Zimtsterne, or German cinnamon stars are a light, gluten free cookie which I discovered in Germany at the Christmas markets, thanks to a friend. With this authentic recipe, you can make them in your own kitchen, wherever you live.
Originally published December 5, 2013.
The Christmas markets in Germany are definitely something I’ve alway wanted to experience, but never actually thought about planning a trip for a few reasons.
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First of all, there’s the time factor, and the cost of the trip (because I live in Los Angeles and can’t just pop over to Germany for a weekend getaway). It’s also bad timing for me to go in December because the kids are still in school. However, that all changed overnight, last week, so I’m leaving for Cologne, Germany on Monday! (<– this is from 2013)
UPDATE (after my trip): Here’s why you should go to the Christmas Markets in Germany!
I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say everything worked out beautifully, and I was able to book a flight, and will be in Germany this time next week!
Advice from a German friend
Because of this last minute trip, I called my friend Barbara, who is originally from Germany, to ask if there is anything I shouldn’t miss when I get to Cologne. She said there isn’t anything in particular that she could think of, but just to taste everything I see (good advice).
She then went on to tell me about some cinnamon star cookies her mother always made at Christmastime.
Barbara sent me a translated page for a recipe, which had the ingredients, but was missing the baking instructions.
Another nutty Christmas cookie recipe you may enjoy: Almond bread.
So I found another recipe on Food Network and sort of made a combination of both recipes. I have to tell you, these cookies are delicious! They remind me of a French, cinnamon macaron because they also just happen to be gluten free!
What are Zimtsterne?
From the combination of zimt, meaning cinnamon, and sterne, meaning stars, zimtsterne are cinnamon stars. Thanks, Barbara!
How long do Zimsterne keep? Can I freeze them?
Because of the few ingredients and the icing, zimtsterne can keep in a sealed container, preferably a tin, for up to a month. They freeze well if for some reason you need to keep them longer.
NOTE: due to the difference in ground nuts and nut flours, I highly recommend that you use a scale for best results
Zimtsterne: German Cinnamon Stars
adapted from a German friend’s recipe and directions from Food Network
makes about 7 dozen 2″ cookies (84)
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Preheat oven to 250º F (120º C)
Make the Zimsterne dough
In a large bowl, combine half of the powdered sugar, the ground nuts and cinnamon, and mix until well-combined. Set aside.
Beat egg whites in bowl with mixer until soft peaks form. Add the other half of the powdered sugar and continue to beat for another 2 or 3 minutes until thick and creamy.
Remove 1 1/4 cups of the meringue mixture and set aside in a covered container (I put it in a condiment dispenser for easy decorating). TIP: test the meringue before putting it in a bottle. If the icing runs off the cookie, add a little more sugar until it stays in place, but isn’t too thick.
Add the almond mixture to the rest of the egg white mixture.
Mix thoroughly until a dough forms. Cover and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Place some parchment paper on the counter and sprinkle with powdered sugar, then place the dough on top and shape into a ball, then slightly flatten it. Sprinkle some more powdered sugar on top and place another piece of parchment on top.
Roll the dough out to 1/4″ thickness, then cut out star shapes; re-roll the dough, to cut out more until it has been completely used. I used a 5 pointed star and 6 pointed star shaped cutter (the latter is the more authentic of the shapes to use).
Coat the Zimtsterne with meringue
Place on a parchment or silicone sheet lined cookie sheet, then cover the top with the reserved meringue mixture. 
As I said earlier, using a condiment bottle makes it very simple to decorate the tops of these cookies (and others, as you’ll see me using this for my snow cookies).
Continue decorating until all the cookies are coated in meringue.
Bake the Zimtsterne
Place in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn off the oven, open the door slightly and allow to dry out for another 10 minutes or so, before removing from the oven. Place the cinnamon stars on cooling rack to cool completely. These cookies are almost more dried than baked. The meringue should still be white after baking.
Serve with a cup of tea, coffee or, for a German market experience, Glühwein (mulled wine) or even a Rüdesheimer coffee!
These make perfect cookies for an exchange or to give to friends and neighbors because they keep for a long time. Give them on a pretty Christmas plates which they can keep! Zimtsterne are also great to ship in care packages for the same reason. If you need to, they freeze perfectly, too.
Enjoy!
Another gluten free almond recipe from What a Girl Eats: Mandelbread.
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Zimtsterne: German Cinnamon Stars
A light, sweet, gluten free German cookie delight that is popular at Christmastime.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (285 g) divided in half, powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups (120 g) ground almonds/almond flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 4 egg whites
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250º F (120º C)
- In a large bowl, combine half of the powdered sugar, the ground almonds and cinnamon and mix until well-combined. Set aside.
- Beat egg whites in bowl with mixer until soft peaks form. Add the other half of the powdered sugar and continue to beat for another 2 or 3 minutes until thick and creamy.
- Remove 1 1/4 cups (120 ml) of the beaten eggs and set aside in a covered container (I put it in a condiment dispenser for easy decorating).
- Add the almond mixture to the rest of the egg white mixture and mix well, until a dough forms. Cover and put in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Place some parchment paper on the counter and sprinkle with powdered sugar, then place the dough on top and shape into a ball, then slightly flatten it.
- Sprinkle some more powdered sugar on top and place another piece of parchment on top.
- Roll out to 1/4" thickness, then cut out star shapes; re-roll the dough, to cut out more until it has been completely used.
- Place on a parchment or silicone sheet lined cookie sheet, then cover the top with the reserved meringue mixture. Using a condiment bottle makes it very simple to decorate the tops of these cookies (and others; see NOTES). Continue until all the cookies are coated in meringue.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn off the oven, open the door slightly and allow to dry out for another 10 minutes or so, before removing from the oven. Place the Zimtsterne on cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Before coating the cookies, check the meringue mixture; if it runs off, add more sugar until it flows smoothly and doesn't run off the cookie. Don't make it too thick so that it doesn't set smoothly, though.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 3 cookiesAmount Per Serving:Calories: 52Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 10mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information is only estimated
LA Living…
Christmas tree in a building in downtown LA
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I love when I find an inherently gluten-free recipe for Mason. These are so pretty and we all love cinnamon. It would be such a treat and so delightful to go to a Christmas market in Germany. One day! :-) ~Valentina
Put it on your list, Valentina! You will not be disappointed! :)
Zimtsterne Are one of my favorite cookies from Germany! I’ve never made them, though, so thanks for this recipe. Also, I love that you use the condiment bottle for the royal icing. Brilliant! This post brought back so many memories of my visits to Germany at Christmas time, and going to the Christmas markets. There’s nothing like them… It was sad that they closed this year, but better to miss one year and be be ready and healthy for all those in the future. We are putting up our Christmas tree today, and adding the candles in the candleholders I bought at the Christmas market when I was there in 1981. Thanks for the wonderful memories, Christina! maybe I will make some Zimtsterne over the holidays to celebrate the confluence of Jupiter and Saturn (which I know are planets, but they look like stars)!
I know!! The German Christmas markets are incredibly magical! How can you not get into the Christmas spirit there?! I spent an entire week just going to all the markets in Cologne 6 years ago and wish I could do a different city every year! I think you’d like this recipe. I used half pecan and half almond flour on my most recent batch, but I think hazelnut are my favorite! :) Have fun putting up the tree!
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Christina, Merry Christmas! This cookie looks very interesting for my gluten free guests. Can I use my almond flour for this recipe? Not sure if it’s the same thing as grinding my almonds. Do these keep or should I do them closer to the 25th? Thanks for all your great recipes! Nancy
Hi Nancy!
Ground almonds have a thicker texture than almond flour, but I would imagine it would still work! These keep really well, just put them in an airtight tin and they will be totally fine next week. Thank you for enjoying my recipes! :) Merry Christmas and let me know how you like the Zimtsterne. :)
Christina
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Hi!
I’m trying to make these but the dough is coming out very sticky so it’s impossible to cut into stars! Do you have any suggestions or know where I went wrong?
Thank you so much!
Hi Margaret, yes, I’d advise weighing the ingredients as it’s much more precise. I add cups as many people don’t have a scale, but I do try to encourage everyone to buy one. They are indispensable in the kitchen.
Use plenty of powdered sugar
I love almonds and I love cinnamon, so I’ll take a dozen, please. ;)
You could probably easily eat a dozen, too!
What a pretty and delicious sounding cookie. I love baking treats that have a history behind them.
Thanks, Julie! I do too!
I hope you had fun on your trip (I see this was awhile back)– I haven’t been to Germany yet! I did fly on a German airline- but sadly, no cookies lol. These look delicious!
Yes, it was a few years ago, but it was brilliant! You simply must go to Germany, especially if you can make it to the Christmas markets!
These are really pretty! I like that they are gluten free too. I think Germany will be fun! It’s one of those places I would love to go.
It really was one of my most memorable European trips, Debi! I hope you can visit, too!
These cookies remind me of german lebkuchen! But these are much simpler and they sound delicious too!
You should try them, Diana! They’re delicious!
[…] over to Christina’s Cucina for this authentic German cookie recipe, which also happens to be […]
I made these cookies for Christmas, and unfortunately made them too big. I ended up with 14 cookies. However, that was not a problem. My sister loved them so much she took 4 home from dinner on Christmas day. The next day she called me to request the recipe. She ate all 4 cookies (the equivalent of 8 regular sized ones). She is a skinny girl,so they were a lot for her to eat! She felt the cookie size was just fine. She got the recipe and made more of them for herself. I assume that she will make them next Christmas!
Many thanks for this recipe. It is is a hit!!
So glad the larger cookies weren’t a problem, Marilyn! I have to agree with your sister…they are a tad bit addictive to me, too! I made tiny ones, but I can assure you that I ate more than a few at a time every time I ate some (several times a day) Haha! Thank you for letting me know, I appreciate it! CC
[…] Zimtsterne: German Cinnamon Stars […]
Amazing. I can’t believe they’re gluten free and paleo! The almond four is surprising in its performance–not flaky or nutty as I would expect, but chewy and sweet. This will be a new fave in our house for the holidays.
I know! I thought the same thing, and as I don’t like marzipan, I didn’t think these would be something I’d love either, but I do! Not a strong almond flavor at all, and great to give as gifts to GF friends! So glad you like the recipe! CC
Those are gorgeous cookies, have a wonderful time in Cologne. Happy Holidays!
Thank you, thank you!! Merry Christmas!! :)
Have your glasses of Gluhwein when you go to the Weihnachtsmarkt! Check out the Holzcraft (wooden carved ornaments and candle holders). Enjoy the Sandkeks and Pfeffernusse! Am besten Wünsche für eine gute Reise!
Wow, Susan!! Thank you for the great tips and best wishes (I had to use google translate, haha!) I was blown away by the photos of the Christmas markets in Cologne and we’re staying near the cathedral, so I’m sure I’m going to love it! Hope I can take the cold weather after all these years in California! :)
Those cookies look wonderful.
Have a blast in Germany. Try to get to Rothenburg ob der Tauber for the best Christmas ornament shopping.
http://www.germanyatchristmas.com/rothenburg-ob-der-tauber-christmas-on-the-romantic-road/
I’ve always wanted to go to Rothenburg, Cathy, in fact my travel agent highly suggested we go there on our honeymoon, but we couldn’t go everywhere ;( I’ll only be in Cologne this time, but I will get there one day!
Have a fabulous time! Thank you for all the great recipes.
Thank you, Angela!! I absolutely will!