That sounds absolutely delightful! You must be referring to Orange Stars with Vanilla Glaze or perhaps German Orangensterne (Orange Stars), which are traditional Christmas cookies, often made with ground almonds or hazelnuts for a delicate texture and flavored with intense citrus zest.
These cookies are famous for their wonderful aroma and melt-in-your-mouth quality!
Here is a classic recipe for these flavorful and festive cookies:
🍊 Orange Stars with Vanilla Glaze (Orangensterne)
These cookies use the zest of the orange for flavor and often ground almonds for structure.
📝 Ingredients
For the Orange Stars
| Item | Amount | Notes |
| All-Purpose Flour | 250 g | |
| Ground Almonds | 100 g | Finely ground. |
| Unsalted Butter | 125 g | Cold, cut into cubes. |
| Powdered Sugar | 75 g | Plus extra for dusting. |
| Egg Yolk | 1 large | |
| Orange Zest | Zest of 1 medium orange | Ensure the orange is washed and dried well. |
| Vanilla Sugar | 1 packet (or 1 tsp Vanilla Extract) |
For the Vanilla Glaze
| Item | Amount | Notes |
| Powdered Sugar | 100 g | |
| Vanilla Extract | $1/2$ teaspoon | Or a dash of vanilla liqueur. |
| Orange Juice | 2-3 tablespoons | Freshly squeezed, added slowly. |
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the Dough
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour, ground almonds, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar.
- Add Fat and Flavor: Add the cold butter cubes, the orange zest, and the egg yolk.
- Mix: Quickly mix or knead the ingredients until a smooth dough forms. Do not overwork the dough, as this makes the cookies tough.
- Chill: Form the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
2. Shape and Bake
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll and Cut: Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the chilled dough out to a thickness of about $1/4$ inch ($6-7$ mm). Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the shapes.
- Bake: Place the stars onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly golden. They should remain pale in the center.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
3. Make the Vanilla Glaze
- Mix Glaze: In a small bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla extract and gradually add the orange juice, stirring until you reach a thick, smooth, yet spreadable consistency.
- Glaze the Stars: Once the cookies are completely cool, drizzle or spread a thin layer of the vanilla glaze over each star.
- Set: Allow the glaze to set completely (this may take 30 minutes to an hour) before storing them in an airtight container.
These cookies improve in flavor after a day or two, making them perfect for baking ahead!
Would you like a suggestion for a different citrus zest to swap into the recipe (like lemon or lime)?