These Christmas Star Cookies are an impressive addition to your Christmas dessert table - baked to golden brown perfection, they’re dipped in white chocolate, then sprinkled with pistachios and silver sugar pearls on top! These cookies are so easy and fun to make, they may even become a new Christmas tradition!
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Christmas Star Cookies encapsulate the essence of the holiday season, bringing joy, warmth, and a touch of elegance to your festive celebrations. Commonly found at Christmas markets, these festive treats are a traditional part of many holiday tables and a perfect choice for Santa's plate on Christmas Eve.
While they pay homage to traditional German Christmas cookies, like the beloved Zimtsterne Cookies, there is not a hint of gingerbread in sight here. Made with a hint of lemon zest, and covered in yummy white chocolate, these cookies are perfect for any time of year.
For more Christmas Sugar Cookies, check out my Frosted Swig Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal Rolled Sugar Cookies, Frosted Coconut Sugar Cookie Bars, and Best Sugar Cut Out Cookies with my Easy Royal Icing Recipe for Sugar Cookies!
Why We Love This Recipe
- This recipe is quite versatile and would be perfect for cookie decorating parties or as a fun activity to get kids involved.
- The combination of lemon, white chocolate, and pistachio creates a flavor blend that is truly unique and delicious.
- Made with simple ingredients you may already have at home, this is one of those easy recipes you’ll want to have on hand for last-minute baking!
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for the full ingredients list with quantities and detailed instructions.
Star Cookies
- Salted Butter - Gives the cookies a rich, wonderful flavor and soft texture.
- Granulated Sugar - Adds sweetness and helps make the edges crispy.
- Egg Yolks - Binds the ingredients together and add richness due to natural fats.
- Lemon Zest - Adds a fresh, citrusy aroma and flavor that balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract - Enhances the flavor with a subtle depth.
- Cornstarch - Creates a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- All-Purpose Flour - Adds gluten to make the dough pliable and the cookies chewy.
- Baking Powder - Leavens the dough, ensuring the cookies rise slightly and remain light.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavors.
Decoration
- Chopped White Chocolate - Used for dipping, it adds a creamy texture and an elegant, snowy white appearance.
- Sliced Pistachios - Adds a pop of festive color and delicious nutty flavor.
- Wilton Metallic Sugar Pearls - I've used both silver and pink metallic sugar pearls but you can use whichever colors you prefer.
How to Make Christmas Star Cookies
- Combine butter, egg, and sugar. Place the butter, egg yolks, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
- Cream together and add flavoring. Beat on medium speed with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until light. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Make into dough. Mix just until combined and the dough forms.
- Roll, chill, and cut the dough. Transfer the dough to a silicone mat or large cutting board and roll out to ¼-inch thickness with a rolling pin (affiliate link). Cover the rolled-out dough with plastic wrap and freeze for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes out of the sugar cookie dough and transfer these to the prepared baking sheet using a thin metal spatula.
- Bake cookies and cool. Bake for 8–10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow the cookies to fully cool on the baking sheet before decorating.
- Melt chocolate. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between to avoid burning. You can use the "melt chocolate" setting on your microwave if it has one. Alternatively, place the chocolate in a heat-safe medium bowl over a pan of simmering water, keeping the bottom of the bowl from touching the water, and stir the chocolate until fully melted.
- Coat cookies in chocolate. Dip the top of each cookie into the melted white chocolate.
- Decorate cookies. Place the dipped cookies back onto the cookie sheet, then decorate your cookies. I have decorated mine in three different ways, but you can get creative with your own. On some of my cookies I have placed one metallic sugar pearl in the center
, and I decorated half of the larger cookies with sprinkled pistachios and the other half with pistachios and a metallic sugar pearl on each of the points of the stars. - Chill cookies. Refrigerate for 10–15 minutes. The chill time is important to ensure the chocolate is set properly so that the decorations remain in place.
Recipe FAQ's
You can prepare the dough in advance by tightly wrapping it in plastic wrap, placing it in a ziploc bag, and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling and cutting it.
Store your Christmas Star Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. In the refrigerator, they can last up to two weeks.
You can substitute all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies gluten-free.
For a vegan version, use a plant-based butter and a vegan egg substitute. Make sure the chocolate is dairy-free, too.
Chilling the dough is essential, as it prevents them from spreading too much while baking, and makes it easier to cut out the cookies.
Tips for Success
- If the dough gets too soft while cutting out the cookies, just stick it back in the freezer for a bit to firm up.
- Make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature for easier mixing and a smooth dough.
- Overmixing can lead to tough cookies so mix the dough just until the ingredients are combined.
- Roll out your dough to an even thickness to ensure uniform baking. A lightly floured rolling pin (affiliate link) and work surface can help achieve this.
- Ensure the cookies have completely cooled before dipping them into the chocolate so that the chocolate begins to set and remains on the cookie.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. This is particularly important for ingredients like chocolate, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
Make a Test Batch
Oven temperatures can vary, so it’s always worth baking a small test batch of cookies to make sure you know exactly how long to keep them in for. This prevents you from spoiling a larger batch of cookies!
Be sure to check your cookies a minute or two before the recommended baking time. They will be just turning golden brown around the edges when they are done. Happy baking!
Substitutions and Variations
- I used a star cutter to make the star shapes, but any cookie cutter shapes will work, so use whichever you like.
- If you prefer to use unsalted butter, simply add an extra pinch of salt to the dough.
- For a different nutty flavor, chopped almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, or pecans can replace the pistachios.
- White chocolate has an obviously festive look to it, but any kind of chocolate can be used instead. Try milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or use flavored chocolate like cookies n' cream, peanut butter, or peppermint.
- You could add food coloring (affiliate link) to the white chocolate for a colorful cookie to match your themed event or special occasion.
- Feel free to experiment with different flavored extracts like almond, peppermint, maple, or coconut for a unique twist.
- Make the decorating fun by using a blend of different nuts, colorful or themed sprinkles, edible glitter, colored icing, or even just a light dusting of powdered sugar to personalize your cookies.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Church Window Cookies
- Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies
- Fresh Cranberry Shortbread Bars
- Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Christmas Star Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted butter, room temperature (170g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 3 egg yolks
- 1½ teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups cornstarch (180g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 7 oz high quality white chocolate, chopped (200g)
- 6–8 tablespoons sliced pistachios
- Wilton metallic sugar pearls, for decorating
Instructions
- Combine butter, egg, and sugar. Place the butter, egg yolks, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
- Cream together and add flavoring. Beat on medium speed with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until light. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Make into dough. Mix just until combined and the dough forms.
- Roll, chill, and cut the dough. Transfer the dough to a silicone mat or large cutting board and roll out to ¼-inch thickness with a rolling pin (affiliate link). Cover the rolled-out dough with plastic wrap and freeze for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes out of the sugar cookie dough and transfer these to the prepared baking sheet using a thin metal spatula.
- Bake cookies and cool. Bake for 8–10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow the cookies to fully cool on the baking sheet before decorating.
- Melt chocolate. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between to avoid burning. You can use the "melt chocolate" setting on your microwave if it has one. Alternatively, place the chocolate in a heat-safe medium bowl over a pan of simmering water, keeping the bottom of the bowl from touching the water, and stir the chocolate until fully melted.
- Coat cookies in chocolate. Dip the top of each cookie into the melted white chocolate.
- Decorate cookies. Place the dipped cookies back onto the cookie sheet, then sprinkle with the sliced pistachios and decorate with metallic sugar pearls.
- Chill cookies. Refrigerate for 10–15 minutes. The chill time is important to ensure the chocolate is set properly so that the decorations remain in place.
Notes
NOTES
Storage & Make Ahead- Make Ahead: Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap, place it in a ziploc bag, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling and cutting it.
- Store: Store your Christmas Star Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. In the refrigerator, they can last up to two weeks.
- Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months, with a piece of parchment paper between each layer to prevent the cookies from sticking together.
