Zimtstern: Cinnamon Star Cookies
Zimtstern: Cinnamon Star Cookies
Have you ever heard of Zimtstern? It’s the German word for “cinnamon star.” These pretty little morsels are authentic German cookies that are made traditionally with almond flour. My grandparents immigrated to Canada from Germany years ago after the war. So, growing up my mom carried on some of their German Christmas traditions with our family; one of them being that we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas morning. My mom would always go to a local German bakery and buy some authentic goodies for the holidays. These Zimtsterns were one of them!
These cookies have very few and simple ingredients:
Almond Flour - superfine, blanched almond flour works best for this recipe.
Powdered Sugar - be sure to sift the powdered sugar so that there are no hard bits.
Cardamom - a somewhat specialty spice that adds another dimensions of flavour to the cookies.
Cinnamon - of course, cinnamon is the star of the show here! You can’t make them without!
Egg Whites - egg whites are the only wet ingredient in this recipe, so they play an important role in holding the dough together. You can use fresh, separated egg whites or a store-bought carton of egg whites. I prefer the carton because there is no risk of getting any yolk in the mix. If there is even a bit of yolk mixed in, the egg whites won’t whip to stiff peaks.
These aren’t your typical Christmas cookies because they are made with almond flour, but if you are wanting to try something different this year I highly recommend these beauties. They would be a beautiful addition to your Christmas cookie swap or bunter teller. Also, if there is someone who is gluten-free in your family or friend circle, these are perfect to have around for the holidays for those! Not to mention, they’re just pretty to look at and fun to make! Happy baking everyone!
Zimtstern: Cinnamon Star Cookies
Ingredients
- 350g superfine, blanched almond flour (about 4 cups)
- 2 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 eggs whites
- 250g powdered sugar, sifted (about 2 1/4 cups), plus more for topping
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cinnamon, cardamom and salt until combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, add the egg whites and whip with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Sift in the powdered sugar and add the vanilla. Beat again until fully combined. Remove 1/4 cup of the egg white mixture and set aside.
- Fold the remaining egg whites into the almond flour mixture until completely combined. You should have a stiff dough that is slightly sticky.
- Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to about 1/4" thick.
- With a star cookie cutter, cut out the stars and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the cookies with the reserved egg whites.
- Preheat the oven to 280F.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 15-16 minutes. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack.
- Dust the tops of the cookies all over with powdered sugar and enjoy!