Zimtsterne - Cinnamon Star Cookies
These cinnamon star cookies are a traditional and very popular Christmas cookie in Germany.
They are made of ground nuts and spices and should be chewy in the middle and crisp on the outside. A bit like a macaron.
Once in the oven, your kitchen will be filled with the most delicious Christmasy smell!
Some say they are a nightmare to make as the dough can be quite sticky. The trick is to chill the dough and I also cover the top with parchment paper when rolling it out.
Happy Baking!
PS: The recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
Ingredients
350g ground almonds
3 egg whites
250g icing sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt
You will also need:
Star cookie cutter (5cm)
Small freezer bag
Additional icing sugar
Method
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 130° fan.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks.
Gradually add the icing sugar, one spoonful at a time and keep whisking until you get a glossy shine.
Remove about a quarter of the mixture and pour it into a freezer bag for the topping.
Mix the ground almonds and ground cinnamon.
Use a spatula to carefully fold in the dry ingredients into the egg whites until well combined.
Chill the dough in the fridge for about 30 min.
Dust your surface with icing sugar or use a non-stick baking mat.
Flatten the dough and dust with icing sugar. Place a sheet of parchment on top.
Roll it out to about 1cm thick.
Peel off the parchment and cut out star shapes. Place them on the baking tray.
Re-roll the dough until you have used it all up.
Cut off a small corner of the freezing back and pipe the icing onto the cookies.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes until the icing is set but not browned.
leave to cool on a wire rack.
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Tip: Don’t over bake the cookies. They will still feel soft to the touch when taken out of the oven and will harden as they cool.