My mom and grandmother always used finely chopped nuts in their mandel brot, but I found that nuts always made for ragged edges when you sliced the logs ~ or tiny holes where the nuts fell out. So, I use extract but don't put any actual nuts in the dough. If you don't have butter pecan extract, you could substitute any nut extract that you have.
BUTTER PECAN CINNAMON Swirl MANDEL BROT
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened ……..………………….. 1 TB cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar......…...……………...………….. 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
(note: I always buy dark brown sugar. I've never understood why light brown sugar even exists ~ if you want to use brown sugar, you want it to TASTE like brown sugar!)
2 eggs ………………………………………...…………............ 1 tsp butter pecan extract
1 tsp vanilla extract ……………………………...……...... 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder .............................................cinnamon sugar (for sprinkling before baking)
***
Preheat oven to 350. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or spray). Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and extracts; mix well. Stir in flour and baking powder. (Mixture will be very stiff). Divide into 4 portions, leaving 1 portion in the mixing bowl ~ patting or rolling 2 portions into logs on 1 baking sheet and the other portion on the other baking sheet (I make my logs the length of the 15" baking sheet).
TIP: If it seems a little sticky, you can put the dough into logs on your pan with a tablespoon ~ then smooth them out (with a dampened finger), so they're all even (about 1-1/2 to 2 12" logs, about 6" wide for biscotti ~ 3 smaller logs, about 2" wide for mandel brot). If it isn't that sticky, gently roll the dough into 1-1/2 large log or 3 thinner ones.
Now add the 1 TB cinnamon to the 4th portion that's in the mixer bowl and beat until it's well combined. Drop it alongside the 3 logs on the baking sheet (doesn't have to be precise). With your fingers (which works best if you keep them damp, so I do this on the counter next to the sink), twist & turn the cinnamon dough into and around the original dough so that it's somewhat swirled.
Now flatten down the logs with your fingers and even up the sides, tops & bottoms. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the logs. Bake them for 10 minutes ~ then switch the position of the baking sheets in the oven, and bake another 10 minutes.
Cut a tiny slice off of each end (throw away or eat it.) Slice into about 1/2" to 3/4” wide slices while hot, and flip onto their sides (I use a long, thin serrated knife). All 3 logs should fit onto 1 cookie sheet now. Return to oven and bake another 9 minutes or so. ** Cool and drizzle or spread with glaze. I do about 8-10 slices and then add sprinkles (so the glaze doesn't harden up by putting the glaze on too many at a time).
Makes about 50 slices of mandel brot ~ or about 2 dozen larger biscotti.
BUTTER PECAN or CINNAMON GLAZE
about 3/4 cup powdered sugar (or more, if needed)
Butter Pecan or Cinnamon liquid coffee creamer ~or~ milk or cream
~or~ a few drops butter pecan extract (or whatever nut extract you want)
~or~ about 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Whisk whatever liquid you're using into the powdered sugar ~ 1 tsp. at a time ~ until it's a nice, smooth drizzle consistency. Adjust consistency by adding more powdered sugar or liquid.