"Zimtsterne" cookies are a very traditional part of the Christmas and Advent offerings to guests in Germany. Cinnamon and almonds taste great together. Many people buy them packaged, but they are easy to make and taste better than the store-bought.
"Zimtsterne" are almost always a 6-pointed star shape. Cinnamon was a very expensive and rare spice in Europe in the 1600s and almonds, which had to be imported, were a food for royalty. This explains why almonds and cinnamon are especially associated with once-a-year festivals such as Christmas.
Next page: recipe and first steps to making your own Cinnamon Star cookies.
