Description
Rich, crumbly, golden French butter cookies (sablés Bretons) made with salted butter, sugar, egg yolks, and flour, finished with a crosshatch pattern and an egg yolk glaze.
Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons (184 g) salted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks, divided
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon water, for the egg wash
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until well blended and light in color, about 2 minutes.
3. Add 2 of the egg yolks and the vanilla and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add the flour and mix on low until the dough begins to come together.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll it out to 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, adding flour if it sticks.
6. Cut out circles with a 2-inch (5 cm) cookie cutter or a glass and transfer them to the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Gather and re-roll the scraps.
7. Beat the remaining egg yolk with the 1/2 teaspoon water. Press a crosshatch pattern onto the top of each cookie with a fork, then brush with the egg yolk.
8. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
9. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Based on the Sablés Bretons recipe shared by Chouquette Kitchen (the butter, sugar, vanilla, egg yolk, and flour quantities, the 375°F oven, the 1/4 inch thickness, the 2-inch cutter, the crosshatch and egg yolk glaze, the 13 to 15 minute bake, and a yield of about 20 cookies are from the source). The mixing details, the water in the egg wash, and the tips below are estimates, and the recipe has not been tested. Use salted butter, ideally a high-fat European-style butter. If you only have unsalted butter, add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
If the dough is soft or sticky, chill it for 30 minutes before rolling.
Do not overmix after adding the flour, or the cookies will be tough.
Nutrition is an approximate estimate per cookie (about 20 cookies).
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 138
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 47mg