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1
Make the doughs the evening before baking. For Butterbredele: cream butter and sugar until pale, beat in the egg, then work in the sifted flour to a smooth, cohesive dough. For Schwowebredele: fold ground almonds, sugar, and cinnamon into the soft-peak egg whites until a firm paste forms; allow the surface to rest uncovered for 10 minutes before wrapping. For Zimtsterne: whisk two egg whites with icing sugar to a stiff meringue, fold in ground almonds and cinnamon to form a moist dough; reserve the remaining egg white and extra icing sugar for the glaze. For Anisbredele: whisk eggs and sugar until the ribbon stage — pale, thick, and tripled in volume — then fold in flour and anise. Wrap each dough separately and refrigerate at 4°C overnight. The doughs are ready when they feel firm, cohesive, and no longer tacky.
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2
Remove each dough from the refrigerator and allow to temper for 10–15 minutes. Dust the work surface lightly with potato starch — not flour, which toughens the dough. Roll Butterbredele and Zimtsterne doughs to precisely 3–4 mm: press a finger lightly at the edge; if it leaves a clean impression without cracking, the thickness and temperature are correct. Cut Butterbredele into stars, hearts, and crescent moons. Cut Zimtsterne into stars. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
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3
Glaze the Zimtsterne before baking. Stir the reserved egg white into icing sugar to form a smooth, opaque royal icing that holds a ribbon for three seconds before dissolving. Spoon a small quantity onto each star and spread to the edges with a palette knife so the surface is fully white and level. This is where the dish lives or dies: the glaze must coat the star completely and remain unbroken through baking — overbaking cracks the white surface and the cookie is lost.
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4
Bake each variety at its correct temperature. Zimtsterne: 140°C, until the white glaze is set and just firm to a light tap but shows no colour — 12–15 minutes. Butterbredele: 180°C, until the edges are uniformly golden and the undersides release cleanly from the parchment — 10–12 minutes. Schwowebredele: rested dough drops onto lined sheets; bake at 160°C until a thin crisp shell forms over a chewy interior — the surface sounds hollow when tapped lightly. Anisbredele: pipe or spoon small drops onto parchment; bake at 150°C until the characteristic white 'foot' has risen and separated clearly from the base.
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5
Transfer all cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Store each variety layered between sheets of parchment in separate airtight tins — never mixed, as flavour and texture transfer between varieties. The tins will keep for up to four weeks. The cookies are ready to serve when they have firmed and their aromas have mellowed and married over 24 hours of storage.