Mutzenmandeln get their name from their shape: The word “Mandeln” means “Almonds” and these sweet carnival pastries are shaped like almonds.
I Don’t Like Carnival!
Mutzenmandeln are baked and consumed during carnival weeks between January 1st and Ash Wednesday. Since carnival (here in the US known as Mardi gras) is a tradition mostly celebrated in the region of Rheinland (Dรผsseldorf, Bonn, Essen, Kรถln and the area around), I have no real relation to this recipe from my childhood and honestly? I don’t really like carnival. You can’t get any work done during that time if you have colleagues from that area because they are either too drunk to work or simply unexcused absent – most of the time probably both. Don’t try to call anyone in the first half of February if they are located in the Kรถln, Dรผsseldorf area, it’s not worth your time. It’s like they are having a two weeks long crazy office Christmas party there.
But many people in Germany really get excited about this often weeklong celebration and since it is connected to heavy drinking, it is a good idea to have a stomach filled with good food, too.

Bevor Lent
The German “Karneval” (carnival) ends on Ash Wednesday where lent begins. So, to make up for the following weeks of sacrifice, people really enjoy stuffing themselves with good food beforehand. That is why many of the recipes during that time are rich in ingredients and often sweet.



Mutzenmandeln are just one of the pastries traditionally eaten during this time. The “Berliner” or “Krapfen” that I made for New Year’s are also a part of the feasting. The Mutzenmandeln might also remind you of the “Schmalzgebรคck” from the Christmas markets. While Schmalzgebรคck is made with a yeast dough, Mutzenmandeln have baking powder as a rising agent – or Pottashe if you can get it anywhere.
Mutzenmandeln
Equipment
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g Flour All Purpose
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 150 g Sugar
- 3 ct. Eggs
- 150 g Butter or Margarine soft
- some Rum Extract
For the frying
- 750 ml Oil i.e. peanut oil, coconut oil
For decoration
- some Confectioners Sugar or regular Sugar
Instructions
- Put all dough ingredients into a mixing bowl and use a kneading attachment to create a dough.
- Give the dough a short knead by hand, then wrap it and put into the fridge for one hour.
- After the resting time in the fridge, roll out the dough.
- Heat the Oil to 170ยฐC / 340ยฐF.
- Cut out the almond shapes with the cookie cutter as shown in the video.
- Put some of the almond shaped dough pieces into the hot oil – don't but in too at a time many though!
- Fry until they have a nice golden color, then take them out with a slotted spoon and put them onto a cooling rack.
- Sprinkle with sugar or confecioners sugar immediately.
Isnโt it called Muzemandeln? Iโm from the Rhineland originally but moved to the UK 28 years ago… Iโm not a fan of them by the way but Iโm loving your rye bread recipe which Iโm in the middle of trying out for the first time. Thank you for the videos, they are very helpful.
It’s with “Mutzenmandeln” in my cookbook but I guess there are different ways to write or pronounce this, it might be regional. I can imagine that in Rhineland it is said without the “n” in the middle. Maybe I have the “Hochdeutsch” Version?
Need to activate the Metric to USA standard measurements and quantity conversion.
Thanks
You are right, that’s one more thing that was lost when they migrated my website to the new server. I am working on it. It’s a paid plugin extension that I need to reactivate but can’t yet. Will be back soon though! Sorry for the inconvinence.
great recipes. thank you
great recipes thank you
Mardi Gras isn’t celebrated all over the US as it is along the Gulf Coast region. Of course the New Orleans Mardi Gras is the most famous, it actually has its origins in Mobile, AL – where I live now. But I grew up in northeastern Indiana where it is not celebrated at all. Kids still go to school. Parents still go to work. Unlike in the south where it is very much celebrated like the Rheinland, and I’m not a big fan of it either. However, I am a big fan of the treats, and I’ll be adding Mutzenmandeln to that list!