Whether you’re into shortbread, gingerbread or pfeffernüsse, it’s not Christmas without a plate of warm, spiced cookies and Queen Elizabeth agrees.

Every year at Buckingham Palace, the Royal Bakers whip up a batch of Liz’s favourite cinnamon star biscuits, traditionally known as zimtsterne.

The Royal Bakers have also shared the recipe to the Royal Family’s official Instagram account, in case you want to bake along at home. The Christmas cookies are made from a cinnamon and clove spiced dough topped with a layer of glossy citrus meringue. The dough is cut into various festive shapes, then decorated with jam and icing, once cool.

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Best of all, the stars keep for up to two months in an airtight container which means you can start baking right now if you want. Not just a delicious treat, they also make an incredible edible gift (if you can bear to give them away).

Cinnamon Stars 

Ingredients

• 360g Icing Sugar
• 85g Egg White
• 20g Lemon Juice
• 300g Ground Almonds
• 115g Mixed Peel
• ½ Lemon, zested
• 12g Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Ground Cloves

Method

1. Blitz the mixed peel into a paste-like texture, set aside.
2. Whip the icing sugar, egg white with lemon juice into a soft peak meringue. Take 1/3 out and keep aside to top the dough with a thin layer later.
3. Add all remaining ingredients into the larger part of meringue and combine to a dough-like texture.
4. Knead the dough together with your hands and flatted onto a baking paper-lined baking tray. Placing a sheet of baking paper on top, roll it down to about 1cm thickness.
5. Remove paper from the top and spread a thin layer of meringue over the dough. Keep it as smooth as possible.
6. Rest the sheet of dough in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.
7. Remove the dough from fridge and start cutting it into shapes with a knife or cutters. Be creative. Stars and diamond shapes work well. To use the cinnamon star cutter or round cutter, a bowl of hot water is required. Dip the cutter into the water first and in between cutting the shapes. This helps to release the cookie easily from the cutter.
8. Bake in the oven at 160C fan for 12-15 minutes. Best is to bake with bottom heat only so that the top stays white and does not discolour. Cookie is baked when you are gently able to lift the edges of the paper. The centre should still be soft and sticky.
9. Leave to cool for about 30 min before removing from tray.
10. Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 months.