Zimststerne are a delicious soft and chewy German-Austrian Christmas cookie. They are made with a few simple ingredients; almonds, egg whites, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. These cookies are the perfect addition to a holiday cookie tray!
Zimtsterne
During the Advent season, Zimsterne are sold at grocery stores, bakeries, and at Christmas markets in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. However, they are so easy to make at home. Plus, you would not want to miss the aroma of the cinnamon and almonds baking in your kitchen.
My parents (German father and Austrian mother) carried on the tradition of celebrating advent when they moved to the United States. We made an advent wreath that had four red candles on it. On Sunday evenings during advent, we would gather around the wreath, light one candle each Sunday, eat German Christmas goodies, including Zimtsterne, Vanillekipfer, and Linzertorte, and sing German Christmas songs. I have wonderful memories of those times.
As my mother's cookie-making helper, my job was to "ice" the cookies before baking them. Admittedly, this is the most time-consuming process of making these cookies, but it is worth it.
For those of you who are gluten-free, this cookie is for you!
My family especially enjoys how chewy and tasty they are. I hope that yours will too!
Jump to:
Ingredients for Zimtsterne
- Egg whites- egg whites need to be at room temperature to get the most volume. Pro Tip: To bring cold eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl, and cover them with hot water for 10 minutes.
- Powdered sugar -You will need additional powdered sugar for rolling out the cookies.
- Almonds-I like to use raw whole almonds with the skin on and grind them in a food processor. You can purchase almond flour if you do not want to grind your own almonds.
- Cinnamon-ground cinnamon.
- Lemon zest- use only the yellow part of the lemon because the bitter white pith tastes unpleasant.
- Dark rum- will add additional flavor, but it is optional. The cookies taste delicious without it.
How to make Zimtsterne Cookies
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff peaks have formed. Set aside 5 tablespoons to use later for the topping.
Add the ground almonds, cinnamon, lemon zest, and rum (if using).
Dust a cutting board with powdered sugar. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out the stars.
Apply the reserved meringue and powdered sugar mixture (icing) to the top of the cookies.
Bake in 300° F oven for 15-20 minutes until they are set.
The cookies will firm as they cool. It is best to wait 24 hours before eating them to allow the flavors and texture of the cookies to develop. However, my family can never wait that long!
Enjoy these chewy bites of goodness!
Don't Miss These Tips
- Be sure the bowl of the mixer and the whisk attachment is clean, or the egg whites will not whip properly.
- Egg whites at room temperature (70°F) whip up better than if they are straight out of the refrigerator.
- If the dough begins to stick in the cookie cutter, wash and dry the cookie cutter and then continue cutting out the stars.
- For best results, I recommend weighing the ingredients with a kitchen scale.
- Don't overbake the cookies, or they will be hard and won't have the chewy texture they are known for, and the frosting will brown.
How to Quickly Bring Egg Whites to Room Temperature
If you need to quickly bring your egg whites to room temperature, place whole eggs (still in their shell) in a bowl and cover them with very warm water. You don't want to use hot water because this could cause the egg whites to start cooking prematurely. Leave the eggs in warm water 5 minutes, and the egg whites will be at room temperature.
Common questions
Translated into English, Zimtsterne means cinnamon stars. Zimt is cinnamon, and Sterne means stars.
Hazelnut flour is a delicious substitute for almond flour or ground almonds.
I love using snowmen and Christmas trees shaped cookie cutters. The white frosting makes them look like snow.
Yes, there is no flour in the cookies, so they are perfect for anyone with gluten intolerance.
Four Methods to Apply the Icing
- Apply the Icing with a small pastry brush. I prefer to use a silicon brush.
- Fill a pastry bag with the meringue icing and attach a small round tip. Pipe the icing on the cookie.
- Use a small spoon (like a teaspoon) and place the icing on the cookie. Then spread it with the back of the spoon.
- Apply the icing with a small metal offset spatula.
Storage
Store the Zimsterne in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
In Germany and Austria, they are stored in beautiful holiday cookie tins. Cookie tins are sold in grocery stores and general merchandise retailers during the holidays.
Gift Giving Idea
Zimtsterne make wonderful gifts for family, friends, and neighbors. They are unusual, delicious, and beautiful. Who would not love a holiday tin box filled with these special cookies?
I hope you try this recipe! Please rate it and comment below. I love hearing from you! ❤️
Print📋 Recipe
Authentic German Zimtserne (Cinnamon Stars) Cookie Recipe
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 68 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Austrian, German
Description
Zimststerne are a delicious chewy German Christmas cookie. They are made with a few simple ingredients; almonds, egg whites, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. These cookies are the perfect addition to a holiday cookie tray!
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (250 grams) powdered sugar Note: You will need additional powdered sugar for rolling out the cookies.
- 3 cups (300 grams) whole raw almonds, finely ground
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from one lemon)
- 1-2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place egg whites in a clean bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat until soft peaks form.
- Add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time to the egg whites. Beat until they are thick and glossy (about 6 minutes).
- Set aside 5 tablespoons of the meringue. Don't miss this important step. This meringue and sugar combination will be used to ice the cookies before they are baked and creates the "white" topping on them.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Fold in finely ground almonds, cinnamon, lemon peel, and rum (optional).
- The dough will be very thick. If it is too thin, add more ground nuts. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour. The dough can be rolled immediately, but I have found that chilling it makes it easier to manage.
- When you are ready to roll out the dough, sprinkle powdered sugar (not flour) on a cutting board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with powdered sugar. Roll out the dough to ¼ inch. Dip the cookie cutter in water and cut out cookies. The scraps can be formed into a ball and re-rolled again to make more cookies. Be sure the cookie-cutter corners don't have any dough in them, or your stars will not have distinct points when they are baked.
I normally use two different sizes of star cookie cutters; 1-1/1 inch and 2-inch star. I think the different sizes look nice on a cookie plate. - Place cookies on the prepared sheet pan. Ice the cookies with the reserved meringue using a pastry brush, small offset spatula, or teaspoon.
- Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes. Remove cookies to a cooling rack. The cookies will firm as they cool.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 month. At my house, they never last that long!
Notes
- Be sure the bowl of the mixer and the whisk attachment is clean, or the egg whites will not whip properly.
- If the dough begins to stick in the cookie cutter, wash and dry the cookie cutter and then continue cutting out the stars.
- For best results, I recommend weighing the ingredients with a kitchen scale.
- Don't overbake the cookies, or they will be hard and won't have the chewy texture they are known for, and the frosting will brown.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: cookie
- Calories: 42
- Sugar: 3.8 g
- Sodium: 3.3 mg
- Fat: 2.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.8 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 8.2 mg
For your convenience, I have included links to Amazon for equipment that I use to make this recipe. “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.” If you purchase the equipment, I'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read my policy.
Kirsten
I grew up with my Swiss (Zurich) mother making this cookie (from a recipe written in German), along with 3 other popular Christmas cookies from her region. This is what I thought Christmas cookies were. I never learned to make them because they were never translated. She passed away this year, and I wanted to try to make them. I found this recipe, and the cookie really tastes just like I remember. As stated, so authentic. I did add the rum, and used the almond flour. I will definitely make this recipe again. Thank you!
Sybil
This is the best recipe for Zimt Sterne. My mother used to make them, and I have looked all over for a recipe that was as good as hers! I am so happy I found your website and these cookies.