Glazed Cinnamon Nut Cookies - Zimtsterne
When it comes to traditional German Christmas cookies, it doesn't get much better than Zimtsterne! With their sweet cinnamon flavor and crunchy texture, German cinnamon stars have been a holiday staple in Germany for centuries.
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups ground almonds I would not recommend almond flour as it is too fine. If you use almond meal, you might need to adjust the amount.
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tbsp. almond liqueur OR 1 tbsp. pure almond extract plus 1 tbsp. water or milk
Glaze
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Blend almonds, powdered sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk egg whites with a fork until foamy or to soft peaks with a stand mixer. Mix in almond liqueur or almond extract plus water.
- Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and knead until everything is well combined. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- For the icing, beat the egg white while gradually adding the powdered sugar.
- Sprinkle your working surface with powdered sugar. To roll out the dough, work with a quarter of the dough at a time. Roll the dough out to ¼-inch in thickness.
Method 1: cookie cutout and frosting
- With a floured or wet cookie cutter, cut out stars and place them on the baking sheets.
- Spread or brush the icing evenly on the stars and place them in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before baking.
Method 2: cookie cutout and frosting
- Spread a thick layer of icing evenly on the whole sheet of dough.
- Freeze for 2 hours before cutting out and baking the cinnamon stars.
Baking:
- In a 275°F preheated oven, bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (see notes for tip)
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5-10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Baking Tip: If you are using a convection oven, you can bake two baking sheets at the same time. If you are using an oven without this function, you should bake the cookies one sheet at a time on the lowest rack.
Nutrition
Yield: 1 CookieCalories: 60kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 2gFat: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gNet Carbohydrates: 5g