The sablé cookie is a French shortbread. The word sablé means “sand,” which refers to the cookies delicate sandy, sugary texture.
Sablé cookies can be shaped or rolled and cut into rounds or decorative shapes. This version is shaped into a log and refrigerated. After thorough chilling, the logs are coated with an egg wash and sugar, then baked to perfection. The subtle orange and lemon citrus flavors complement the butter and cardamom. The unique flavor combination makes them perfect for special occasions.
To keep the rolls from flattening as the chill in the fridge, I put the wrapped logs in an empty paper towel tube. Cut the tube so you can insert the sablé log easily, then tie the tube in a few places with kitchen twine. This helps keep the sablé cookies perfectly round.
PrintCitrus Cardamom Sablé Cookies
These French sablé cookies are flavored with lemon zest, orange zest, and ground cardamom—it’s a complementary blend worthy of a special occasion!
- Prep Time: 14 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies, Sablé Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 large orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (38 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg, separated
- Sparkling sugar or sanding sugar
Instructions
- Combine the flour and salt in a bowl; whisk to blend and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, and cardamom; use a spoon to mash the zest into the sugar to combine it thoroughly. Stir in the cardamom.
- In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and zest mixture and the confectioners’ sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk to the creamed mixture and beat until well combined. Refrigerate the egg white until it’s time to cut and bake the cookies.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until blended.
- Shape the dough into 2 equal logs about 8 or 9 inches in length. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- When it’s time to bake, heat the oven to 350 F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the egg white and brush over a cookie dough roll; coat with the sparkling sugar.
- Cut a roll into 1/2-inch slices and place them 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining roll of cookie dough.
- Bake the sablés until lightly browned on the bottoms, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Cool the cookies in the pan for 5 minutes then move them to a rack to cool completely.
- Store sablés in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze in a resealable freezer bag or container for up to 6 months.
