Snickerdoodle Sablé Cookies
French sablé cookies meet classic snickerdoodle flavor in these buttery cookies.
French sablé shortbread cookies are wonderful, crumbly cookies that are bursting with buttery flavor. This version, with cinnamon in the cookie and the coating, is perfect for the winter holidays. If you like snickerdoodles, you will love these snickerdoodle sablé cookies!
The dough is enriched with cinnamon and vanilla, then chilled into logs before being coated in sparkling cinnamon-sugar and baked to golden perfection. They’re sparkly and festive with a delicious crunch from the sugar coating—perfect for cookie trays, gift boxes, or a cozy winter snack.
Allow at least 2 hours chilling time for the sablé logs. The logs should be very firm for slicing. I like to slice them about 1/2-inch thick, but feel free to slice them a little thinner if you like, and adjust the baking time accordingly. The dough is a bit soft and sticky, so you’ll need to roll it up in plastic wrap. To keep the logs from flattening on one side, I put the wrapped log in an empty paper towel tube and tie it loosely with twine.
I used sparkling sugar for the coating, which gave the cookies sparkle and a truly delicious cinnamon-flavored crunch, but feel free to use sanding sugar, turbinado, or demerara. Or use plain granulated sugar.
Why You’ll Love It
Snickerdoodle flavor meets French texture. You get the warmth of cinnamon and sugar with a crisp, buttery bite.
Perfectly sparkly edges. Sparkling sugar gives these cookies an irresistible, crunchy coating and festive look.
Simple slice-and-bake prep. No rolling pins or cutters—just slice and bake after a chill.
Great for holiday gifting. These cookies hold up well and look beautiful on cookie trays.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature for the best texture and flavor.
- Cinnamon: There’s cinnamon in the dough and in the coating—adjust to taste if you’d like it stronger.
- Sparkling or sanding sugar: For sparkle and crunch; turbinado or demerara also work.
- Egg yolk and white: The yolk enriches the dough, while the white helps the coating adhere.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the cinnamon flavor and enhances the cookie’s warmth.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Sablé Cookies
- Start by whisking together the flour and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon, mixing thoroughly.
- Beat the butter until creamy, then add the cinnamon sugar and confectioners’ sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, then mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. Set the egg white aside in the fridge. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Divide the dough and shape into two logs about 8 to 9 inches long. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. To help keep the logs round during chilling, place each in a split paper towel tube and secure loosely with twine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven and line baking sheets with parchment. Mix the cinnamon-sugar coating. Brush each dough log with egg white, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Slice into ½-inch rounds and place on the baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies until the bottoms are just golden—about 14 to 18 minutes. Let them cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring to racks to cool completely.
Recipe Variations
- Use different sugars. Try turbinado, demerara, or colored sugar for a fun holiday look.
- Add a touch of nutmeg. A small pinch in the dough enhances the warm spice flavor.
- Make them mini. Slice a bit thinner for smaller cookies, adjusting the bake time as needed.
How to Store (and Reheat, if applicable)
Refrigerate: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough logs for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly and label with the name and date.
Snickerdoodle Sablé Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups 260 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup 67 grams granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup 38 grams confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg, separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Snickerdoodle Coating
- 1/4 cup sparkling sugar or sanding sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour and salt; set aside.
- Combine sugar and cinnamon. In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup of granulated sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon; mix to blend.
- Make the cookie dough. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and cinnamon mixture and the confectioners’ sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until well blended. Put the egg white in a bowl or cup and refrigerate it until it’s time to bake. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until the mixture is combined.
- Shape and chill. Divide the dough into 2 portions. Place one portion on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up to form a log about 8 or 9 inches in length. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Tip: To keep refrigerator cookies from flattening on one side, cut 1 side of a paper towel tube lengthwise and place the plastic-wrapped roll of cookie dough in it. Refrigerate for 2 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Prepare the oven and baking sheets. Heat the oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar coating. Combine 1/4 cup of sanding or sparkling sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Coat the logs. Whisk the egg white and brush it over a dough log. Coat the log with sparkling or sanding sugar mixture. Repeat with the remaining log.
- Slice and bake. Cut the logs into slices about 1/2-inch in thickness and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 14 to 18 minutes, until just lightly browned on the bottoms.
- Cool on racks. Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes; transfer to racks to cool completely.
