• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sweetphi logo

  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Five Ingredient Fridays
    • Meal Plans
    • Reader Recreations
  • About
    • About & Contact
    • Partnerships
  • Cookbooks
  • Life
    • Love Lists
    • Catching up with the Kelnhofers
    • Travel
  • Shop
  • Work With Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Cinnamon Star Cookies (Zimtsterne)

Dec 19, 2011 · 17 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Cinnamon Star Cookies

I make these delicious cookies every year and they are always a hit at my Christmas Cookie Exchange.  My mother is German and gave me this recipe years ago and it is now a staple over the holidays, she had to translate the recipe (Zimt = Cinnamon, Sterne = Stars) hence the name of the cookies Zimtsterne = Cinnamon Stars! Making these cookies always puts me in the holiday mood, and the end result is just so gorgeous, hope you enjoy making them.

Cinnamon Star Cookies (Zimtsterne)

5 from 1 vote
Print Rate
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 36

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar plus more for rolling
  • 15 ounces sliced almonds with skin (about 4 cups)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 large egg whites room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest about 2 lemons
  • Directions

Instructions

  • Sift the confectioners' sugar. And set aside in a bowl.
  • Put 1/2 cup of the sifted confectioners' sugar, (3 heaping cups) of the almonds and all the cinnamon in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, with just a few larger pieces (will resemble a coarse powdery looking mixture.)
  • Whip the egg whites in a large, clean bowl (bowl must be clean or else this will not work) with an electric mixer on high speed until they hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar while whipping, until the whites are thick, creamy and somewhat stiff, about 2 minutes more. Set aside 2/3 cup of this meringue for topping the cookies.
  • Fold the ground almond mixture and the lemon zest into the remaining meringue to make a stiff dough.
  • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Lay a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on the work surface and lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Turn the dough out onto the dusted paper, flatten and dust with more sugar as needed, and then lay another sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. Roll the dough between the papers until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Flip the dough over and gently peel off a sheet of the paper. For ease when cutting, lay the paper back on the dough, flip again and gently pull off the other side of the paper so that the dough is fully released from it.
  • Cut cookies with a 1-inch star cutter (or whatever size cutter you have that is star or snowflake shaped) and place about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets (the cookies don't expand too much). Excess dough can be rerolled. Use a small spoon, to spread the reserved meringue over the top of each cookie, taking care not to let the meringue drip over the sides (this part takes a while- I ended up using a butter knife to frost them.)
  • Bake cookies until bottoms are light golden brown and meringue is set and crisp, about 20-30 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door to release heat and dry cookies out in the oven for 10 more minutes. These cookies get softer as the days go by! Ok to store in an airtight container or tin for up to 2 weeks!

All the ingredients for the cookies:

zimtsterne cookies recipe ingredients

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And another picture of the cookies…they’re just SO adorable!

Zimtsterne Cookies Recipe

Related Posts

  • First batch of christmas cookies!

      Here is my first batch of decorated Christmas cookies

  • Gluten Free Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

    The biggest thing i'm missing going Gluten Free is all the baking and sweets I…

  • Almondmazing Cookies - Gluten Free Almond Cookies with Dark Chocolate Almond Topping

    When I made these cookies I gave one to my husband and as he was…

Blog Posts, Christmas, Cookies, Dessert, Gluten-Free, Holidays, Recipes, Winter holiday recipes Cinnamon Star Cookies, German Christmas Cookies, german cinnamon star cookies recipe, gluten free cookies, Gluten-Free, sweetphi, sweetphiblog, zimtsterne, Zimtsterne Cookies, Zimtsterne Cookies recipe, zimtsterne recipe

Did you make this recipe? Hashtag with us! Be sure to follow/tag @sweetphiblog and hashtag #sweetphiblog – we love to see what you’re cooking up!”

Get the Weekly Newsletter right in your inbox

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. DogsMom says

    December 6, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    These look delicious and I know they would make the house smell wonderful. It will bring back childhood memories of my dad’s aunts and cousins!

    Reply
  2. Jennifer Johansen says

    November 27, 2013 at 6:05 pm

    I bet these make the house smell amazing!

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      November 27, 2013 at 11:16 pm

      You are so right Jennifer, the house smells amazing after making these cookies!

      Reply
  3. Victoria Cortinas says

    November 23, 2013 at 5:18 pm

    I am going to send this to my mom. She loves cinnamon.

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      November 24, 2013 at 12:13 am

      I think your mom is going to love these!!

      Reply
  4. Sherry Compton says

    November 23, 2013 at 3:35 pm

    These look really good. Love that they get softer over time. I prefer a good soft cookie and can’t wait to try.

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      November 24, 2013 at 12:13 am

      Thanks for the comment Sherry, I think you’ll really love these cookies!

      Reply
  5. Jessica Adams says

    November 22, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    sound amazing. im going to try to make these <3

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      November 24, 2013 at 12:22 am

      Thanks for the comment Jessica, I think you’ll really love these little delicious cookies after making them

      Reply
  6. md kennedy says

    November 22, 2013 at 11:08 am

    So unique, and I love cinnamon. And with the bonus no flower, they are gluten-free. Perfect! Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      November 22, 2013 at 1:45 pm

      They are gluten-free, and I only realized that after making them which makes me love the cookie even more! This is honestly such an amazing little cookie and one that just looks so festive!

      Reply
  7. Lindsay says

    November 20, 2013 at 12:21 am

    These are such pretty cookies! My family loves cinnamon so I’m sure they’ll be a big hit!

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      November 20, 2013 at 10:24 am

      Thanks for the comment Lindsay, these have such a great flavor and are really beautiful to present. Hope your family loves them!

      Reply
  8. Diana says

    November 18, 2013 at 10:57 am

    I am going to have to try these. They look cute and delicious– but I also <3 the German heritage.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Make a Thoughtful Christmas Cookie Box - Sweetphi says:
    November 10, 2021 at 9:50 am

    […] Cinnamon star cookies | Raspberry filled vanilla sandwich cookies | Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with cherries […]

    Reply
  2. Vanilice Serbian Cookies says:
    November 20, 2013 at 5:36 pm

    […]  My side of the family is German, and we always make little cinnamon star cookies called Zimtsterne around the holidays, so adding another difficult to pronounce cookie to the mix shouldn’t be a […]

    Reply
  3. Its Christmas Bakers Addition - Kitchen Aid Mixer Giveaway! - Sweetphi says:
    November 18, 2013 at 9:15 am

    […] like mad, and now you have a chance to win one!  One of my favorite cookies to make every year is Cinnamon Star Cookies (Zimtsterne) and having a mixer makes making the meringue so […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Top 5

Related Posts

  • 1 5 Ingredient Loaded Tater Tots
  • 2 Cottage cheese dip recipe
  • 3 Healthy Slow Cooker Lentil and Vegetable Soup
  • 4 The Best Pumpkin Loaf Ever (Gluten Free and better than Starbucks)
  • 5 Lemonade Pie Recipe

Philia Kelnhofer, Danish, Chicken tacos, Kelnhofer familySweetphi.com is a destination for easy recipes, showcasing beautiful content and inspiration, everyday family life, motherhood, and fun finds from around the web. 

Learn More

Footer

Try these eggless waffles 🧇 We love to double Try these eggless waffles 🧇
We love to double the recipe and freeze a few, they freeze/reheat really well! You just pop the frozen waffle into a toaster! 🤩
Tell us your go-to waffle toppings! 🧈
Get this waffle recipe on the blog! ❤️
https://sweetphi.com/best-eggless-waffles-recipe/
#waffles #wafflelove #breakfast #brunch #recipe #food #foodie #egglessbaking #eggless #noegg #egglessrecipe #kidapproved #kidapprovedfood #mealprep #freezermeals #freezerstash #freezerfriendly
5 ingredient air fryer buffalo chicken nuggets-Rec 5 ingredient air fryer buffalo chicken nuggets-Recipe 👇🏼
1 lb. chicken breasts
1 cup sour cream
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
Blue cheese dressing
These crispy bites of goodness make the perfect appetizer, snack or dinner! 👏🏼
TIP: They can also be made in the oven if you don’t have an air fryer!
Get this recipe on sweetphi.com! ❤️
#airfryer #airfryerrecipes #airfryerrecipe #buffalosauce #buffalochicken #chickennuggets #recipe #appetizer #snack #food #foodie #foodblog #easysnack #easyappetizers #dinnerrecipes #fallrecipe #footballseason #footballsnacks
This shortcut white chicken chili recipe is ready This shortcut white chicken chili recipe is ready in under an hour and is so easy to make!
What’s the shortcut? This recipe uses a jar of salsa verde to really amp up the flavor, without having to make a tomatillo salsa from scratch! 👏🏼
Get this recipe on the blog! ❤️
https://sweetphi.com/shortcut-white-chicken-chili-recipe/
#chili #chickenchili #chilirecipe #easyrecipe #falldinner #fallrecipe #shortcuts #kitchenshortcuts #dinner #mealprep #freezermeals #freezermeal #dinnerrecipe #food #foodiegram
These 5 ingredient sour cream and chive fries are These 5 ingredient sour cream and chive fries are SO EASY 🍟
1. Combine olive oil, sour cream, chives and sea salt
2. Slice potatoes in chunk pieces
3. Coat potatoes in sour cream mixture
4. Spread on pan
5. Bake and enjoy!
You’ll get flavorful crispy oven fries you’ll love as a snack or side to any dish!
Get this recipe by tapping the link in our bio, @sweetphiblog ❤️
https://sweetphi.com/five-ingredient-fridays-sour-cream-chive-fries/
#5ingredients #frenchfries #fries #sourcreamandchive #sidedish #easyrecipe #recipe #easysidedish #food #foodie #cooking #quickandeasyrecipes #snacks #frenchfry #easyrecipe
In this week’s Love List we’re sharing cute, a In this week’s Love List we’re sharing cute, affordable loafers for fall, my favorite kitchen pans, a mini crockpot and a travel necessity you didn’t know you needed!
What are you loving this week! Leave a comment or send me a message! ❤️
https://sweetphi.com/love-list-7-minute-workout-app-and-mini-crockpot/
#lovelist #fallfinds #lifestyle #midwestblogger #midwestmom #amazonfinds #fallfavorites #blog #workoutapp #favoritefinds
It’s true…this is the BEST pumpkin loaf EVER! It’s true…this is the BEST pumpkin loaf EVER! 🍂
Look no further because this recipe helps you make the best pumpkin loaf (gluten free and better than Starbucks)!
This loaf is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself making over and over again – it seems like we’ve made it like a million times!  You can choose your favorite way to enjoy it; add chocolate chips or make it without. It’s flat out amazing either way. This loaf has a great dense texture and spice profile; it’s pumpkiny, but not too pumpkiny – it’s just delish!!
Would you add chocolate chips?! 🎃
Grab this recipe on the blog!❤️
https://sweetphi.com/the-best-pumpkin-loaf-ever-gluten-free-and-better-than-starbucks/
#pumpkinbread #pumpkinloaf #fallrecipe #baking #fallbaking #pumpkinspice #pumpkinseason #pumpkinrecipes
This 5 ingredient apple cider old fashioned cockta This 5 ingredient apple cider old fashioned cocktail recipe is crazy delicious and perfect for fall 🍎
All you need is...
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes bitters
4 oz apple cider
3 oz bourbon
Apple slices for garnish
4 ice cubes
Apple cider and bourbon pair perfectly, and the bitters and fresh apple make an all-around balanced cocktail. Delish!
Grab this recipe on the blog! ❤️
https://sweetphi.com/5-ingredient-apple-cider-old-fashioned-cocktail-recipe/
#5ingredients #5ingredientrecipe #easyrecipe #5ingredientmeal #easymealideas #recipes #fiveingredients #5ingredientmeal #cocktailrecipe #cocktails #applecider #appleciderdrinks #drinks #fallrecipe #fall #bourbon #bourbondrinks #oldfashioned #oldfashions
It’s football season 🏈🏈 and we have your n It’s football season 🏈🏈 and we have your new favorite GAME DAY appetizer!
This queso dip is cheesy, has just the right amount of spices and roasted peppers, just queso perfection with every bite 🧀
What’s your favorite game time food?!
Get this recipe in the blog ❤️
https://sweetphi.com/qdoba-queso-dip-recipe/
#recipe #queso #quesodip #qdobaqueso #copycatrecipe #football #footballseason #gameday #appetizers #snacks #chipsandcheese #snacks #footballsnacks #tailgatefood #slowcooker #crockpot #slowcookerrecipes
  • Recipes
  • Baby
  • Cookbook
  • Five Ingredient Fridays
  • Travel
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · SWEET PHI