Zimtsterne Recipe – German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]

Name: Zimtsterne Recipe - German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 50 cookies
Ingredients: 1⅔ cups Powdered Sugar; 2 Egg Whites; 3 cups Almond flour; 1 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder; 2 Tablespoons Water (or try to get Schnapps such as cherry schnapps); pinch Salt; 1 Egg white; 1⅔ cup Powdered Sugar; few drops of water (optional and only if the glaze is too thick)

Last updated on May 18, 2019 By Helene Dsouza 28 Comments

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

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

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 are 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 a many will count them as their favorites because of the nutty and cinnamon rich flavor.

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 compliment 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 to bake gluten-free Zimtsterne cookies again without the cherry schnapps.

Of course cherry Schnapps is a 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. Take some inspiration from the shapes below

Zimtsterne Recipe – German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free] below:

Zimtsterne Recipe - German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]

Zimtsterne are cinnamon almond cookies cut out into different sized star shapes.

4.67 from 6 votes

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Course: Cookie, Dessert

Cuisine: Austrian, German

Keyword: cinnamon star cookies, zimtsterne recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: cookies

Calories: 70kcal

Author: Helene D'Souza

Ingredients

For the Cookie dough

1⅔ cups Powdered Sugar
2 Egg Whites
3 cups Almond flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
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.
The consistency should be a bit thicker at this point.
Now add the almond flour, cinnamon powder (cherry schnapps optional) and pinch of salt and mix the whole content with a spoon.
You will notice that the dough will get tough and sticky. Form the dough into a ball
Spread a clean wrap on the working surface and wrap your dough into it. Let cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
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.
Place your stars on the baking sheet and with a fine brush spread the white sugar glaze equally.
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

The cookies are covered with a sugar glaze before they get baked.
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 Recipe - German Cinnamon Star Cookies [Gluten-Free]

Amount Per Serving (804 g)

Calories 70 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3g 5%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Sodium 3mg 0%

Potassium 3mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 9g 3%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 8g

Protein 2g 4%

Calcium 1.5%

Iron 1.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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

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