Cinnamon stars made in the Thermomix® work so well because we grind the nuts ourselves. Here is how we do it: grind 300 g almonds and 100 g hazelnuts for 20 seconds at speed 10, mix with 200 g freshly pulverised icing sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp vanilla sugar for 10 seconds at speed 7, then knead in 2 eggs and a pinch of salt for 15 seconds at speed 5. Chill for one hour, roll out to 1 cm thick, brush with egg-white glaze and bake at 170 °C top and bottom heat on the lowest rack for 12 to 13 minutes. This makes 45 pieces.
Shop-bought ground almonds are too fine and turn oily during mixing. Grinding them yourself gives the right texture for a firm, crumbly dough. That is the one point where the Thermomix® really makes a difference with cinnamon stars.
Cinnamon stars are a Swabian Christmas biscuit from the 16th century and rank among the finest cookies because the recipe calls for 400 g of nuts to just 300 g of sugar. They are also naturally gluten-free, as there is no flour in the dough. That is precisely what makes them tricky to roll out, and that is exactly where the following steps help.
Classic Cinnamon Stars, Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 8 ✓
- 300 g sugar
- 300 g almonds
- 100 g hazelnuts
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg
Instructions 0 / 5
-
1
Pulverise the sugar.
Add the sugar to the mixing bowl and pulverise for 15 sec / speed 10, then transfer to a bowl.
-
2
Grind the nuts.
Add the almonds and hazelnuts to the mixing bowl and grind for 20 sec / speed 10. Add 200 g icing sugar, cinnamon and vanilla sugar and mix for 10 sec / speed 7.
-
3
Bring the dough together.
Add 2 eggs and the salt and stir in for 15 sec / speed 5. Remove the dough, wrap in cling film and chill for about 1 hour. Rinse the mixing bowl.
-
4
Whip the egg white.
Separate the remaining egg, place the egg white in the mixing bowl and add the remaining icing sugar. Whip for 3 min / speed 3.5 until foamy.
-
5
Bake the cinnamon stars.
Preheat the oven to 170 °C top and bottom heat. Roll out portions of dough between two sheets of baking paper to 1 cm thick and cut out stars. Place the stars on a baking-paper-lined tray, brush with the egg-white glaze and bake on the lowest rack for about 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Tip: Try making the cinnamon stars with almonds only instead of mixing them with hazelnuts.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why 300 g almonds and 100 g hazelnuts carry the flavour
This recipe deliberately uses a 3:1 mix of 300 g almonds and 100 g hazelnuts. Almonds alone would be too mild. The hazelnuts add a slight bitter note that supports the cinnamon. A 2:2 ratio becomes too nutty, while 4:0 is too flat. Anyone who wants an even deeper flavour can replace 50 g of the almonds with walnuts.
It is important not to grind too finely. 20 seconds at speed 10 is enough. If the Thermomix® runs for too long, the nut oils are released and the dough becomes greasy rather than crumbly. It is better to grind briefly and check than to run the machine for 40 seconds on the off-chance.
Why we grind the sugar to icing sugar ourselves
Before the nuts comes the sugar: pulverise 300 g sugar for 15 seconds at speed 10 and transfer to a bowl. This yields roughly 300 g icing sugar, of which 200 g goes into the dough and the rest into the glaze. Freshly ground icing sugar contains no anti-caking agents such as rice starch, which ready-made icing sugar often includes. This gives a smoother glaze and a cleaner dough. There is no need to rinse the mixing bowl in between; the sugar residue will not affect the nuts.
One hour in the fridge is essential for the dough
After mixing, the dough rests in the fridge for at least one hour, wrapped in cling film. This is not optional. The dough contains a large amount of ground nuts and no flour. Without chilling, it sticks to both sheets of baking paper when rolled out. One hour at around 6 °C keeps the consistency firm enough to hold its shape. Anyone with more time can leave it overnight; it cuts out even more cleanly. Less than one hour means sticky work.
Egg-white glaze with icing sugar rather than hard royal icing
The white surface comes from whipped egg white with icing sugar, not a water glaze. We separate the last egg, place the egg white and the remaining icing sugar in the clean mixing bowl and whip for 3 minutes at speed 3.5. This produces a thick, spreadable mixture. A classic water-and-sugar icing would set rock hard after baking. The egg-white glaze, by contrast, dries in the oven to a matt, slightly porous layer. That is the hallmark of a genuine cinnamon star.
170 degrees top and bottom heat on the lowest rack
We bake at 170 °C top and bottom heat on the lowest rack, never with a fan. The stars need heat from below so the base sets. If the heat came from above or from a fan, the egg-white glaze would brown too quickly. After 12 to 13 minutes the glaze is matt and the base is firm. Any longer and the edges turn hard. Any shorter and the centre stays raw-soft. Anyone who likes them particularly moist can drop to 150 °C and extend to 15 to 16 minutes; the stars are then more dried than baked.
Common pitfalls with cinnamon stars
The dough sticks to the cutter
The nut- and sugar-heavy dough is naturally sticky. Our solution: dip the cutter briefly in icing sugar before each star, not in flour. Flour would compromise the gluten-free dough and leave a starchy aftertaste. We also dust the work surface and the top sheet of baking paper with icing sugar, never with flour. With very sticky dough, dipping the cutter in cold water between cuts also helps.
The glaze turns brown in the oven instead of staying white
This is the most common problem that comes up on baking forums. Our solution: stir a few drops of lemon juice into the egg-white mixture; this keeps the layer white. Also apply the glaze generously and bake at 170 °C for no more than 12 to 13 minutes. Anyone who wants to be completely sure can leave the glazed stars to dry for 1 to 2 hours before baking until a skin forms. The surface will then stay bright white in the oven.
The stars turn rock hard
Baked for too long or at too high a temperature, moist cinnamon stars become crumbly biscuits. Our solution: check the first batch after 12 minutes. The glaze should be matt, the base just firm, and the centre may still feel slightly soft. It will firm up as the stars cool. When in doubt, take them out a minute early, as you cannot undo over-baking.
Three variations that work well for us
All-almond version: Use 400 g almonds instead of the 3:1 mix. Milder in flavour, classic Swabian style. The cinnamon comes through a little more strongly.
With a splash of Amaretto: Add 1 tbsp Amaretto or rum to the dough. This brings a grown-up marzipan note that pairs well with the hazelnuts. As the dough becomes softer, extend the chilling time to 90 minutes.
With tonka bean or orange zest: Half a grated tonka bean or the zest of an organic orange added to the dough lifts the cinnamon aroma to another level. Both are ground together with the nuts so they distribute evenly.
Which biscuits pair well with cinnamon stars
On a mixed biscuit plate, cinnamon stars look and taste best alongside pale, buttery varieties. Similarly aromatic and also made in the mixing bowl are our Vanillekipferl (vanilla crescent biscuits) with the Thermomix® and our colourful Christmas butter biscuits. Anyone looking for a crisp addition to the Advent plate will enjoy our candied almonds made in the Thermomix®.
Keeping cinnamon stars moist for weeks
Cinnamon stars keep in a sealed tin at room temperature for about 4 weeks. The glaze stays dry and the dough softens slightly over the days, which is exactly what you want. We use a small trick when they dry out too quickly: place a slice of apple in the tin. The apple releases moisture and keeps the stars moist. Replace the slice every two days to prevent mould. Freezing does not work because the egg-white glaze turns sticky after thawing and loses its matt sheen.
Frequently asked questions about cinnamon stars made in the Thermomix®
Goes well with: Spekulatius spiced biscuits and gingerbread.
Also worth trying: spelt and almond vanilla crescents, Thermomix® style.
