Cinnamon Stars
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups almond flour (also called almond meal)
Instructions:
The dough must stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before rolling out. The cookies can be baked up to 2 weeks ahead.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
- Sift the sugar into a medium bowl. Add the egg whites, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Using a handheld electric mixer set at high speed, beat until the mixture is thick and shiny, about 5 minutes. Transfer ¾ cup of the meringue mixture to a small bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside. Add the almond flour to the remaining meringue and stir to make a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until the mixture is stiff enough to roll out, about 1 hour. (The exact amount of time depends on the humidity when the dough is made.)
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2½-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place about 1 inch apart on a nonstick baking sheet. Spoon about ½ teaspoon of the meringue onto the center of each cookie, and use the back of a spoon to spread to the edges of the cookie.
- Bake until the glaze is set and the tips of the cookies are barely beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Knead the dough scraps and repeat the procedure to bake more cookies. You will have leftover meringue.