Cinnamon cookies are among the most beautiful scents of Christmas: just a few minutes in the oven, and the house fills with a warm and enveloping aroma that immediately feels festive. Crumbly, golden, and rich with the season’s quintessential spice, these cookies are perfect for baking on December days, perhaps in the company of children while listening to Christmas songs. They are ideal to serve with hot chocolate, to hang on the tree as small edible decorations, or to pack in a box for a tasty, heartfelt gift. In this recipe, I’ll show you how to make fragrant and irresistible cinnamon cookies, ready to bring a touch of Christmas magic to your table…
Here are the recipes for other cookies:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year's Eve
Ingredients
- 2 cups ground hazelnuts
- 1 cup almonds (ground)
- 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 egg white
- drops lemon juice
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- 1 Cookie cutter
Steps
Prepare the dough
In a large bowl, mix almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, and cinnamon.
Separately, lightly beat the egg whites with the lemon juice, just until they become white and frothy (not stiff peaks).
Add the egg whites to the almond mix and stir until you get a soft and slightly sticky dough.
Cover the bowl and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes: it will firm up and be easier to work with.Roll out and cut the stars
Dust the work surface with a little confectioners’ sugar (not flour).
Roll the dough to a thickness of about 3/8 inch.
Cut out the cookies with a star-shaped cutter, dipping it in confectioners’ sugar each time to prevent sticking.
Place the stars on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.Bake
Bake in a static oven at 300°F for 12–15 minutes.
The stars should remain light: they should not darken too much; their characteristic is to remain soft and moist inside.
Let them cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet.Prepare the icing
Beat the egg white with a few drops of lemon juice.
Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until you get a white, glossy, and thick icing, but still spreadable.Using a brush or teaspoon, spread the icing over the surface of each star.
Tips
If the dough is too soft, add a little almond flour.
If it is too firm, add a few drops of egg white.
They can be stored for 1–2 weeks in a tin box: they become even better after a couple of days!
You can add a pinch of star anise powder for a more Christmasy aroma.
Vegan Version: replace the egg whites with 3.5 oz of plant-based milk.
