Zimtsterne: German Cinnamon Stars

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

Yield: 7 dozen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

A light, sweet, gluten free German cookie delight that is popular at Christmastime.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (285 g) divided in half, powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups (250 g) ground almonds/almond flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 egg whites

Instructions

Preheat oven to 250º F (120º C)

1. In a large bowl, combine half of the powdered sugar, the ground almonds and cinnamon and mix until well-combined. Set aside.
2. 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.
3. Remove 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) of the beaten eggs and set aside in a covered container (I put it in a condiment dispenser for easy decorating).
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Sprinkle some more powdered sugar on top and place another piece of parchment on top.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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 cookies
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 52Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 10mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information is only estimated

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LA Living…

Christmas tree in a building in downtown LA

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