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Zimtsterne Cookies Recipe

December 9, 2013 by Helene Dsouza 30 Comments

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Helene Dsouza
Zimtsterne are cinnamon almond cookies cut out into different sized star shapes.
Total Time: 30 minutes
4.67 from 6 votes
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Zimtsterne Cookies

Zimtsterne are another variety of popular Christmas cookies in the German-speaking regions, prepared Gluten-free with cinnamon as a main ingredient and cut out into stars.

Learn how to make this Zimtsterne Recipe from scratch with the step by step recipe instructions further below:

Zimtsterne Recipe - German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]. perfect cookies to surprise your loved ones this winter. Tasty, moist, lightly spiced and enriched with cinnamon + almonds. Get the step by step instructions with pictures for the Zimtsterne. www.Masalaherb.com #cinnamon #stars #cookies #christmas #masalaherb

Cinnamon is a favorite spice during the colder winter days in this world.

This warm spice helps us in getting into Christmas mood, as it is transporting most of us into a relaxed peaceful state of mind.

In the northern hemisphere, you will find cinnamon in sweet desserts and baked good.

In India and some countries of the middle east and central Asia, Cinnamon is used in savory dishes as well.

A favorite way, nonetheless, is to bake cinnamon star cookies, or Zimtsterne as we know them in the German-speaking countries.

These cookies are baked during the Advent time in Austria, Germany and Switzerland and are part of the annual cookie swap between family, friends and neighbors.

Zimtsterne Recipe - German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]. perfect cookies to surprise your loved ones this winter. Tasty, moist, lightly spiced and enriched with cinnamon + almonds. Get the step by step instructions with pictures for the Zimtsterne. www.Masalaherb.com #cinnamon #stars #cookies #christmas #masalaherb

Zimtsterne is a few of the traditional Christmas cookies that are completely without flour and can be counted as gluten-free.

Cinnamon stars are an essential cookie in Europe, in fact, many will count them as their favorites because of the nutty and cinnamon rich flavor.

Zimtsterne Recipe - German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]. perfect cookies to surprise your loved ones this winter. Tasty, moist, lightly spiced and enriched with cinnamon + almonds. Get the step by step instructions with pictures for the Zimtsterne. www.Masalaherb.com #cinnamon #stars #cookies #christmas #masalaherb

A while back I received a bottle of cherry schnapps as a gift form my friend in Germany.

The most common use for Cherry schnapps is as a flavor enhancer in the well known Bavarian Black Forest Cake but I had another brilliant idea for it.

I think, cinnamon and cherry schnapps complement each other perfectly, so I dropped some of the cherry schnapps alcohol into the Gluten-free Cinnamon Star cookies.

This has been for sure one of the best flavor combinations that I have come up with, in fact, I can’t imagine baking gluten-free Zimtsterne cookies again without the cherry schnapps.

Of course, cherry Schnapps is difficult to get commodity in this world so count this ingredient as a little secret bonus in this Zimtsterne recipe.

If you get Cherry Schnapps, then, by all means, add some to the cookies, you will be positively surprised by flavors.

To cut out the cookies you can use different sized and shaped stars.

More Christmas Cookies like the Zimtsterne 🍪

  • Vanillekipferl
  • Elisenlebkuchen
  • Linzeraugen cookies

 More spiced foods 🥄

  • Glühwein – spiced mulled wine
  • Potato Goulash – spiced Veg stew
  • Spiced apple compote, yogurt & müsli pots

Zimtsterne Recipe - German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]. perfect cookies to surprise your loved ones this winter. Tasty, moist, lightly spiced and enriched with cinnamon + almonds. Get the step by step instructions with pictures for the Zimtsterne. www.Masalaherb.com #cinnamon #stars #cookies #christmas #masalaherb

Dear Reader, are you planning to bake a batch of Zimtsterne this festive season?

Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comment section further below!

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Zimtsterne Recipe - German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]. perfect cookies to surprise your loved ones this winter. Tasty, moist, lightly spiced and enriched with cinnamon + almonds. Get the step by step instructions with pictures for the Zimtsterne. www.Masalaherb.com #cinnamon #stars #cookies #christmas #masalaherb
Zimtsterne Cookies

Zimtsterne Cookies Recipe

Zimtsterne are cinnamon almond cookies cut out into different sized star shapes.
4.67 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Austrian, German
Keyword: cinnamon star cookies, zimtsterne recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 50 cookies
Calories: 70kcal
Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

Ingredients

For the Cookie dough

  • 1⅔ cups Powdered Sugar
  • 2 Egg Whites
  • 3 cups Almond flour
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon ground
  • 2 Tablespoons Water or try to get Schnapps such as cherry schnapps
  • pinch Salt

for the Egg glaze

  • 1 Egg white
  • 1⅔ cup Powdered Sugar
  • few drops of water optional and only if the glaze is too thick
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Separate the egg whites from the yolk. Keep the egg yolks for another dish. Beat the Egg whites to a stiff consistency. Then continue to beat the eggs and add a batch at a time of powdered sugar until all the powdered sugar is added to the egg whites.
    Gluten-free Cinnamon Star Cookies #ChristmasWeek www.masalaherb.com
  • The consistency should be a bit thicker at this point.
    Gluten-free Cinnamon Star Cookies #ChristmasWeek www.masalaherb.com
  • Now add the almond flour, cinnamon powder (cherry schnapps optional) and pinch of salt and mix the whole content with a spoon.
    Gluten-free Cinnamon Star Cookies #ChristmasWeek www.masalaherb.com
  • You will notice that the dough will get tough and sticky. Form the dough into a ball
    Gluten-free Cinnamon Star Cookies #ChristmasWeek www.masalaherb.com
  • Spread a clean wrap on the working surface and wrap your dough into it. Let cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
    Gluten-free Cinnamon Star Cookies #ChristmasWeek www.masalaherb.com
  • Before you take and roll out the dough, preheat the oven to 300° Fahrenheit/ 150° Celsius!
  • First we will prepare the egg glaze by beating the egg white with the powdered sugar. Add a few drops of water if it is too thick. The glaze should be shiny smooth, like a white paint consistency.
  • To roll out the dough place a baking sheet (butter paper) at the bottom and add some almond flour so that when you roll out the dough it won’t stick too much. Roll the dough out to a 1/2 centimeter/0.3 inch thickness and cut out your stars with the cookie cutter.
    Gluten-free Cinnamon Star Cookies #ChristmasWeek www.masalaherb.com
  • Place your stars on the baking sheet and with a fine brush spread the white sugar glaze equally.
    Gluten-free Cinnamon Star Cookies #ChristmasWeek www.masalaherb.com
  • Bake at 150 Celsius/302 Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes, the cookies should be baked but not raw on the inside. Once baked, leave them out to cool before storing them in an airtight container or metal box.

Notes

  1. The cookies are covered with a sugar glaze before they get baked.
  2. Cinnamon stars tend to be always a bit soft and moist even in a dry environment. Although in a dry environment store the cookies in a tin box with butter paper and apple peel to keep the moisture locked in the cookies. In a humid climate consider of keeping the cookies in an airtight container and keep away from moisture for too long.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Zimtsterne Cookies Recipe
Amount Per Serving (804 g)
Calories 70 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 3mg0%
Potassium 3mg0%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 2g4%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    December 14, 2019 at 3:12 am

    Hi there! As a German gal who has missed out on a lot of traditional goodies since a gluten intolerance kicked in, I’m so pumped to see this! Sadly I’m also allergic to almonds. Is there any substitute that you might suggest? Perhaps a hazelnut or walnut flour? (Are those things?)

    Thanks so much!
    Stephanie

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 14, 2019 at 4:36 pm

      Hi Stephanie,
      Yes, you can substitute almond flour with walnut or hazelnut flour. I don’t know if you can buy walnut flour in your grocery store, but I have seen hazelnut flour on amazon. Another option is to make walnut or hazelnut flour from scratch. I haven’t tried that myself yet but it should be the same procedure as almond flour.

      Reply
  2. Carla says

    December 15, 2013 at 4:49 am

    Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices. I go through so many jars! Never made a cookie completely dedicated to it, so I can’t wait to try these.

    Reply
  3. Ramona says

    December 14, 2013 at 6:35 pm

    beautiful cookies… I love how you decorated them…. very pretty. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Brandie (@ Home Cooking Memories) says

    December 11, 2013 at 11:10 am

    How adorable! I’d love to add these to the list of treats I’ll be making for Christmas this year.

    Reply
  5. Kitchen Belleicious says

    December 11, 2013 at 9:18 am

    yeah they are GF! I can’t wait to try them!

    Reply
  6. Jennie @themessybakerblog says

    December 11, 2013 at 6:26 am

    These are so pretty. I can’t wait to dabble in g-free recipes.

    Reply
  7. [email protected] says

    December 11, 2013 at 2:06 am

    A friend of mine is looking for gluten free cookie recipes for Christmas, and this could not have come at a better time. The clicks looks so cute, and I love your kitchen 🙂

    Reply
  8. Hezzi-D says

    December 10, 2013 at 8:32 pm

    So pretty. I can always use another gluten free cookie recipe! It’s hard to find a good one.

    Reply
  9. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    December 10, 2013 at 7:00 pm

    5 stars
    These cookies are so cute!! I bet they taste fantastic too.

    Reply
  10. Liz says

    December 10, 2013 at 6:12 pm

    These flavors are perfect for the holidays…and your cookies are glazed to perfection! Are these quite firm? I think they’d be lovely hung on the Christmas tree, though I’d be snacking on them WAY too much if they were in full view all day 🙂

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 10, 2013 at 8:28 pm

      Thank you Liz. Yes they are super firm and I believe you can hang them on the Christmas tree. Wish we could do that here, but I doubt, the cookies will attract insects and the humidity. 😉

      Reply
  11. Balvinder says

    December 10, 2013 at 11:10 am

    5 stars
    Helene, I bet these are super duper delicious!

    Reply
  12. Kim - Liv Life says

    December 10, 2013 at 10:34 am

    With the promise of Christmas Spirit along with that fabulous cinnamon cookie, I’m totally making these!! My husband is having difficulty getting into the spirit this year, so maybe these will help. I’ve also got a fundraiser to bake for this weekend… these would be perfect!!!

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 10, 2013 at 2:19 pm

      Yeah my husband too felt the same way, was just not getting into the christmas mood but the cookies did the trick Kim. I wish you all the best and enjoy! =)

      Reply
  13. Shannon | JustAsDelish says

    December 10, 2013 at 9:09 am

    3 stars
    ya another gluten free recipe. what is this cookie called in europe? is there a german/french/austrian name?

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 10, 2013 at 2:10 pm

      We know them in German as Zimtsterne (Cinnamon stars) and in french it’s Etoiles à la Cannelle which is directly translated from German. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Oge @ healthy quick meals says

    December 10, 2013 at 3:31 am

    5 stars
    These cookies look so pretty Helene! Would make a beautiful gift to gluten-free friends. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  15. The Ninja Baker says

    December 10, 2013 at 3:25 am

    Now I know what to do with my cherry liqueur, Helene! Thank you. Your cookies look positively professional and such a bonus that they are gluten free! Yes, cinnamon is a star Christmas spice…Interesting to learn, too, that cinnamon is a savory star in India =)

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 10, 2013 at 2:15 pm

      lol! Do you guys have cherry liqueur in Japan? That would be interesting to learn. Thank you for your kind comment and I am happy to hear that I was able to share my knowledge.

      Reply
  16. Samantha @FerraroKitchen says

    December 10, 2013 at 7:34 am

    How adorable are these???? I think these would be perfect for Hanukkah too!!!

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 10, 2013 at 2:11 pm

      For sure, I never thought of it but you are right Samantha! =)

      Reply
  17. Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry! says

    December 10, 2013 at 6:27 am

    5 stars
    These look so yummy. And the photography is stunning. Love it!

    Reply
  18. Aimee @ See Aimee Cook says

    December 10, 2013 at 5:51 am

    Those are beautiful – and I love the photos as well!

    Reply
  19. Krissy Brasslett says

    December 10, 2013 at 5:51 am

    Christmas cookies brings back so many good memories. Yum!

    Reply
  20. Lizzy (Good Things) says

    December 10, 2013 at 5:40 am

    5 stars
    Helene, such fun getting ready for the festive season!

    Reply
  21. Stacy says

    December 9, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    What a great idea to add the cherry schnapps, Helene! I’ll bet that did raise the flavor bar to a tasty height. Your little stars are just beautiful!

    Reply
  22. [email protected] Riffs says

    December 9, 2013 at 11:10 pm

    This looks like a really terrific cookie! I love that it’s gluten-free — we’re fine with gluten, but have friends who aren’t, so it’s always good to have choices. Love the food styling on the photos! Really nice – thanks.

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      December 10, 2013 at 2:18 pm

      I see it the same way, it’s always good to have choice and nowadays many people have food restrictions due to health issues, so recipes like that do come handy. Happy to know that you see it the same way John! Cheers!

      Reply
  23. Jen @JuanitasCocina says

    December 9, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    These are so beautiful, Helene! I’m going to share them with a GF friend!

    Happy day #1!

    Reply

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