by Diana Rattray
French sablé cookies are delicious shortbread cookies made with a simple combination of sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, an egg, and flour. The cookies take about 5 minutes to combine and mix, but make sure to allow 2 to 3 hours for chilling so they will slice neatly.
The word sablé is French, and means “sandy,” so as you would expect, the cookies have a sandy texture. These vanilla sablés can be made with vanilla extract or an equal amount of vanilla bean paste. The logs of dough are shaped, chilled, and then coated with an egg white and sanding sugar or sparkling sugar. For a party, consider using a colorful sugar. I sometimes use turbinado or demerara sugar.
How to Store These Cookies
Store French sablé cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze them for up to 4 to 6 months. When freezing them, first arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze. Transfer the frozen cookies to a container or freezer bag when they are frozen solid. Make sure to use an airtight container or freezer bag and label the container or bag with the name and use-by date.
The cookie dough is divided into logs and thoroughly chilled before slicing and baking.
An empty cardboard paper towel cylinder helps keep the cookie dough log round while they chill.
PrintVanilla Sablé Cookies
Sablés are tender, delicious French shortbread cookies, usually made with simple ingredients: sugar, butter, egg, and flour. These vanilla sablé cookies make vanilla the star!!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 32 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, pure vanilla extract, or seeds scraped from 2 vanilla beans
- 1/3 cup (38 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg, separated
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 2 1/4 cups (278 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sparkling sugar or sanding sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and vanilla bean paste or extract; mash with a spoon until well blended.
- In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy; add the vanilla granulated sugar mixture and confectioners’ sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk and salt to the butter mixture and blend well. Put the egg white in a small bowl or cup and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake.
- Add the flour and beat on low speed just until blended.
- Divide the dough into 2 portions and roll each into a log about 9 inches in length.
- Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Hint: cut one side of an empty paper towel roll to keep the rolls from flattening. Place the wrapped log of cookie dough in the roll and tie it loosely with twine. Refrigerate as directed.
- Heat the oven to 350 F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- When you’re ready to bake, unwrap a log of cookie dough. Whisk the egg white and brush it over the cookie dough log. Coat the log with sparkling or sanding sugar. Cut to log into 1/2-inch slices and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining log of cookie dough. You should have about 16 to 18 slices.
- Bake the sablé cookies for 14 to 18 minutes, until just lightly browned on the bottoms.
