The Great Food Blogger Cookie Exchange: Zimtsterne

I swear there is nothing better than coming home to a package on your doorstep, especially when that package is full of something edible. One of the reasons I love online shopping is because it’s easy and stress free ordering, and then you have the joy of coming home from a long day at work and finding your package on the porch a few days later! Double the fun I tell you.

I received three delicious batches of cookies from Abby, Carrie, and Lindsey. Abby made some interesting lemony cookies called Whippersnappers. Carrie did an orange marmalade cookie with an orange glaze. And Abby made a fun peanut brittle blondie that was both soft and crunchy! Despite my Husband’s skepticism about swapping cookies with strangers, he had no problem dipping into all three batches. 🙂

I made a traditionally Swiss holiday cookie called Zimtsterne. The reason I was drawn to it is because David Lebovitz claims they last 3 months in an airtight container. So I thought they’d be perfect for shipping! I had a few left after shipping out, but they didn’t last more than a few days, so I can’t vouch for David’s claim. 🙂

And don’t forget to enter my Martha Stewart cookbook giveaway here! http://www.theculinaryenthusiast.com/2011/12/07/happy-holidays-cookbook-giveaway/

Zimtsterne, makes about 40 2-inch cookies

adapted from David Lebovitz’s Ready for Dessert and Cookin Canuck

Cookies:

• 3 cups almond meal
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 large egg white

Glaze:

• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Mix together all ingredients for cookies until mixture is smooth. If it’s dry and cracking, add a tiny bit of water and mix until the dough comes together. Knead by hand until smooth.

Dust a piece of parchment paper with powdered sugar and roll out the dough until about 1/3 inch thick. Cut out stars and arrange them evenly on the baking sheet. Reroll the dough and repeat until all is used.

Bake for about 12 minutes, then remove and cool completely.

To make the glaze, mix all ingredients in a small bowl. The glaze should be thick, almost hard to stir. If necessary, stir in additional powdered sugar.

Spread glaze on the surface of each cookie. Sweep off some of the excess, but leave a layer just thick enough so that you can’t see the cookie through it. Let the cookies rest until the glaze is completely dry.

Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.