Healthier Vegan Zimtsterne with a twist

Zimsterne (Cinnamon Stars/Estrellas de Canella) is a cookie which has been part of my childhood either as a dessert or by helping in the kitchen by using cookie cut-out forms and making different-sized stars. Traditionally, Zimtsterne are in the shape of stars but if you do not have star-shaped cookie forms or you do not like stars, then you are welcome to use a different shape.

Zimtsterne is a traditional Christmas cookie from German-speaking countries such as Switzerland and Germany. Its origin is unclear, however, what is known is that it made an appearance around the mid-16^th century in Germany. Back then cinnamon was very expensive (only the very rich could afford and enjoy this delicacy) unlike today where cinnamon has become a spice found in many households.

The original Zimtsterne is only gluten-free but not vegan, as it contains animal products, especially egg whites. This recipe has been inspired by a recipe written by Eva Burg who created the original recipe called Healthier Vegan Zimtsterne for those who have a vegan diet. I want to acknowledge the creativity and work of the original creator from Healthier Vegan Zimtsterne and here you can find the original vegan recipe which inspired me: https://thehealthytart.com/healthier-vegan-zimtsterne/.

I made the recipe with my own twist, especially with the icing because I do not use xylitol at home, since I have two dogs at home. You may ask yourself what does having dogs at home and not using xylitol have to do with each other.  Well, xylitol although it is a sweetener which is safe for human consumption, it is extremely toxic (poisonous) for dogs.

Here is my version of the recipe which is also safe to make in the home of dog owners.

Healthy Vegan Zimtsterne

Course: snack; dessert; friandise                                                                    Cuisine: Vegan

Prep Time: 40 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes                                            Servings: 30

Temperature: 160°C/320°F

Ingredients:

• Zimtsterne Dough

  • 1 tbsp flaxseeds with cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp cold water
  • 280 g ground almond or almond flour
  • 80 g coconut sugar
  • 3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

• Icing

  • 70 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Mise-en-place:

• Before making the cookies. I premixed the flaxseeds with ground cinnamon.

Instructions:

• Zimtsterne Dough

  1. In a bowl, add the flaxseed with cinnamon and cold water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, mix the ground almond, coconut sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.
  3. Now mix in the maple syrup and flaxseed mixture until a crumbly dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
  4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out evenly between two pieces of baking paper. The dough should be between 0.5 and 1 cm thick. Cut out the stars using a cookie cutter[1] and place them on a baking paper-lined baking tray.
  5. Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F
  6. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

• Icing

  1. In a bowl, add the icing sugar and lemon juice. Whisk it together until a sort of thick liquid consistency.
  2. Once the baked cookies have cooled down. Brush them with the icing and let them dry.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!!

[1] Tip: Prior to cutting out the shapes, place the cookie cutters into sugar or almond flour.

Nutrition per serving:

Calories: 81kcal| Total Carbohydrates: 7g | Dietary Fibre: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Protein: 2g | Total Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: <1g|Monounsaturated fat: 3g |Polyunsaturated fat: 1g|Sodium (salt): 2mg (0.005g) | Potassium: 66mg|Calcium: 22mg| Iron: 0.4mg | Magnesium: 28mg