As the festive season approaches, the quest for the perfect Christmas biscuit begins. This year, acclaimed food writer Meera Sodha offers a delightful and inclusive twist on a European classic with her vegan recipe for Zimtsterne.
These traditional German treats, whose name translates to 'cinnamon stars', are a staple of Christmas markets and home baking across Germany and Austria. Sodha's version, published in The Guardian, retains all the spicy, chewy charm of the original while being entirely plant-based.
The Art of Crafting Vegan Zimtsterne
The magic of Sodha's recipe lies in its clever simplicity. The dough is a fragrant blend of ground almonds, cinnamon, and aquafaba – the liquid from a tin of chickpeas. This ingenious ingredient acts as a powerful binder, replacing the egg whites typically used in the classic recipe to create the cookie's distinctive chewy texture and glossy icing.
The process involves mixing the dough, rolling it out, and cutting it into star shapes before a brief bake. The signature finish is a layer of shiny, white icing, which in this vegan iteration is made simply from icing sugar and a little extra aquafaba. The result is a batch of beautifully festive, gluten-free cookies that are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate.
A Festive Treat for Everyone
This recipe is more than just a baking guide; it's an invitation to expand your Christmas repertoire. Zimtsterne bring a different flavour profile to the table compared to British mince pies or shortbread. Their dominant note is warm, aromatic cinnamon, complemented by the nuttiness of almonds and the sweetness of the icing.
By making them vegan, Sodha ensures these treats can be enjoyed by a wider audience during gatherings, without compromising on taste or tradition. The recipe was featured in The Guardian's Feast magazine on Saturday, 6 December 2025, offering a perfect weekend baking project in the lead-up to the holidays.
For those new to German baking, Zimtsterne offer a wonderful entry point. They are relatively straightforward to make, requiring no complex techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. The use of aquafaba is a modern hack that exemplifies how plant-based baking has evolved, achieving professional results with pantry staples.
This Christmas, why not add a touch of continental charm to your cookie tin? Meera Sodha's vegan Zimtsterne are a thoughtful, delicious, and inclusive way to celebrate the season, proving that festive traditions can be both honoured and innovatively adapted for all to enjoy.
