Updated on Dessert

How to make my top 3 favorite Christmas cookies

It’s holiday season and that, in my books is synonymous with baking! This year I didn’t get much time to make elaborate bakes and stuck to quick and simple cookies. Here are my top 3 : thumbprint cookies, Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) and Mandelhörchen (Almond horns). Some of these I make every year and one of them was a first timer but I absolutely loved it and it made it to this list. The former is a sugar cookie while the other two are almond based and make a lovely addition to your cookie box.

Cookie boxes ready to be gifted

1. Thumbprint cookies

Ingredients :

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup mix of white and brown granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 sp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
Jam of choice (I used blackberry)

Directions:

  1. Mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. If the butter is at RT, the mix will be the best.
  2. Add in the egg yolk and combine very well
  3. Throw in the vanilla extract too
  4. In a septette bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (flour, cornstarch and salt) very well
  5. Add the dry ingredient mix to the wet ingredients slowly while mixing to form a crumbly dough.
  6. Make cookies size balls, flatten and place on a lined baking tray
  7. Flatten the centre of the cookies with a spoon to create a depression.
  8. Fill the depression with your jam of choice. Having a berry jam adds a lovely tartness to the sweet cookies.
  9. Bake at 350F or 180C for 18-20 mins
  10. Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack before serving.
Thumbprint cookies straight from the oven

2. Zimtsterne (Cinnamon star cookies)

This traditional German cookie requires more work than the others but I promise it’s worth the effort.

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar
2 egg whites
2 cup almond flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Make a soft meringue from the egg whites : To make a good meringue, add rom temperature egg whites to your mixing bowl and start whisking. When the eggs become bubbly, add 1 tsp salt which helps to stabilize the whites. As the mix increases in volume and gets whiter, add the sugar in batches so incorporate slowly. When you’re done, the mix will look sticky but smooth like icing.
  2. Save about 4-5 tbsp of the meringue and to the rest of the almond flour, cinnamon and form a dough.
  3. Allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins
  4. Roll it out between two sheets of baking paper for ease.
  5. Cut out stars with a cookie cutter
  6. Place the stars on a baking tray and toss them in the oven to bake for 15 mins at 350F or 180C.
  7. Once baked, let them cool and pipe the remaining meringue on top.
  8. Bake again at the same temperature for 5-7 mins
  9. Cool and serve.
Zimtsterne best served with a cup of hot chocolate

3. Mandelhörchen (almond horns)

This recipe requires marzipan which is basically an almond paste that you can get in most supermarkets in the US. If not, it’s very easy to make your own like I did. Just whip up one large egg white with 1 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp along extract.

Ingredients :

1/2 serving of marzipan (described above)
1 cup aloud flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup toasted sliced almond
1/4 cup melted chocolate

Directions :

  1. Mix all the ingredients together except the last two and form a dough
  2. Roll the dough to form mini horns or rainbows
  3. Place on a baking tray and apply egg wash
  4. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top
  5. Bake at 350F or 180C for 20 mins
  6. Cool on a cooling rack
  7. Once the cookies have cooled down, dip the ends in melted chocolate.
Allow the chocolate to solidify before serving

Craving some other Christmas desserts? Check out my mini pavlovas.

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