What are French Sablé cookies?

If you’ve been following my recipes on this blog for a while, you’re probably no stranger to “Sablés”. These delicate, crumbly shortbread cookies are staples in France and an absolute favorite of mine!

The word “sablé” translates to “sandy” in French, which aptly describes the texture of these cookies due to their high butter content. Sablé cookies are typically made with just a few simple ingredients: flour, butter (lots!), sugar, and sometimes eggs or simply egg yolks. Their most famous variations include the Salted Butter Sablés from Brittany, but you’ll find them made with countless flavor twists throughout various French regions.

Just like shortbreads in America, sable cookies are staples in a French kitchen. Most people almost always have a box or two of sablés in their pantry to serve in case of surprise guests at coffee time. They are beloved for their rich buttery flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture, making them a popular treat for tea or coffee time in France and beyond.

Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé Cookies

This lemon poppy seed variation is quite popular, and lovely for any season, I think. I love the freshness from the lemon and the earthiness from the poppy seeds – combined with the buttery notes I always yearn for in a sablé cookie.

After making this recipe countless times, I can also tell you that these cookies taste even better after a day or two spent in an airtight container. Time allows the flavors to meld and the sandy texture to develop as well.

Ingredients for these lemon poppy seed sable cookies

This sablé cookie recipe is relatively easy and requires staple pantry ingredients, along with lemon and poppy seeds. To shape the sablé cookies, you need a rolling pin and a cookie cutter (choose the shape you prefer!). Here is a detailed look of the ingredients you need. 

1. Flour. All-purpose flour is the way to go to create the proper “sandy” texture. Any other type of flour (whole wheat, gluten-free) will alter the texture.
2. Sugar. I prefer to use plain old white sugar for making sablé cookies.
3. A pinch of salt. To enhance all the flavors.
4. Poppy seeds. A healthy dose of poppy seeds yields delicious flavor and texture to these sablés.
5. Butter. Make you sure you use unsalted butter that is very cold. I like to cube the butter and pop it back into the fridge for about 30 minutes before using it, to ensure it is properly cold.
6. Lemon. You will need the zest from one whole lemon and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of fresh lemon juice. Because we are using the zest, I recommend using an organic lemon.
7. Egg. You’ll need one egg for the dough to come together. Make sure the egg is at room temperature so it integrates nicely into the other ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to store these Lemon Poppy Seed Sablés

• Once completely cooled, you can store the sablés in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I think they tend to get better and better every day that passes, as their flavors blend and develop.
• These sablés also freeze very well. Place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Audrey’s tips:

• A good quality butter will go a long way when making sablé cookies, since the buttery taste is so prevalent. Ideally opt for a European butter with a higher fat content.
• Do not overmix the dough, stop when the ingredients are just combined. The less you mix the dough, the more delicate in texture the sablés will be. On the opposite end, the more you mix, the tougher the sablés will be. 
• I used a round scalloped cooking cutter here, but any shape works.

I hope you’ll love this Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé cookie recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French cookie recipes to try: 

• Buckweat Sablé cookies with Chocolate
• Thin Spiced Almond Cookies (Pains d’Amandes)
• Cocoa and Almond Thumbprint Cookies (Linzele)
• Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt 
• Breton Salted Butter Sables
• Chocolate chip cookies with fleur de sel 
• Butter Sables from Alsace (Butterbredele)

Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé Cookies

Print Recipe

Serves: 16 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100g) sugar
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp (26g) poppy seeds
1/2 cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
The zest from 1 lemon
1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
1 large egg, at room temperature

Instructions

Step 1 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and poppy seeds. Add the cubed butter, lemon zest and juice, and mix the ingredients together using your hands (rub between your palms) until you get a crumbly, sandy texture and pea-size bits of butter are still visible.

Step 2 - Add the egg and combine until the dough comes together into a ball. Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 3 - After the 30 minutes, unwrap the dough and place it onto a lightly floured surface.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C).

Step 4 - Roll the dough until it is ½-inch thick (1.27cm) and cut out circles with a cookie cutter. 

Step 5 - Transfer the sablés onto the paper-lined baking sheets, at least 1½ inches (3.8 cm) apart. If the dough is a little sticky, you may need a spatula to delicately unpeel the sablés from the working surface.  With a fork, poke little holes in each cookie. 

Bake for 12 minutes, until the edges of the sablé cookies turn lightly golden. Take out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer the sablés to a cooling rack.

Remember, these get better by the day!

The post Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé Cookies appeared first on Pardon Your French.

Buckwheat, a staple ingredient in Brittany.

I have always had a fondness for alternative flours, especially buckwheat flour. Buckwheat, known in French as “blé noir” or “sarrasin”, is a central ingredient in Brittany cooking. It features in many of our local specialties, like savory buckwheat crepes or the earthy kig ha farz meat stew. I enjoyed this flour all throughout my childhood in France, and I have always loved it for its distinct earthy and nutty flavours. 

Buckwheat flour is gluten-free which makes it a good choice for anybody with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. It is packed with nutrients and versatile. It is also widely available and a great choice for anyone just starting to play around in the kitchen with alternative flours. 

However, note that these buckwheat sablés aren’t gluten-free since they use a combination of both buckwheat and all-purpose flour.

Notes on Buckwheat flour in the US/Canada vs. France 

Since starting this blog, I have had a lot of people ask me about buckwheat flour. The question that I get the most is what brand/type of buckwheat flour to buy in the US/Canada to recreate the same taste and look as in France? Most people point out that buckwheat flour is much darker in US/Canada, resulting in darker results in baked goods and crepes.  

What I have found from my experience of juggling back and forth between North American and French flours is that the French buckwheat flour is usually sold in a refined form, whereas buckwheat flour in North America is usually left whole grain. 

• Un-refined North American buckwheat flour found in North America is grainier and darker in color. It will for instance create sablés or savory crêpes that are much darker in color and with a more assertive taste. Examples of North American whole-grain buckwheat flours are Bob’s Red Mill Organic Buckwheat Flour and the one you can find in bulk at a store like Bulk Barn. 
• Refined French buckwheat flour is usually powderier in texture and lighter in color. An example of French buckwheat flour is Treblec’s, which is sold everywhere in France, and online. This is probably one of the most famous brands, and the one that I grew up enjoying for making baked goods.   

I personally have no objection using either kind of these buckwheat flours – whole grain or refined. I just know what to expect. For instance, I often baked these Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies while in Canada, and they ended up darker and earthier in taste since I was using whole grain buckwheat flour.

The sablés pictured here look lighter in color as they were made using French Treblec’s flour (since I recently moved back to France).

How to store these buckwheat sablés:

• Once completely cooled, you can store the sablés in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I think they tend to get better and better every day as their flavors blend and develop.
• These sablés also freeze very well. Place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes:

• A good quality butter will go along way for this sablé cookie, since the buttery taste is so prevalent. Ideally opt for a European butter with a higher fat content.
• The key to getting a delicate sablé texture is to not over-beat your dough. At first, the mixture will seem very dry but as you keep gently beating, it will bring out the moisture and the dough will come together in a rough and thick ball. As soon as it comes together, stop mixing.
• After being shaped into a log, the dough needs to rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge to firm and become sliceable. Ideally, leave it in the fridge overnight, which also helps developing the flavors.
• I prefer to use roughly chopped dark chocolate. But chocolate chips work perfectly too.

You may also like: 

• Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
• Brownies with Pecans and Fleur de Sel
• Chouquettes (French Sugar Puffs)
• Roasted Hazelnut Financiers
• Homemade Hazelnut Chocolate Spread 
• Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel
• Hazelnut Chocolate Sea Salt Granola

Buckwheat Sablés with Chocolate Chips

Print Recipe

Serves: 2 dozens Prep Time: 20 Minutes + chilled overnight Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.6/5

( 5 voted )

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup (156g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (95g) buckwheat flour (*see notes above)
¼ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks/225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature - soft.
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup (116g) dark chocolate, roughly chopped - or chocolate chips

Instructions

Step 1 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour and salt.

Step 2 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter with the sugar and vanilla until fluffy and lighter in color, about 1 minute.

Step 3 – Add the flours and chopped chocolate all at once and beat until just incorporated.

Step 4 - Transfer the dough onto a floured working surface and, with your hands, form the dough into a long log about (2 inches in diameter). The dough is dense, so if you find it too hard to shape in one long log, shape it in two short logs. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours, but ideally overnight.

The day of baking, pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 5 – Take the log(s) out of the fridge at least 1 hour before, so it is not too tough to work with. Unwrap, and using a sharp cooking knife, slice the dough into ¼ inch thick coins. If you hit chocolate chunks with your knife, the dough might crumble a bit – do not worry, you can easily reshape the dough coins with your fingers.

Step 6 - Place the coins on the baking sheets, at least 1½ inches (3.8 cm) apart.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the sablés are golden brown underneath. Take out of the oven, leave the sablés on the sheet for 2 minutes and transfer them onto a cooling rack.

 

Notes...

This recipe was first published on the blog in January 2018. It was then updated on May 2022. I wanted to update the photos and add friendlier instructions. I also slightly reduced the amount of sugar and found that chopped chocolate (vs. chocolate chips) works better.

The post Buckwheat Sablés with Chocolate appeared first on Pardon Your French.

What is Sablé Breton?

Sablé Breton, also known as French salted butter cookies, originate from Brittany, my home region, known for its high-quality salted butter. The word “sablé” means “sandy” in French, referring to the crumbly texture of these cookies. These buttery cookies can be found in all grocery shops and bakeries across Brittany. They are usually sold in tin boxes with flip lids decorated with illustrations or photos depicting Brittany life. And most locals like myself will tell you it is their absolute favorite!

Like many other Brittany recipes, these French salted butter cookies are made with the simplest of ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs and a lot of butter enriched with sea salt flakes. They have a very unique salty-sweet flavor that makes them a favorite not only in Brittany but in all French homes.

Let’s dive into how to create the perfect Sablé Breton right in your own kitchen!

Ingredients you’ll need for this traditional Sablé Breton cookie recipe

Brittany bakers like to rely on simple, yet high quality ingredients. Here are my recommendations for choosing the best ingredients for Sablé Breton cookies

1. Butter. This recipe is all about the butter: choose a good-quality European brand. Read my notes below where I give you more details about the right butter to choose, whether you’re in France or outside of France.
2. Salt. Whenever possible, use fleur de sel, available online and at many grocery stores across the US and Canada. If fleur de sel isn’t available, opt for high-quality sea salt flakes, like Maldon, which also offers excellent flavor and texture.
3. Sugar. White sugar is best here.
4. Eggs. We need 3 large eggs for the dough, and 1 egg yolk mixed with milk to brush atop the sablés right before baking. This helps provide the golden tops.
5. Flour. Use all-purpose flour.
6. Milk. We just need 1 tbsp (15ml) of milk for the egg brushing. Prefer 2% m.l. or whole milk.

If you want to stick to the authentic Sablé Breton look, use a 2-inch (5cm) round and scalloped cookie cutter.

Step by Step instructions

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine wet ingredients: Cream together the butter, salt and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the 3 whole eggs, one at a time.
3. Add dry ingredients: Slowly incorporate the flour into the butter mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together—don’t overmix, as you want to maintain that tender, crumbly texture.
4. Roll Out the Dough: Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch (1.27cm) thickness. If the dough feels sticky, you can refrigerate it for 15 minutes to make it easier to handle.
5. Cut Out Cookies: Use a round cookie cutter to cut out your cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
7. Cool and Enjoy: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!

Audrey’s tips for Perfect Sablé Breton Cookies:

Before you start, I wanted to share a few more notes and tips, including on choosing the right butter and salt – the two most important ingredients in this recipe.

1. Use High-Quality Butter

Since butter is the star of this recipe, using a European-style salted butter will give you the best flavor and texture.

In France, you have the choice between these three butter types:

• “beurre doux” (unsalted butter)
• “beurre demi-sel” (slightly salted butter)
• “beurre salé” (salted butter with sea salt flakes, 3 to 5% more salty than the “beurre demi-sel” butter). Beurre salé is mostly consumed in Brittany and is the one used to make these salted butter sablés. In your kitchen, you can recreate this salted butter by using “unsalted or “demi-sel” butter to which you add fleur de sel. Adding fleur de sel recreates this signature salty, crunchy bite that makes these cookies so special. 

You can find “demi-sel” French butters in the US/Canada at some grocery stores (such as Echire’s) or even some European-style butter, cultured or not cultured (such as Land O Lakes’). These are definitely good-quality butters and I’d strongly suggest using them for your baking projects. 

2. Choose the right salt.

To salt the butter and achieve an authentic taste, I rely on French Fleur de sel, which you can find online and in some grocery stores in the US/Canada. If you can’t find fleur de sel, try to find some other good-quality sea salt flakes. Maldon is very good too. It has fine flakes but the volume can remain the same as fleur de sel in this recipe.

3. Don’t Skip the Chilling

If your dough is too warm or sticky, chill it for a few minutes before rolling it out. This makes it easier to cut into shapes.

4. Don’t over-mix.

Mix until the ingredients are just incorporated and hold into a rough ball. Overmixing results in tough cookies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the dough be made in advance?

Absolutely. The dough can be made and wrapped well in cling wrap. The unbaked dough can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Before rolling it, leave it at room temperature for ten minutes to soften. Follow instructions as per the recipe.

Can I add flavors like chocolate or spices?

Absolutely! You can experiment by adding a touch of cinnamon, lemon zest, or even dipping the cookies in melted chocolate for a fun twist. Although if it is your first time making these Breton sables, I recommend simply sticking to the basic recipe to experience their iconic buttery taste.

How long do they keep?

You can keep the sables in a sealed Tupperware for up to 10 days. After that time mark, they tend to harden, but still taste good in my opinion.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, these cookies freeze very well. Keep them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

Sablé Breton cookies are incredibly versatile! Serve them with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or your favorite tea. In France, we also use them to crumble over ice cream or yogurts for an added crunch. I also love to crush them for a cheesecake crust, in lieu of graham crackers.

They are also perfect for Holiday gifting! Pack them in a beautiful tin and gift them to friends and family for the holidays.

I hope you’ll love this French Salted Butter Cookies (Sablé Breton) recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions or tips to share, please feel free to leave a comment. 

More French Cookie recipes to try:

• Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé Cookies
• Classic French Madeleines
• Almond Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies (Alsatian Schwowebredele)
• Classic French Madeleines
• Buckwheat Sablés with Chocolate
• Thin Spiced Almond Cookies (Pains d’Amandes)
• Cocoa and Almond Thumbprint Cookies from Alsace (Linzele)
• Chocolate Almond Twice-Baked Cookies from Provence (“Croquants”)
• Spiced Cookies with Candied Citrus Peels and Almonds (Leckerli)

French Salted Butter Cookies (Sablé Breton)

Print Recipe

Serves: 18 sablés Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.0/5

( 35 voted )

Ingredients

1 cup (250g) unsalted butter or "demi-sel", diced and at room temperature
1 tsp to 1 ½ tsp (8g) flaky sea salt, such as Fleur de sel.* 
1 ¼ cup (250g) sugar
3 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15ml) milk, (2% m.f. or whole) at room temperature

*Use 1 tsp salt if you are using demi-sel butter or 1 1/2 tsp salt if you are using unsalted butter. 

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, salt and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the 3 whole eggs (not the extra yolk), until just incorporated. Sift together the flour over the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Combine with a spatula until it all comes together into a soft ball. It is essential to stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are all combined; over-mixing will make the sablés too tough. Wrap the dough in plastic film and chill for 1 hour.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle.
3. Transfer the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Lay another sheet of parchment paper on top and roll the dough out until it is ½-inch thick (1.27cm). Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper and cut out circles of dough with a 2-inch (5cm) round cookie cutter (scalloped, if you want to stick to the authentic look).
4. Transfer the dough circles onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. The dough is still quite sticky, you may need a spatula to delicately unpeel the circles.
5. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the milk and brush the top of the dough circles with this egg wash. Using a fork, create a crosshatch pattern over the dough circles.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet mid-way, until they are golden. The centers will still be slightly soft, but they’ll firm up as they cool.
7. Transfer the sablés immediately to a cooling rack.

The post French Salted Butter Cookies (Sablé Breton) appeared first on Pardon Your French.