Zimtsterne (singular: zimtstern) literally translates to Cinnamon Stars in German. They date back to the 16th century and are now popular in Germany and Switzerland during the holiday season.

Do I need to chill the Zimtsterne dough?

Due to the high almond content, Zimtsterne dough is quite sticky. Chilling the dough firms it up and makes it easier to handle. While you might be able to get away with chilling the dough for just one hour instead of two, I wouldn't recommend skipping this step altogether.

How do I keep the dough from sticking to my rolling pin?

The easiest way to roll out Zimtsterne dough is to place it between two layers of parchment paper. Alternatively, you can sprinkle your work surface with powdered sugar (or flour if you don't need to keep the cookies gluten-free).

Do I have to glaze the Zimtsterne?

Nope, these cookies are excellent even without the glaze! You can leave them plain, dust them with powdered sugar or even get creative with royal icing.

Can I use a different cookie cutter shape?

Definitely! These cookies hold their shape really well in the oven so you can use any cookie cutter you want.

Zimtsterne (German Cinnamon Star Cookies)

Name: Zimtsterne Recipe
Prep time: 2 h 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 3 large egg whites; 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar; 4 cups (400 grams) unblanched almond meal*; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Ingredients

3 large egg whites
2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
4 cups (400 grams) unblanched almond meal*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form.
Sift in the powdered sugar and continue to beat the egg whites until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Transfer ⅓ cup (about 50 grams) of the meringue mixture to a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. This will be used as the glaze.
In a separate bowl, mix together the almond meal, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt. Gradually fold into the egg white mixture until well combined.
Shape the dough into a disc, cover and chill in the refrigerator for two hours.
Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C) and move the oven rack to the bottom third of the oven. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to about ⅓ inch (8 mm thickness). If you don’t have parchment paper, you can sprinkle your work surface with powdered sugar or flour.
Use a 3 inch (7.5 cm) star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Dip the cookie cutter in powdered sugar to keep it from sticking to the dough. Continue to re-roll the dough and cut out stars until all the dough has been used.
Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Spoon a bit of the reserved glaze onto each cookie. Use the back of a small spoon to spread it to the edges of each cookie.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let sit on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Almond meal: Make sure to use unblanched almond meal (made from almonds with the skin still intact). Alternatively, you can pulse whole almonds in a food processor until they reach a finely ground consistency.

Storage: Store Zimtsterne in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Keywords: Zimtsterne, Zimtsterne recipe, German Christmas cookies