This was a special recipe as my friend Nico told me about this “cookie.” He is half German and grew up eating this. He mentioned he LOVES marzipan and when I tried this cookie it made sense. It is a soft cookie with a crunchy sugar glaze.
Is Zimtsterne Gluten-Free?
Zimtsterne traditionally is gluten-free! It uses almond flour, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon. There’s no flour involved. It has a nutty flavor due to the almond flour but apart from that uses no other nuts.
What Is Vanilla Sugar?
Vanilla sugar is vanilla flavored powdered sugar. I was able to buy it from a German specialty store but you can also find it online. However, it is super easy to make it on your own! You need vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar.
To make a large amount of vanilla sugar mix 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. If you only want to make the small amount needed for this recipe, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons of powdered sugar and the smallest drop of vanilla extract possible.
How Do You Make Zimtsterne?
Zimtsterne is easy and doesn’t involve a lot of ingredients. You’ll make a frosting and reserve some for a sugar glaze. Add dry ingredients to the mixture. Roll them out and use a cookie cutter to shape. Finally, frost them before baking!
Full list of ingredients and detailed steps at the bottom of this page
Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Sift in confectioners sugar and fold.
Split this mixture as you will need some as icing. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix to form a tough dough.
Shape your cookies and ice them.
Bake them in the oven. When they’re done, turn off the oven and leave the cookies inside with the oven door cracked just a bit. After they’re done cooling, enjoy!
VIDEO: I made these German frosted cookies for Day 11 of Cookiemas
Recipe
Zimtsterne (German Cinnamon Stars)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 250℉. Arrange your oven rack to the bottom rung.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks.
- Into the soft peaked egg whites, sift in the confectioner's sugar. Fold in the sugar delicately until combined.
- Divide this mixture into separate bowls with one bowl having twice the amount as the other. The larger will be used for the dough. The smaller for the glaze. (maths: this is a 2:1 ratio)
- Using the larger amount of mixture, add almond flour, cinnamon, vanilla sugar and salt. Mix this until a somewhat tougher dough is formed. If it is too dry, add some of the egg & sugar mixture that was set aside for the glaze. If it is too wet, add some almond flour or confectioner's sugar
- Dust your surface with some powdered sugar (keeps it gluten free). and roll out your dough with a rolling pin to about ⅓ inch thick.
- Use a 3-inch star shaped cookie cutter to shape your cookies. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Frost the cookies with the sugar glaze. I found using a piping bag to be easiest for me but frost the cookies however you want.
- Bake in a the oven preheated to 250℉ for 30 minutes.
- When done baking, turn the oven off and keep the cookies inside with the oven door cracked just a little. You can use a wooden spoon to keep it open. Let the cookies sit in the turned off oven for another 10 to 15 minutes. This will help them dry out a little.
- Once the time has elapsed, they are probably cool enough to enjoy!