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!
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.
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.
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the almond paste, sugar, salt, and ground almonds to form a crumbly mixture.
3. Take a few tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a log about 4 inches long.
5. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until they're dry and golden.
2. Add the egg whites and almond extract to the mixing bowl, and mix until it forms a smooth, wet, sticky dough.
4. Roll the dough in the slice almonds. Curve it into a horseshoe shape.
6. Melt the chocolate and dip the ends of each cookie.
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.
German Almond Horn Cookies with Almond Paste
Equipment
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.
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