When the festive season rolls around, there’s nothing like the aroma of freshly baked cookies filling your home. Enter Almond Star Cookies – star-shaped cookies with a sweet twist that will charm kids and adults alike. These cookies are flavored with warm cinnamon and zesty orange, decorated to resemble adorable angels, and bring a whimsical touch to your Christmas baking.

Here’s everything you need to know to make these delightful treats and why they deserve a spot on your holiday cookie platter.

Ingredients You’ll Need for the Almond Star Cookies:

For the Cookie Dough:

Unsalted Butter: Brings a rich, buttery flavor to the dough, essential for that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the dough subtly and contributes to the tender texture.
Eggs: Acts as a binding agent and adds moisture, helping the cookies stay soft.
Cinnamon: Complements the buttery flavor.
All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and stability to the cookies, balancing the wet ingredients.
Orange Zest: The secret ingredient for a burst of festive freshness.
Salt: Essential for enhancing the flavor profile and balancing the sweetness.

For the Decoration:

Almonds: To create the illusion of the star holding something.
Dark Icing, Dark Chocolate or Edible Pen: Adds the finishing touch by drawing expressive little faces.

You’ll need the following tools for making the Almond Star Cookies:

Mixing B owls: A large bowl for combining the cookie dough ingredients and smaller ones for measuring.
Measur ing Scale: To accurately measure all your ingredients in grams.
Han d Mixer or Stand M ixer: For creaming the butter and sugars, and mixing the dough.
Spa tula: To fold in the dry ingredients and combine the mixtures.
Baking Sheet: For baking the cookies.
Parchm ent Paper: To line the baking sheet, preventing the cookies from sticking.
Cookie Cutters: To create star shapes.
Cooling Rac k: For allowing the cookies to cool evenly after baking.
Piping Bag: To draw on little faces with chocolate or icing.
Rolling Pin: To roll out the dough.

Here is the full Recipe:

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

550 g (4 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour
250 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) softened butter
260 g (1 1/3 cups) granulated sugar
2 medium eggs
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
Zest of 1 orange
1 pinch of salt

For the Decoration:

Whole almonds (for the star arms)
Dark sugar icing or dark chocolate (for the face design)

Directions:

Make the Cookie Dough:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated and a smooth dough forms.
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling the dough makes it easier to work with and helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.

Roll & Cut the Cookies:

Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin.
Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out your cookies. Gather any scraps, re-roll the dough, and cut out more stars.

Decorate Before Baking:

Place the stars on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Press an almond into the center of each star.Gently fold one of the “arms” of the star over the almond to create the illusion of the star holding something.

Bake to Perfection:

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn slightly golden.
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating further.

Add the Final Touches:

Once the cookies are cool, use a dark icing, dark chocolate or edible pen to draw sweet little faces on the stars.

Tips & Tricks:

Tips for the Cookies:

Keep the Dough Chilled: If the dough becomes too soft while cutting out shapes, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes. This ensures clean edges and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
Get Creative with Decorations: Experiment with other edible decorations, like sprinkles for hair or edible glitter for a sparkly finish.
Swap the orange zest for lemon zest or a splash of vanilla extract for a different flavor profile.
Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. They also make lovely edible gifts for friends and family!
The dough can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling it out.

Why These Cookies Are Perfect for Christmas

Kid-Friendly Fun: The decorating process is simple and perfect for getting little helpers involved. Let them design their own star angels!
Unique Aesthetic: These cookies double as edible decorations for your holiday spread. Their charming design adds a festive flair to any cookie platter.
Holiday Flavor Combo: Cinnamon and orange zest are quintessential Christmas flavors, making these cookies a nostalgic treat that embodies the spirit of the season.
Customizable: The recipe can easily be adapted with other flavors or decorations to suit your taste.

Baking these Almond Star Cookies is more than just creating delicious treats – it’s about making memories. The process of rolling, cutting, decorating, and sharing these cookies with loved ones encapsulates the joy of the holiday season.

More Christmas Baking Ideas:

Grinch Crinkle Cookies – These bright green cookies are fun, festive, and finished with a sweet sugar heart, making them the perfect treat to spread Christmas cheer.
Santa Hat Cookies – Adorable and delicious, these Linzer-style cookies are filled with fruity jam and topped with icing for the perfect Santa hat look.
Melted Snowman Cookies – Fun and whimsical, these sugar cookies feature melted marshmallows and chocolate decorations for a snowman that’s sure to melt your heart.
Marbled Chocolate Christmas Cookies – Elegant and easy, these buttery cookies are decorated with swirls of white and dark chocolate for a dazzling holiday treat.
Cinnamon Stars (Zimtsterne) – A German Christmas classic, these star-shaped cookies are made with almonds, hazelnuts, and a sweet glaze, delivering a taste of tradition with every bite.

Watch the recipe video here. Let’s get to baking! Here is the full recipe:

Almond Star Cookies

Course: Christmas Cookies, Cookies

Servings

servings

Prep time

hour

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Total time

hour

minutes

Bake these delightful Heavenly Star Cookies, filled with the warm flavors of cinnamon and orange zest! Perfect for Christmas, these adorable almond-topped star cookies with charming faces will bring festive joy to your holiday baking!

Ingredients

For the Dough:
550 g (4 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour
250 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) softened butter
260 g (1 1/3 cups) granulated sugar
2 medium eggs
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
Zest of 1 orange
1 pinch of salt
For the Decoration:
Whole almonds (for the star arms)
Dark sugar icing or dark chocolate (for the face design)

Directions

Make the Cookie Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated and a smooth dough forms.
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling the dough makes it easier to work with and helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.
Roll & Cut the Cookies:
Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin.
Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out your cookies. Gather any scraps, re-roll the dough, and cut out more stars.
Decorate Before Baking:
Place the stars on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Press an almond into the center of each star. Gently fold one of the “arms” of the star over the almond to create the illusion of the star holding something.
Bake to Perfection:
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn slightly golden.
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating further.
Add the Final Touches:
Once the cookies are cool, use a dark icing, dark chocolate or edible pen to draw sweet little faces on the stars.