Zimtsterne, or Christmas almond and cinnamon stars, are traditional German cookies also found in Switzerland and the Alsace region of France. The almond stars are a must-have Christmas recipe for “bredeles” that are melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside, while the royal icing gives them a slightly crunchy exterior.
These cookies are very simple to prepare and make the perfect gourmet gift. These almond Christmas stars are naturally gluten-free, ideal for the holiday season.
gluten-free almond star cookie
I love Christmas cookies; they’re a great way to add variety to snacks. During this festive season, I wanted to share a few recipes to complete your assortment of bredeles and bring joy to your holiday table. These little gluten-free almond Christmas stars are so moist and fragrant.
The almond flavor goes great with the candied orange and lemon peel. To rediscover the taste and scents of Christmas found in gingerbread I added a spoonful of 4 spices to these zimtsterne cinnamon Christmas stars. The 4 spices are cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg, which you can replace with just cinnamon.
Zimtsterne cinnamon star cookies with almonds and royal icing
These gluten-free almond Christmas stars are made from marzipan
Almond paste made with a mix of blanched almond flour and raw almond flour adds a unique touch to these cookies. I wanted the star cookies to have a distinct color compared to calissons. Originally I wanted to make calissons, which my husband loves, but I couldn’t find any candied melon. So the calissons will have to wait for another time.
These almond Christmas star cookies are delicious with candied orange and lemon peel. As we say in our culture, these are elegant cookies, perfect for serving at a birthday buffet, engagement party, or other celebratory gatherings.
We distinguish between simple, affordable cookies and shortbread, and more elegant, prestigious pastries, which typically feature pricier ingredients. Prestige cakes include marzipan, walnuts, chocolate, etc. we also pay more attention to their decoration.
Zimtsterne cinnamon cookies are a delight to enjoy with a cup of coffee.
You can watch the recipe on video :
Table of Contents
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients :
For 36 cinnamon star cookies
- 150 g (5.3 oz) sugar
- 150 g (5.3 oz) almond powder
- 150 g (5.3 oz) raw almond powder
- 50 g (1.7 oz) candied orange and lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon allspice or just cinnamon
- 1 egg white and a half or a large one
- 1 tablespoon of soft butter
Royal icing
- 250 g (8.8 oz) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg white ( 45 g /1.6 oz) or 1 and a half
- 1/2 lemon juice
Preparation steps :
1. Preheat oven to 150°C (300 °F).
2. Grind the raw almonds (with the skin) into a fine powder.
3. In a large bowl, mix the white almond powder, raw almond powder, icing sugar, finely chopped candied orange and lemon peel, four-spice blend, and softened butter.
4. Knead the mixture well until it becomes smooth and homogeneous.
5. Add the egg white gradually, mixing it in as you go. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
6. Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. It should become smooth and elastic.
7. Roll out on a Silpat to a thickness of 4 mm. Cover the marzipan with plastic wrap before rolling it out to prevent the rolling pin from sticking to it. I use a freezer bag that I cut up.
8. Cut out stars and place them on a baking sheet lined with buttered parchment paper.
9. Leave to dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then bake for around 20 minutes.
10. The cookies should be lightly browned. Remove from the oven with a metal spatula and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool.
Royal icing for decoration.
Royal icing
1. Prepare the glaze. Mix powdered sugar with a little egg white and lemon juice. Mix well before adding a little more egg white. Stirring vigorously liquefies the glaze. You should achieve a glaze that forms a ribbon and flows slowly in the bowl.
2. Place in a piping bag, then make a small hole in the bag. You can use a bag with a special royal icing tip. Outline the cookies before filling the center. Spread with a skewer.
3. Place on wire rack and let dry before storing in the box. You can double the line around the edge of the cookie and leave the center empty, then decorate the 4 corners of the star with sugar pearls for an extra touch of elegance.
Christmas stars decoration with royal icing
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Zimtsterne Cinnamon Star Cookies and want to try them. They are melt-in-the-mouth, soft and crunchy with the icing. These almond star cookies are also cherished treats for Eid al-Fitr, the festive celebration marking the end of Ramadan.
Other Christmas Recipes You Might Enjoy
Zimtsterne (German Almond Cinnamon Star Cookies)
Ingredients :
- For 36 cinnamon star cookies
- 150 g (5.3 oz) sugar
- 150 g (5.3 oz ) almond powder
- 150 g (5.3 oz) raw almond powder
- 50 g (1.7 oz) candied orange and lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon allspice or just cinnamon
- 1 egg white and a half or a large one
- 1 tablespoon soft butter
Royal icing
- 250 g (8.8 oz ) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg white (45 g /1.6 oz) or 1 and a half
- 1/2 lemon juice
Instructions :
- Preheat oven to 150°C (300 °F).
- Grind the raw almonds (with the skin) into a fine powder.
- In a large bowl, mix the white almond powder, raw almond powder, icing sugar, finely chopped candied orange and lemon peel, four-spice blend, and softened butter.
- Knead the mixture well until it becomes smooth and homogeneous.
- Add the egg white gradually, mixing it in as you go. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. It should become smooth and elastic.
- Roll out on a Silpat to a thickness of 4 mm. Cover the marzipan with plastic wrap before rolling it out to prevent the rolling pin from sticking to it. I use a freezer bag that I cut up.
- Cut out stars and place them on a baking sheet lined with buttered parchment paper.
- Leave to dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then bake for around 20 minutes.
- The cookies should be lightly browned. Remove from the oven with a metal spatula and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool.
Royal icing for decoration.
- Prepare the glaze. Mix powdered sugar with a little egg white and lemon juice. Mix well before adding a little more egg white. Stirring vigorously liquefies the glaze. You should achieve a glaze that forms a ribbon and flows slowly in the bowl.
- Place in a piping bag, then make a small hole in the bag. You can use a bag with a special royal icing tip. Outline the cookies before filling the center. Spread with a skewer.
- Place on wire rack and let dry before storing in the box. You can double the line around the edge of the cookie and leave the center empty, then decorate the 4 corners of the star with sugar pearls for an extra touch of elegance.
- I hope you enjoy this recipe for Zimtsterne Cinnamon Star Cookies and want to try them. They are melt-in-the-mouth, soft and crunchy with the icing. These almond star cookies are also cherished treats for Eid al-Fitr, the festive celebration marking the end of Ramadan.
Christmas stars with almonds – gluten-free cookie
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