along with a cozy mug of tea, coffee, or German hot chocolate.

Chocolate, almond paste, and other ingredients laid out in bowls and small dishes.

Notes on the Ingredients

  • Almond paste - I always use almond paste instead of marzipan, since it has a coarser texture and won't make your cookies crack-your-teeth-sweet. But if you only have marzipan, you can make my German marzipan cookies instead!
  • Granulated sugar - I prefer using granulated sugar over powdered sugar to create a crispy exterior and a deliciously chewy interior. And don't swap in brown sugar, which will add too much moisture to this already sticky dough.
  • Salt
  • Ground almonds or almond meal - You can also substitute almond flour, which has a finer texture.
  • Egg whites - Provide essential structure to the Mandelhörnchen, along with the necessary moisture to form a dough that sticks together.
  • Almond extract - You can substitute vanilla extract, but of course your cookies will be a little less nutty.
  • Sliced almonds
  • Dark chocolate

Let's Bake these Easy Almond Crescent Cookies!

Below is the process to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

A glass bowl with almond paste, sugar, and almond flour.

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the almond paste, sugar, salt, and ground almonds to form a crumbly mixture.

A hand rolling almond horn cookie dough into a log shape.

3. Take a few tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a log about 4 inches long.

Eight almond crescent cookies on a baking sheet topped with sliced almonds.

5. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until they're dry and golden.

Mandelhörnchen dough in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon.

2. Add the egg whites and almond extract to the mixing bowl, and mix until it forms a smooth, wet, sticky dough.

Unbaked Mandelhörnchen on a piece of parchment paper.

4. Roll the dough in the slice almonds. Curve it into a horseshoe shape.

Melted chocolate in a bowl next to chocolate-dipped Mandelhörnchen.

6. Melt the chocolate and dip the ends of each cookie.

Mandelhörnchen on parchment paper on a fancy silver serving dish.

Almond Cookie Tips

  • If your almond paste is really hard or dry, you can shred it with a cheese grater or pulse it into fine crumbs in a food processor before mixing it with the other ingredients.
  • You can use an electric hand whisk to mix your cookie dough, but I usually mix it by hand with a large wooden spoon.
  • Because the dough is so sticky, it helps to wet your hands with cold water when shaping and handling the dough. Keep a small dish of water nearby to wet your fingers as needed.

How to Store Mandelhörnchen

Store your cooled cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week. I don't recommend storing them in the fridge, since they could absorb moisture and lose their crispy exterior texture.

A person with a book, a mug, and a plate of German cookies.

German Almond Horn Cookies with Almond Paste

Carissa Erzen
Learn how to make popular German almond crescent cookies (called Mandelhörnchen) with just 6 simple ingredients, for the perfect coffee break treat!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Cool Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine German
Servings 14 cookies
Calories 249 kcal

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients
  

Cookies

  • 1 cup almond paste (about 8 ounces)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
  • ½ cup ground almonds (or almond flour)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Toppings

  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate or dark chocolate

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the almond paste, sugar, salt, and ground almonds. Mix it with your hands, breaking up the almond paste by squeezing it between your fingers until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
    (You can also use an electric hand whisk for this, but the almond paste I get is usually too dry for the mixer to break it up easily.)
  • Add the egg whites and almond extract to the mixing bowl, and mix with a wooden spoon or an electric hand whisk until it forms a smooth, wet, sticky dough.
  • Take a few tablespoons of the dough at a time and roll it between your hands or on a clean work surface into a log about 4 inches long. (Because the dough is so sticky, it helps to wet your hands with cold water when shaping and handling the dough. This prevents the dough from sticking to your hands as you roll and shape it.)
  • Place the sliced almonds for the topping in a large shallow bowl. Roll each dough log in the sliced almonds to coat them.
  • Place the almond-coated dough log on the prepared baking sheet, and bring the two edges closer together to form a horn or horseshoe shape.
    Place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on your baking sheet, since they'll spread a little bit in the oven.
  • Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are dry on top and golden on the bottom. The cookies will still be soft when they’re done baking, so gently transfer them to a cooling rack with a spatula to cool and become firm, for about 20 minutes.
  • Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on 30 second intervals, stirring after each time.
    Dip the ends the cookies in the melted chocolate, then return the cookies to the parchment paper-lined baking sheet to allow the chocolate to cool and harden, for at least 1 hour. Enjoy!!

Notes

  • If your almond paste is really hard and/or dry, you can shred it with a cheese grater or pulse it into fine crumbs in a food processor before mixing it with the other ingredients.
  • Don't swap in marzipan for the almond paste, since it could make your cookies too soft and way too sweet.
  • You can substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract, but your cookies will be slightly less nutty in flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 0.1mgSodium: 64mgPotassium: 188mgFiber: 3gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 1mg
Keyword almond crescent cookies, almond horn cookies, Mandelhörnchen
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below - I love hearing from you!

More Easy German Cookie Recipes

  • A stack of half a dozen rye cookies on a plate.
    Old Fashioned Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Three almond flour cookies on a plate on a red linen.
    Old Fashioned Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies with Almond Meal
  • Easy Lavender Lemon Shortbread Cookie Bars
  • A hand holding a half-eaten small cookie next to evergreen sprigs.
    German Marzipan Cookies | Bethmännchen

About Carissa Erzen

Growing up in Germany, I fell head-over-heels in love with ALL the German baked goods, from Lebkuchen to pretzels. Now I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade, where I test and share German sweets lovingly created from scratch. So pull up a chair, and stay a while!

Reader Interactions

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

I'm eggcited to hear from you :) Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

A girl in a pink apron sitting on a kitchen counter.

Hello, I'm Carissa!

I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade. Inspired by my childhood growing up in Germany, I share recipes of delicious German bakes from scratch.

Learn More

Stay Connected

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Sign Up + Never Miss a New Recipe!

Summer Baking

  • A loaf of dark orange bread next to two slices.
    Rustic Tomato Basil Bread (Dutch Oven)
  • Pink cookies in a pile with sliced freeze dried strawberries on top.
    Strawberry Sugar Cookies (Fresh & Freeze Dried Strawberries!)
  • A slice of cake filled with blackberries on a plate.
    Easy Lemon Blackberry Cake with Lemon Glaze
  • A purple cake topped with fresh lemon slices and dried lavender flowers.
    Moist Lemon Lavender Cake with Lemon Drizzle

Trending Recipes

  • German Butter Cookie Biscuits | Butterkekse
  • Authentic German Apple Strudel from Scratch
  • Blueberry Strudel with Phyllo Dough
  • Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles

Footer

Let's Get Baking!

No baking experience? No problem! I've spent the past six years developing fool-proof recipes that anyone can create.

About

  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Shop

Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Cookies
  • Cake
  • Bread
  • Dessert
  • Breakfast

Connect

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Copyright © 2025 Humbly Homemade. All rights reserved.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Rate This Recipe!

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe - it was absolutely delish!!

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.