Zimtsterne, or cinnamon stars, are German Christmas cookies that are as delicious as they are beautiful. It’s hard to believe such a stunning cookie comes from just 5 simple ingredients!
Zimtsterne are a traditional German Christmas cookie. The name literally translates to cinnamon stars and although the flavor is pure cinnamon-almond goodness, the texture is somewhere between a macaroon and a meringue. They manage to be both a little bit crunchy and a little bit chewy, a lot like the pecan meringue cookie my mother used to make.
Why You’ll Love This Zimtsterne Recipe
- An impressive holiday treat. These cinnamon stars are a beautiful addition to a cookie tray, and you don’t need to know how to wield a piping bag to make them pretty—a few sliced almonds form the star pattern in the center.
- Only 5 ingredients. Even with such a short list of ingredients, these cookies are surprisingly not short on flavor. The combination of cinnamon and almonds is a definite winner.
- A fun baking project. Zimtsterne are definitely a labor of love. If you have the time and patience for a little extra effort, however, they are certainly worth it!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Confectioners’ sugar – Sift this to remove any lumps.
- Sliced almonds – Not almond slivers; the thin slices of almond that still have the brown skin on the edges.
- Ground cinnamon – Learn more: Types of Cinnamon: A Home Baker’s Guide
- Egg whites – You can freeze the yolks to use for an egg wash or in a recipe that calls for yolks only like lemon curd.
- Lemon zest – Here’s how to zest a lemon.
How to Make Zimtsterne
- Process the dry ingredients. Combine 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar, 10 ounces of almonds, and cinnamon in a food processor and process until the nuts are ground.
- Whip the egg whites. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites on high speed. Once they form soft peaks, slowly begin to add the remaining confectioners’ sugar and continue whipping until the whites are somewhat stiff.
- Finish the cookie dough. Reserve 2/3 cup of the egg white mixture, then add the ground almonds and lemon zest to the rest. Fold it together.
- Turn out the dough. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Flatten it and dust with confectioners’ sugar, then cover with a second sheet of paper.
- Roll the dough. Roll the dough until it’s 1/4-inch thick. Flip it over and peel off the top sheet of paper, then lay it back on the dough. Flip and peel off the paper from the other side.
- Cut the cookies. Use a star cookie cutter to cut cookies and place them 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Gather the scraps and repeat until you’ve used all of the dough.
- Add the meringue. Spread the reserved egg white mixture onto the tops of the cookies. Arrange the sliced almonds on the meringue.
- Bake. Place the pans in a 250ºF oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden and the meringue is crisp. Turn off the oven and leave the door open to let the cookies dry for 10 minutes before removing them.
Tips for Success
- Chill if needed. If the dough becomes too sticky while rolling or cutting, place it into the refrigerator (or even the freezer) for a few minutes. Chilled dough is easier to work with and helps maintain the cookie’s shape.
- Take care with the meringue. Be gentle when spreading the meringue on top of the cookies. Using a light touch ensures a smooth, even layer and prevents it from dripping over the sides, giving your zimtserne a more polished look.
- Get a head start. Zimtsterne dough can be frozen between sheets of parchment or waxed paper for up to 2 weeks. This is an excellent way to prep for holiday baking.
How to Store Zimtsterne
- Room temperature: Zimtsterne will keep for up to 10 days in an airtight container. They will become chewier as time passes.
- Freezer: You can freeze zimtsterne for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container.
Get the Recipe:
Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars)
Yield
about 24 cookies
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Additional Time
10 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) are sweet, homey German Christmas cookies that require only 5 ingredients to make!
Ingredients
- 2 & 1/4 cups (247g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 15 ounces (425g) sliced almonds (about 4 & 1/2 cups)
- 1 & 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
- Place 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar, 10 ounces (283g) of the almonds (3 heaping cups), and the cinnamon in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground.
- Using an electric mixer on high speed, whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Continue whipping and gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar, mixing for about 2 more minutes. The whites should be thick, creamy, and somewhat stiff. Set aside 2/3 cup of the egg white mixture for tops of cookies.
- Gently fold the ground almond mixture and lemon zest into the egg whites mixture. The dough will be stiff.
- Lay a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper on a clean, flat work surface. Place the dough on the paper. Flatten the dough and lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Cover the dough with another sheet of paper.
- Roll the dough between the papers to a 1/4-inch thickness. Carefully flip the dough over. Gently peel off the top sheet of paper. Lay the paper back onto the dough and flip again. Peel the other sheet of paper so that the dough is not stuck to either sheet of paper.
- Using a 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gather and re-roll the dough as needed.
- Use an offset spatula or small spoon to spread the remaining meringue mixture on top of each cookie. Do not let the meringue drip over the sides. Place the remaining almonds on top of meringue in whatever pattern you like.
- Bake 30 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are light golden brown and the meringue is set and crisp. Turn off the oven and open the oven door. Leave the cookies in the oven for 10 minutes to allow them to dry.
Notes
The dough can be frozen between sheets of parchment or waxed paper for up to 2 weeks. The baked cookies will keep for 10 days in an airtight container and will become chewier.
Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network.
Recommended Products
Bake or Break is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
24 Comments on “Zimtsterne (Cinnamon Stars)”
They are just lovely.
beautiful cookies!
These are gorgeous, and so tasty sounding, too!
Wow, these look fantastic! Great photos, and they sound delicious.
Thanks, everyone! I have to admit that they’re pretty, but definitely much work.
They look gorgeous.i’m very tempted to make these, but i dont see a recipe on the page.
I made these for the first time this year and love them! So delicous! I didn’t figure out the freezer trick and got so frustrated with how sticky they were, I made them into drop cookies. They were still delicious and now have a permanent spot in my Christmas cookie list! Your pictures are gorgeous!
OMG!! This is the most beautiful cookie I have ever seen!
Kate, there is a link to the recipe in the text, but I added one at the top that’s easier to see. Happy baking!
Sarah, aren’t they delicious? The freezer trick saved us A LOT of heartache. That is some sticky dough!
Patricia, you are so sweet. Thank you very much!
These are definitely not “painstaking”. Probably the easiest cookies I’ve ever made. Try making Lebkuchen if you want to know about painstaking. In any event, you will be rewarded for your efforts.
Exactly. My late significant other’s mother’s Lebckuchen recipe begins with how many pounds of fruit, flour, etc to use. A good old metal food grinder was used to the point of sore arms for days. I remember my trepidation reading a recipe containing ten pounds of just one of the many ingredients. An antique bowl – perhaps huge copper vessel is more accurate – held the batch as all the ground goodies were mixed in with flour and spices etc. Then, the hours of shapingcutting and baking occurred. Her Zimsterne (sic) recipe called for equally huge proportions. Of course, the walnuts on the farm were used. So before starting, there was the process of collecting, peeling (yuck), cracking and picking the nuts out of the shells. Her Springerle? First step was to whip 3 dozen egg whites for half an hour. This small batch of Cinnamon Stars is a much more reasonable (and equally delicious) recipe.
Forgive typos above. Fat old fingers on phone!
I’ve never seen anything like this before! How beautiful and unique!
I cannot wait to make these cookies. Meringue combined with almonds-my favourite combo. Wondering if they will keep in the freezer once baked? and if so – should I freeze individually first?
Hi, Susan. I’ve never frozen these cookies, but I would recommend putting waxed paper between layers of the cookies and freezing them in an airtight container.
I am making these right now – so excited. I am a little unclear on when to put dough in the freezer. I am going to roll out btwn parchment and after unsticking put it in the freeze before cutting. Wish me luck.
I made Zimtsterne for the first time, just before a last minute trip to the Cologne Christmas markets two years ago. I had asked a German friend what not to miss and these were on her list. I love them and it’s especially nice that they are gluten free for my gf friends! I love your almond slices on top!
Thank you, Christina! They’re really such lovely cookies. Definitely worth the effort!
Hi. These look amazing! Question, can I use finely ground almond flour instead of having to grind almonds? If so should I use the same amount,the 283grams.Â
Hi, Juliette. You can use the same amount of almond meal or almond flour if the only ingredient listed is almonds.
I’m hoping someone can clarify.  The recipe calls for 15 ounces of almonds, but the directions say to add only 10 ounces to the food processor. That leaves an entire 1.5 cups for decorating?  Thanks!
Hi, Marjie! The only amount that needs to be specific is the amount in the dough. Use however much more you want for decorating. I tend to decorate them sparsely, but some people like to cover the tops more thoroughly.
Oh my! These just shout Christmas! I can’t wait to make them. The crowning glory of any cookie tray.
Thank you! I hope you’ll give them a try. They’re one of my favorites!