Chewy Zimtsterne Cinnamon Star Cookies with Meringue Glaze

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic German Christmas cookie: chewy almond stars with a crisp, snowy-white meringue top.
• Intense cinnamon aroma and nutty flavor without being overly sweet.
• Naturally gluten-free, made entirely with ground almonds instead of flour.
• Keeps beautifully for days, making it perfect for gifting and cookie tins.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 fresh lemon
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Ground blanched almonds, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract or vanilla sugar, fine salt

Full Ingredients

For the Almond Cookie Dough

• 3 large egg whites, room temperature (about 90 g)
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 250 g powdered sugar (about 2 cups), sifted
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 packet / 8 g vanilla sugar)
• 400 g finely ground blanched almonds (about 4 cups, lightly packed)
• 2½–3 tsp ground cinnamon (adjust to taste)

For Rolling and Glazing

• Reserved meringue from above (about ¾ cup / 150 g) for the white glaze
• 2–3 tbsp finely ground almonds or powdered sugar, for rolling out the dough

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare your equipment and ingredients

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Have a 5 cm (2 inch) star-shaped cookie cutter ready, along with a small offset spatula or teaspoon for spreading the glaze.

Separate the eggs, placing the whites into a clean, grease-free mixing bowl. Let the egg whites come to room temperature for about 10–15 minutes; they whip up with better volume when not cold. Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps, and measure out the ground almonds and cinnamon.

Step 2: Make the meringue base

Add a pinch of fine salt to the egg whites. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. This means the egg whites hold a peak that gently folds over when you lift the whisk.

With the mixer running on medium-high, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, 1–2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until the mixture becomes thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks that stand straight up. This may take 4–6 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla extract just until combined.

Step 3: Reserve glaze and mix the almond dough

Scoop out about ¾ cup (around 150 g) of the stiff meringue into a separate bowl. This will be your glaze later. Cover it so it does not dry out.

To the remaining meringue in the mixing bowl, add the ground almonds and 2½ tsp of the cinnamon. Fold gently with a spatula until a soft, cohesive dough forms. The dough should be thick and slightly sticky, but not runny. If it seems too wet to handle, add 1–2 tablespoons more ground almonds at a time until it holds together. Taste a small bit and, if you like a stronger spice note, fold in the remaining ½ tsp cinnamon.

Step 4: Chill the dough

Scrape the dough into a shallow bowl or onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into a flat disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This resting time helps the almonds absorb moisture and makes the dough much easier to roll and cut.

About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 140°C / 285°F, conventional (no fan). If you must use a fan oven, reduce the temperature to about 130°C / 265°F to keep the glaze from browning.

Step 5: Roll out the dough

Lightly dust your work surface with finely ground almonds, or place the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Rolling between parchment is especially helpful because this dough is naturally sticky and contains no flour.

Roll the dough to a thickness of about 8–10 mm (just under ½ inch). Try to keep the surface as even as possible so the cookies bake uniformly. If the dough sticks, sprinkle a tiny bit more ground almonds, or briefly chill again to firm it up.

Step 6: Cut out and glaze the stars

Dip your star cookie cutter lightly into ground almonds or powdered sugar, then press out stars as close together as possible to minimize scraps. Lift the stars carefully with a small spatula and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 cm (¾ inch) between cookies.

Stir the reserved meringue glaze to loosen it slightly. If it is very stiff, you can add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice or water and mix until it is thick but spreadable. Using a small spoon or offset spatula, spread a thin, even layer of glaze on each star, going right up to the points. The glaze should be opaque but not too thick; a heavy layer can crack excessively in the oven.

Step 7: Bake gently and cool completely

Bake one tray at a time in the preheated oven for 15–18 minutes. The goal is to gently dry the cookies rather than brown them. The glaze should remain white and matte, and the bottom edges of the cookies should just start to take on a light golden color.

Remove the tray from the oven and let the Zimtsterne cool completely on the baking sheet. They will still feel soft when hot but will firm up as they cool. Once fully cooled, transfer to an airtight tin. The flavor and texture actually improve after a day as the spices bloom and the centers become perfectly chewy.

Pro Tips

• Use finely ground almonds: Almond meal should be very fine for smooth cookies. If your almonds are coarse, pulse them with a little powdered sugar in a food processor.
• Keep everything grease-free: Any fat in the egg whites (or unclean bowl) will prevent the meringue from whipping properly. Make sure bowl and beaters are spotless.
• Do not overbake: Zimtsterne should stay pale on top. If they brown, the glaze hardens and the centers dry out. Err on the side of slightly underbaked; they firm as they cool.
• Work quickly with the glaze: If the glaze starts to dry or thicken, stir in a drop or two of lemon juice or water to bring it back to a smooth consistency.
• Reuse dough scraps smartly: Gently press scraps together, chill briefly if sticky, then re-roll. Do not knead too much or the dough can become tough.

Variations

• Orange-spice Zimtsterne: Add 1–2 tsp finely grated orange zest to the dough along with the cinnamon for a warm citrus aroma.
• Hazelnut stars: Replace half of the ground almonds with finely ground hazelnuts for a deeper, toasty flavor.
• Chocolate-dipped bottoms: Once cookies are fully cooled and dry, dip the undersides in melted dark chocolate, then set on parchment to firm up for a luxurious touch.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store fully cooled Zimtsterne in an airtight tin at cool room temperature for up to 2–3 weeks. Place layers of cookies between sheets of parchment to protect the glaze. The flavor actually improves after the first day or two as the cinnamon and almonds meld.

For longer storage, you can freeze baked cookies (well wrapped) for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature in the container to prevent condensation from softening the glaze. You can also make the dough up to 2 days in advance: keep it well wrapped in the refrigerator, then let it soften slightly at room temperature before rolling and baking.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per cookie (1 of 40): about 85 kcal, 5 g fat, 2.5 g protein, 8.5 g carbohydrates, 7 g sugars, 0.8 g fiber, 15 mg sodium. Values will vary based on exact size and thickness of the cookies and glaze.