Gluten-free Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) with almonds and honey meringue

Gluten-free Zimtsterne made with ground almonds, egg white and cinnamon, with a honey meringue instead of an icing sugar glaze. A Christmas dessert, 194 kcal per three stars.

At a glance

• Serves 10
• Prep time: 50 min
• Cooking time: 12 min
• Total time: 62 min
• Calories: 194 kcal per serving
• Protein: 6 g
• Fat: 13 g
• Carbs: 11 g

Ingredients

• 250g ground almonds
• 2 egg whites
• 3 tbsp honey
• 40g coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

You’ll need: oven · baking tray · mixing bowl · cookie cutters

1. Whisk one egg white with two thirds of the honey and the lemon juice over a pan of hot water for 3 to 4 minutes until thick and glossy. Take the bowl off the water and keep whisking until the meringue has cooled.
2. Knead the ground almonds, coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt, the second egg white and the rest of the honey into a dough you can shape. Chill it for 20 minutes.
3. Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper to 7 to 8 mm thick and cut out stars. Dip the cutter in water every now and then.
4. Place the stars on a baking tray lined with baking paper and brush them thinly with the honey meringue.
5. Bake them in a preheated oven at 150 °C (130 °C fan) for 10 to 12 minutes, so the glaze stays pale and the stars stay soft inside.
6. Let the cinnamon stars cool on the tray before serving.

Good to know

Cinnamon stars are the divas of the cookie tin, but they're worth it. The honey meringue doesn't turn snow-white but ivory – and tastes of more in return.

Swaps

Almonds → half hazelnuts (stronger). Honey → maple syrup in the dough (the glaze holds better with honey). Coconut sugar → more honey (softer dough). Cinnamon → Ceylon cinnamon (milder).

Cooking tips

The meringue is ready when it reaches 60 °C and forms peaks when you lift the whisk. If the dough sticks, roll it out on ground almonds instead of flour.

Storage

Keeps for 3 weeks in a cookie tin; a piece of orange peel keeps them soft.

Allergens

Contains almonds and egg; honey is not suitable for children under one year old; fine during pregnancy, as the meringue is heated.

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