French Shortbread Cookies (Sablés Bretons)
User Reviews
5
44 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
20
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Calories
155 kcal
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Course
Dessert, Baked Goods
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Cuisine
French
French Shortbread Cookies (Sablés Bretons)
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French Shortbread Cookies, or Sablés Bretons, are rich, buttery cookies made from a blend of salted butter, granulated and powdered sugars, egg yolks, vanilla, and flour. The dough is rolled out and cut to preferred thickness, yielding cookies with a tender yet crisp texture and a slightly sandy crumb.
Description
The recipe features a creamy mixture of very soft salted butter beaten with sugars until smooth, combined with egg yolks and vanilla extract for richness and flavor. Flour is incorporated slowly until the dough starts to come together but remains crumbly. The dough is then rolled out on a floured surface to around ¼ to ⅜ inch thickness and shaped before baking at 375°F. The cookies develop a golden color with a delicate texture characteristic of Sablés Bretons. Sprinkling granulated or vanilla sugar on top adds a subtle crunch and sweetness. These cookies pair well with tea or coffee and retain their texture if stored in an airtight container.
Following detailed rolling and handling tips helps achieve the classic crumbly yet tender cookie texture.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butter I use salted butter, very soft
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour more for the counter
- granulated sugar for sprinkling, or vanilla sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. (190˚C.) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, combine the soft butter and sugars. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and stir to incorporate. Add the flour and stir just until all of the flour disappears. The mixture will seem crumbly at first. Just keep stirring until it starts to come together.
- Sprinkle a work surface with flour. Have some extra flour on the side in a small cup.
- Turn the dough over several times to coat lightly with the flour then divide the dough in two and cover one half with a piece of plastic wrap.
- Keeping the surface and your rolling pin lightly dusted with flour at all times, roll out the dough to the desired thickness. I like mine about a ¼ inch thick for thinner cookies and closer to ⅜ for thicker ones like in this post. You can go thinner or thicker it’s just important to keep the surface underneath the dough lightly floured as you roll. (I also like to dip my cookie cutter in flour before cutting each cookie to keep the dough from sticking to the cutter.)
- Use a cutter of your choice (I used a scalloped 3-inch cutter) to cut out the cookies, transferring them to one of the prepared sheet pans as you go. Space the cookies 2 inches apart.
- Bring the dough scraps together, then roll out more cookies until the dough is used up. Repeat with second ball of dough. Sprinkle the cookies lightly with granulated sugar, cane sugar or Vanilla Sugar. Chill the cookies in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes before baking.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown. If the cookies have puffed a bit or have some little bubbles, you can flatten them at this point with the back of a flat metal spatula. Sprinkle lightly with a bit more sugar. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Refer to detailed café tips for rolling and shaping to achieve the proper texture and avoid overworking the dough.
- Metric measurements are available via a toggle button above the instructions for precision baking.
- The recipe originated from Mon Petit Four and maintains authenticity to traditional Sablés Bretons.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
155kcal
(8%)
Carbohydrates
15g
(5%)
Protein
2g
(4%)
Fat
10g
(15%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.5g
(3%)
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Trans Fat
0.4g
(20%)
Cholesterol
44mg
(15%)
Sodium
74mg
(3%)
Potassium
18mg
(0%)
Fiber
0.3g
(1%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Vitamin A
310IU
(6%)
Calcium
7mg
(1%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 20Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 155 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 155kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5g | 3% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 44mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 74mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 18mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 310IU | 6% |
| Calcium | 7mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
44 reviews
Excellent
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