![A batch of French Sable Cookies are served on a platter alongside a cup of hot tea. The butter cookies are crosshatched and golden brown.](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 2048 1365"></svg>)
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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: My French Sable Cookies are the classic French Butter cookie, loved for their crumbly, sandy texture, simplicity, and decadent amount of butter.
Can you believe that just four ingredients are all you need to make homemade French Sable Cookies? Believe it! The most beloved French cookie is beyond simple to make, but it requires one special ingredient: really good butter.
Not unlike my 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies, French Sablé Cookies have a crumbly texture, almost sandy — in fact, “sablé” means sand in French — that melts in your mouth when you bite them. The taste is beyond simplistic, absolutely impossible to put down, and serves as the perfect companion to a cup of hot tea.
These cookies are super quick to bake, too! Which means you can make them whenever the cravings hit — and once you try them, those cravings might hit a lot!
![A close-up photo of homemade French Sable Cookies show a crosshatch design. The cookies are golden brown.](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1365 2048"></svg> "French Butter Cookies Recipe")
What Are French Sable Cookies?
Sable cookies, sometimes called French Butter Cookies, Palet Bréton, or Sable Breton, are delicious butter cookies made with the most simple of ingredients. In texture and taste, they are similar to a traditional English shortbread cookie; however, French Sable cookie dough includes two large egg yolks. Then, before baking, brush the cookies’ tops with a third egg yolk!
What Butter Should I Use For Butter Cookies? Cultured Butter Vs. Regular Butter
It is so important to use the best butter you can find when making Sable Cookies. Find good quality, high-fat, salted butter. Good butter is what makes these cookies taste delicious and melt in your mouth. If you can find it, use cultured butter.
Cultured butter has a much more dominant buttery taste and is creamier than regular butter. Unlike regular butter, which is made by churning fresh cream until it forms solid butter, cultured butter is made by introducing bacterial cultures to pasteurized cream. The cream is left to ferment until it thickens. This fermentation results in a more buttery taste plus adds a slight tang, similar to the tang you can taste in yogurt.
Tools You Need To Make Homemade French Sable Cookies
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Stand mixer or handheld electric mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Baking sheets
- 2-inch (5 cm) round cookie cutter
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Homemade Sable Cookies
- Do not skimp on the butter quality for these cookies, as it is the main flavor. Good quality salted butter (cultured, if you can find it) is key.
- Make Vanilla Bean Sables by mixing 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste into the dough along with the butter.
- Try tossing 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary or dried lavender into the dough along with the flour.
- Sandwich these cookies with some Homemade Ganache or Dulce de Leche.
- These cookies hold their shape well, and you can use them instead of sugar cookies for holiday cut-out cookies. Instead of egg wash, make Royal Icing to decorate the cookies.
Try More Of My Favorite Cookie Recipes