Zimtsterne

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer or hand mixer with whisk attachment
• •Star-shaped cookie cutter (5cm)
• •Rolling pin
• •Small offset spatula or palette knife
• •Baking sheets lined with parchment

Instructions

1. 1

   Whip the egg whites and sugar

   Beat the egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Add the sifted powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time, beating continuously until the meringue is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks when you lift the whisk. This takes a good five minutes with a hand mixer, a bit less with a stand mixer. The meringue should look like wet white satin. Add the lemon juice in the final thirty seconds of beating. It stabilizes the whites and keeps the icing from yellowing.

   Any trace of fat in your bowl will sabotage the egg whites. Wipe the bowl and whisk with a cut lemon half before you start. The acid cuts through any invisible grease.
2. 2

   Reserve the icing

   Scoop out about a third of the meringue, roughly 4 to 5 heaped tablespoons, and set it aside in a small bowl. Cover it tightly with cling film pressed directly against the surface so it doesn't crust over. This reserved portion is your Glasur, the icing that goes on top of each star. Don't skip this step and don't be stingy with the amount you set aside. Without enough icing, your Zimtsterne lose their whole identity.

3. 3

   Build the dough

   Into the remaining meringue, fold the ground almonds, cinnamon, lemon zest, and the Kirschwasser if using. Work it together with a spatula or your hands until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. It should hold together when pressed but feel damp and fragile. Don't knead it the way you'd knead bread dough. There's no gluten here, only almond and egg white holding things together. Treat it gently. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least forty-five minutes.

   The chill is not optional. Warm almond dough sticks to everything and tears when you cut it. Cold dough holds its shape and releases cleanly from the cutter. If your kitchen is warm, chill it a full hour.
4. 4

   Roll and ice the dough

   Dust your work surface generously with powdered sugar, not flour. Flour would compromise the gluten-free nature of these cookies, and besides, powdered sugar tastes better. Roll the chilled dough out to about seven millimeters thick. It should feel firm under the rolling pin but not crack at the edges. If it cracks, it's too cold. Let it sit for two minutes and try again. Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the reserved meringue icing in a thin, even layer across the entire surface of the rolled dough. You want it white and opaque but not thick. About two millimeters is right.

5. 5

   Cut the stars

   Dip a star-shaped cookie cutter (about 5cm) in hot water before each cut and shake off the excess. The hot water keeps the sticky meringue from clinging to the metal and dragging when you press down. Cut the stars as close together as you can. Transfer each one carefully to a lined baking sheet using a thin spatula. Gather the scraps, re-roll, chill for ten minutes if the dough has gone soft, ice again, and cut more stars. You'll get two or three rounds from the scraps before the dough gets tired.

   Keep a mug of hot water next to your cutting board and dip the cutter between every single star. It sounds fussy. It isn't. It's the difference between clean white-topped stars and a ragged mess.
6. 6

   Dry the icing

   Let the cut stars sit uncovered at room temperature for at least thirty minutes before baking. The surface of the meringue icing needs to form a dry skin. Touch it gently with your fingertip. If it feels tacky, give it more time. If it feels papery and set, you're ready. This drying step is what gives Zimtsterne their signature look: a matte white top that stays pristine while the edges of the cookie puff and brown around it.

7. 7

   Bake the Zimtsterne

   Preheat your oven to 140°C (280°F). This is lower than you'd expect for cookies and that's the point. Zimtsterne need gentle heat. The icing must stay white. If your oven runs hot and the tops start yellowing, you've lost the visual contrast that makes these cookies what they are. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The meringue top should remain pale white while the edges of the cookie turn just barely golden. The cookies will feel soft when they come out. Don't panic. They firm up as they cool. If you bake them until they feel firm in the oven, they'll be dry as chalk by the time they reach the tin.

   Every oven is different. Bake a test batch of three or four stars first. If the icing yellows, drop the temperature by ten degrees. If the cookies are still raw-tasting after twelve minutes, raise it by five.
8. 8

   Cool and store

   Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them. They're fragile while warm. Once cool, the outside should be gently crisp and the inside should be soft, moist, and chewy with almond and cinnamon. Store them in an airtight tin with a sheet of baking parchment between each layer. Zimtsterne actually improve after two or three days in the tin as the flavors deepen and the texture settles. They'll keep for three weeks stored properly, which is good, because you're going to want them around for the whole Advent season.

Chef Tips

• •Buy whole almonds and grind them yourself in a food processor if you can. Pre-ground almonds lose their oils quickly and the flavor goes flat. Pulse in short bursts. If you process too long, you'll end up with almond butter instead of almond meal.
• •Use Ceylon cinnamon, not cassia. They're different spices sold under the same name. Ceylon is lighter, more complex, with floral and citrus notes. Cassia is the harsh, one-dimensional cinnamon you find in most supermarkets. For a cookie where cinnamon is the defining flavor, this difference matters enormously. Look for Ceylon at spice shops or online.
• •If the dough sticks to your rolling pin, dust the pin with powdered sugar and lay a sheet of baking parchment over the dough before rolling. Peel it back and ice the surface once it's flat.
• •Zimtsterne are perfect make-ahead Christmas gifts. Stack them in a pretty tin with parchment between layers. They travel well and they're naturally gluten-free, which means they're the one cookie on the Christmas plate that almost everyone can eat.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made a day ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Let it sit at room temperature for ten minutes before rolling so it doesn't crack.
• •Baked Zimtsterne improve with age. Make them at least two to three days before you plan to serve them. Stored in an airtight tin, they keep beautifully for up to three weeks.
• •The meringue icing cannot be made ahead. It must be freshly whipped and used while still glossy, or it dries out and won't spread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 18g)