sable Breton, AKA French Butter Cookies are mildly sweet, with crisp edges, a tender crumble, and a delicious butter flavor.
Today, we’re diving into the world of Sable Breton, also known as French Butter Cookies. These delightful treats are a little piece of heaven, with a rich, buttery flavor with an amazing crumbly texture.
Imagine biting into a golden cookie, each mouthful melting in your mouth, leaving you craving for more.
More cookies, please! Perfect with a cup of tea or as a sweet treat any time of the day, Sable Breton cookies are a simple joy, made from just a handful of ingredients but packed with incredible flavor.
The delightful Sable Breton – these classic French butter cookies are not just a treat; they’re a testament to the beauty of simplicity in baking.
Whether you’re looking for a delicious accompaniment to your afternoon tea, a base for a fancy tart, or just a simple, buttery snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, Sable Breton is the way to go.
Their crumbly texture, rich flavor, and golden brown perfection are sure to make them a hit in any kitchen.
So why not try your hand at these timeless classics? Happy baking and enjoy every buttery, crumbly bite!
Common Questions About Sable Breton
What Makes European-Style Butter Special for This Recipe?
European-style butter has a higher fat content, making it ideal for a richer, more buttery cookie. If you’ve never tried it before, I would highly recommend it!
Is It Necessary to Use a Cookie Cutter?
A cookie-cutter ensures uniform cookies, but you can also shape them by hand or use a glass with a sharp edge. There is more than one way to shape a cookie!
What’s the Best Way to Achieve a Sandy Texture?
I would say there are two things to think about here. The first is to not overwork the dough. If you mix and knead it too much, you’ll end up with a denser, drier texture of the cookie.
The second is to make sure you use a good quality, high-fat content butter. That’s why we’re using European-style butter for this recipe!
Storage
Definitely make sure you have a good batch of these cookies sitting on the counter for everyone to enjoy. They’ll get eaten, I promise you that!
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container; they stay fresh for up to a week.
Freezer
Wrap well in cling film and freeze. Enjoy within three months for the best flavor.
Tips
If you refrigerate the dough for too long, you’ll have to bring it to almost room temperature again if you want to roll it out. It gets pretty dense when it’s cold!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and egg yolks are at room temperature for a smoother dough.
- Gentle Mixing: Overmixing can lead to tough cookies. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Chilling is Key: Chill the dough to make it easier to handle and to prevent spreading during baking.
- Perfect Egg Wash: Lightly brush with egg wash for a beautiful golden finish.
- Fork Tines for Design: Gently press with fork tines for the classic Sable Breton pattern.
Ingredients
I’ve seen some recipes out there with brown sugar in them. This time, we’re going with granulated sugar to keep things extra bright!
- European-style butter (softened)
- Granulated sugar
- Egg yolks (room temperature)
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Table salt
- Water
How to Make Sable Breton
The egg wash on the tops of the cookies really adds something special. It creates this sort of glazed coating that adds a good butter flavor as well. So tasty!
- Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat together until light and fluffy. – About 5 minutes.
- Mix in 2 of the egg yolks and the vanilla.
- Slowly mix in the flour and the salt until the dough pulls together.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Form them into a disk and wrap each tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up to a rollable state.
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Working one batch at a time – roll the dough out between 2 pieces of parchment or on a silicone mat – working it to about ¼ inch in thickness.
- Use a 2” round cookie cutter – cut out the cookies and use a thin spatula to transfer the cutouts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the cookies at least 1” apart. Reroll the remaining dough and continue the process until all of the dough has been used. Discard any scraps.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg yolk with the water. Brush the egg wash onto the tops of the unbaked cookies.
- Then use the tines of a fork and gently drag them across the top of the cookies to form a hatch pattern. Don’t press down into the cookies as you would when making peanut butter cookies. You want a light pattern, not an indentation.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Kitchen Supplies You’ll Need for Sable Breton
Don’t skip the parchment paper on the baking sheet. It just makes life so much easier when it’s time to remove the cookies and clean up.
- Large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer
- Cookie cutter
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone mat
- Small bowl (for egg wash)
- Wire cooling rack
What to Serve With Sable Breton
These Sable Breton shortbread cookies have a unique, buttery flavor that pairs really well with some of the ideas below. Enjoy!
- Lemon Curd: A tangy lemon curd complements the buttery flavor of these cookies wonderfully.
- Fresh Fruit: Serve with a side of fresh berries or a fruit salad for a refreshing contrast.
- Pastry Cream: A dollop of rich pastry cream can turn these cookies into a luxurious dessert.
- Ice Cream: Pair with a scoop of your favorite ice cream for a simple yet indulgent treat.
Why You Should Make Sable Breton
Who doesn’t want to try out some French cookies every now and then? You’ll be hard-pressed to find them in any grocery stores in the U.S.!
- Simple Ingredients: Requires just a few basic pantry staples.
- Versatile Cookie Base: Perfect as a stand-alone treat or as a base for more complex desserts.
- Easy to Make: A straightforward recipe, great for beginners and seasoned bakers alike.
- Deliciously Butter-rich: Offers a wonderful flavor and texture that’s hard to resist.
Variations and Add-Ins for Sable Breton
You could even make these French Butter Cookies into a Sable Breton tart! Look it up! For best results, do what feels right to you and your taste buds, haha!
- Almond Flour Mix: Substitute some of the all-purpose flour with almond flour for a nutty twist.
- Zesty Flavor: Add lemon zest or orange zest for a citrusy kick.
- Chocolate Drizzle: Once cooled, drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate.
- Sea Salt Sprinkle: A light sprinkle of fleur de sel on top before baking adds a gourmet touch.
If you love this cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
More Buttery Recipe
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sable Breton
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup European-style butter – softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks – room temperature – divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp table salt
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat together until light and fluffy. – About 5 minutes.
- Mix in 2 of the egg yolks and the vanilla.
- Slowly mix in the flour and the salt until the dough pulls together.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Form them into a disk and wrap each tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up to a rollable state.
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Working one batch at a time – roll the dough out between 2 pieces of parchment or on a silicone mat – working it to about ¼ inch in thickness.
- Use a 2” round cookie cutter – cut out the cookies and use a thin spatula to transfer the cutouts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the cookies at least 1” apart. Reroll the remaining dough and continue the process until all of the dough has been used. Discard any scraps.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg yolk with the water. Brush the egg wash onto the tops of the unbaked cookies.
- Then use the tines of a fork and gently drag them across the top of the cookies to form a hatch pattern. Don’t press down into the cookies as you would when making peanut butter cookies. You want a light pattern, not an indentation.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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