Cinnamon Star Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup / 125 ml

Ingredients Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, well shaken

3 cup / 750 ml

icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp / 5 ml

vanilla extract

1/4 tsp / 2 ml

almond extract (optional)

3 cup / 750 ml

ground unblanched almonds, almond meal or almond flour

1 cup / 250 ml

ground hazelnuts, hazelnut meal or additional ground almonds

2 tsp / 10 ml

ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp / 2 ml

salt

Directions

1. Whip egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form; add in icing sugar in 2 additions, beating until mixture is fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla and almond extract (if using) just until combined.

2. Remove a generous 1/2 cup/125 mL portion of this mixture; cover and set aside at room temperature for the glaze. Fold almonds, hazelnuts, cinnamon and salt into remaining egg white mixture. Chill for 1 hour.

3. Roll dough out, 1/4-inch/5 mm thick, between sheets of parchment paper (or on a clean work surface dusted with icing sugar). Cut into stars using a 2-inch/5 cm cutter dusted with icing sugar. Transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheet(s). Reroll scraps up to 2 times.

4. Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C).

5. Bake cookies for 20 minutes, rotating trays once. Remove trays; cool for 10 minutes.

6. Use a pastry brush to paint cookies with reserved egg white glaze, working to edges in an even, thin layer.

7. Return cookies to oven. Bake for an additional 5 minutes to dry out glaze. Transfer cookies to a rack and cool completely.

Tips

1. Chill cookie dough for 1 hour or more.

2. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

3. Almond flour is typically made from blanched almonds and will provide a finer texture. You can use a food processor to grind unblanched almonds (and hazelnuts); the addition of the skins adds both flavour and texture to these cookies. Every 1 cup/250 ml whole unblanched almonds equals about 1 1/4 cup/300 ml ground almonds.

4. If the dough is too sticky, re-chill between batches of scraps and frequently dust cutter with icing sugar if needed.

5. If glaze seems a bit runny after sitting, whisk in 1 to 2 extra teaspoons of icing sugar.

Gluten Free

1. These cookies are gluten-free.