Gesine Prado's Pistachio Star Cookies

Name: Gesine Prado's Pistachio Star Cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 40 serving(s)
Ingredients: 4 2/3 c. roasted, lightly salted pistachios; 3 3/4 c. confectioners' sugar; 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon; 2 large egg whites; 1 large egg white; 1 c. confectioners' sugar

Pair the star on your tree with these pistachio cookies.

By Gesine PradoUpdated: Nov 17, 2020

1 Rating

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RALPH SMITH

Yields:

40 serving(s)

Prep Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 15 mins

"Zimtsterne, cinnamon star cookies, are a staple of German Christmas cookie platters," Gesine says. "They are soft and slightly chewy, with a thin, crisp layer of meringue on top. And they’re naturally gluten-free! Traditionally they are made with almonds, but I love them with pistachios."

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Ingredients

For the Cookies

4 2/3 cups roasted, lightly salted pistachios
3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large egg whites

For the Meringue

1 large egg white
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Step 1For the cookies: In a food processor, grind the pistachios until fine. Add 2 3⁄4 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and the cinnamon. Continue pulsing to make a fine powder. Add the egg whites and process until the dough comes together.
2. Step 2Preheat the oven to 300 ̊. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Step 3Sprinkle a work surface with the remaining 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar. Knead the dough on the surface to create a cohesive dough. Roll out the dough until 1⁄4 inch thick, making sure the surface and rolling pin are coated with confectioners’ sugar to keep the dough from sticking. Cut out cookies with a 2-inch star cookie cutter, dipping the cutter into the confectioners’ sugar every now and again to keep the dough from sticking. Place the cookies about 1⁄2 inch apart on the pans (they won’t spread much). Gather the dough scraps, then reroll and cut out more stars.
4. Step 4For the meringue: Whisk the egg white in a metal bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until thick and smooth (it’s OK if the meringue doesn’t hold a peak). Transfer the meringue to a piping bag or a zip-top bag. Snip off a small portion at the tip of the bag and pipe the meringue on top of the cookies. (Or drop a teaspoon of meringue onto the middle of each cookie and use the back of a spoon to spread it.)
5. Step 5Bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges of the meringue barely start to color. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.