Almond and Cinnamon Star Cookies- Zimtsterne
Almond and cinnamon star cookies, or Zimtsterne, are traditional German treats topped with royal white icing. These bredele, also popular in Alsace, a region in northeastern France known for its rich Christmas traditions, are soft on the inside with a slight snap on the outside. They are perfect for filling a box of assorted Christmas cookies or giving as a gourmet gift.
This recipe is simpler than the traditional version, which uses stiffly beaten egg whites. I will also be sharing that version.
I added candied orange and lemon peel for extra flavor. The subtle almond taste pairs wonderfully with these citrus notes. To recreate the warm festive flavors found in gingerbread, I included a spoonful of four-spice mix: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, but you can use cinnamon alone and adjust the quantity to your taste.
Table of Contents
Video Recipe
Ingredients:
For 36 Cinnamon Star Cookies – Zimtsterne
You can make them slightly thicker, which will yield fewer cookies.
- 150 g sugar (5.3 oz)
- 150 g almond flour (5.3 oz)
- 150 g unblanched almond meal (5.3 oz)
- 50 g candied orange and lemon peel, optional (1.8 oz)
- 1 teaspoon four-spice mix or cinnamon, to taste
- 1 and 1/2 egg whites, more or less depending on the marzipan texture
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
Royal Icing
- 250 g powdered sugar (8.8 oz)
- 1 egg white (45 g / 1.6 oz), more or less depending on texture
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
Preparation Steps:
If you don’t have unblanched almond meal, blend the raw almonds with their skins to a fine meal.
In a large bowl, combine almond flour, unblanched almond meal, sugar, finely chopped candied orange and lemon peel, allspice mix or cinnamon, and softened butter.
Mix well until smooth.
Add the egg white gradually, mixing with each addition. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, until smooth and slightly elastic.
Roll out the dough on a silicone mat to a thickness of about 4 millimeters (1/8 inch), or up to 1 centimeter (3/8 inch) for thicker cookies. Cover the dough with cling film or a cut-out freezer bag to prevent the rolling pin from sticking.
Cut out stars using a cookie cutter, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Let the cookies air-dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F).
Note: keep an eye on the baking time, as the cookies should barely brown if they are to remain soft.
Carefully remove the cookies from the oven with a metal spatula, then place on a wire rack.
Allow to cool completely before glazing.
Royal icing for decoration
Mix powdered sugar with a little egg white and lemon juice. Mix well, gradually adding a little more egg white. The icing will liquefy as you mix vigorously. You want a ribbon-like glaze that flows slowly into the bowl.
Note: if the icing becomes too runny, add a little more powdered sugar.
Place in a piping bag and make a small hole in the bag. You can buy a piping bag with a special royal icing tip. Outline the cookies before filling the center, then spread with a skewer.
Place the Christmas stars on a wire rack and allow to dry before storing in a tin. You can also decorate them differently: double the line around the edge of the cookie, leaving the center empty, then decorate the four corners of the star with multicolored sugar pearls.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for gluten-free cinnamon almond Christmas stars and feel inspired to give it a try. These cookies are a true delight: soft and melt-in-your-mouth, with a slightly crackly texture from the icing.
Zimtsterne (German Almond Cinnamon Star Cookies)
INGREDIENTS
- For 36 Cinnamon Star Cookies - Zimtsterne
- You can make them slightly thicker which will yield fewer cookies.
- 150 g sugar
- 150 g almond flour
- 150 g unblanched almond meal
- 50 g candied orange and lemon peel optional
- 1 teaspoon four-spice mix or cinnamon to taste
- 1 and 1/2 egg whites more or less depending on the marzipan texture
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
Royal Icing
- 250 g powdered sugar
- 1 egg white 45 g / 1.6 oz, more or less depending on texture
- 1/2 lemon juiced
PREPARATION
- If you don’t have unblanched almond meal, blend the raw almonds with their skins to a fine meal.
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, unblanched almond meal, sugar, finely chopped candied orange and lemon peel, allspice mix or cinnamon, and softened butter.
- Mix well until smooth.
- Add the egg white gradually, mixing with each addition. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, until smooth and slightly elastic.
- Roll out the dough on a silicone mat to a thickness of about 4 millimeters (1/8 inch), or up to 1 centimeter (3/8 inch) for thicker cookies. Cover the dough with cling film or a cut-out freezer bag to prevent the rolling pin from sticking.
- Cut out stars using a cookie cutter, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Let the cookies air-dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F).
- Note: keep an eye on the baking time, as the cookies should barely brown if they are to remain soft.
- Carefully remove the cookies from the oven with a metal spatula, then place on a wire rack.
- Allow to cool completely before glazing.
Royal icing for decoration
- Mix powdered sugar with a little egg white and lemon juice. Mix well, gradually adding a little more egg white. The icing will liquefy as you mix vigorously. You want a ribbon-like glaze that flows slowly into the bowl.
- Note: if the icing becomes too runny, add a little more powdered sugar.
- Place in a piping bag and make a small hole in the bag. You can buy a piping bag with a special royal icing tip. Outline the cookies before filling the center, then spread with a skewer.
- Place the Christmas stars on a wire rack and allow to dry before storing in a tin. You can also decorate them differently: double the line around the edge of the cookie, leaving the center empty, then decorate the four corners of the star with multicolored sugar pearls.
- I hope you enjoy this recipe for gluten-free cinnamon almond Christmas stars and feel inspired to give it a try. These cookies are a true delight: soft and melt-in-your-mouth, with a slightly crackly texture from the icing.
Thank you for your visit and comments.