Vanilla Sablé Cookies
Tender French sablé cookies with rich vanilla flavor and sparkling sugar—perfect for dessert trays or gifting.
Sablé cookies are a classic French treat—delicately crisp with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Their name comes from the French word for “sandy,” which refers to their tender, crumbly bite. These vanilla sablé cookies are all about simplicity and elegance, with rich vanilla flavor and a sugary coating that gives them sparkle and crunch.
The dough comes together in minutes and is shaped into logs for easy slicing. After a thorough chill, the cookies are brushed with egg white, rolled in sugar, and baked to golden perfection. Try using vanilla bean paste, or coat them with colored sugar for a festive touch.
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.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
Vanilla. These cookies celebrate pure vanilla flavor with extract or vanilla bean paste.
Slice and bake convenience. Once the dough is chilled, just slice and bake—no rolling or cutting required.
Elegant and festive. The sparkling sugar coating makes these cookies perfect for parties, gifting, or holiday trays.
Make-ahead friendly. The dough can be refrigerated or frozen so you can bake whenever you’re ready.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Unsalted butter gives the cookies their classic rich and tender texture.
- Vanilla bean paste or extract: Use vanilla bean paste for an intense, speckled finish—or substitute with a good-quality extract or vanilla bean seeds.
- Egg yolk and white: The yolk enriches the dough; the white is used later to help the sugar stick to the dough logs.
- Sparkling or sanding sugar: Use coarse sugar for texture and sparkle. Turbinado, demerara, or even colored sugars work well.
Steps to Make Vanilla Sablé Cookies
- Start by combining the granulated sugar and vanilla paste (or extract) in a small bowl, mashing them together to distribute the flavor evenly. Cream the butter until smooth, then add both sugars and beat until fluffy.
- Mix in the egg yolk and salt, saving the egg white in the fridge for later. Blend in the flour just until combined, then divide and shape the dough into two 9-inch logs. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- To prevent the logs from flattening in the fridge, you can place each one inside a split paper towel tube and secure it with kitchen twine.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven and line baking sheets with parchment. Brush a dough log with the reserved egg white, roll it in sparkling sugar, and slice into ½-inch rounds. Repeat with the second log.
- Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly golden—usually around 14 to 18 minutes. Let them cool on the sheet briefly before transferring to a rack.
Make-Ahead Tip
The cookie dough logs can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations
- Use vanilla sugar. If you have vanilla-infused sugar on hand, it adds even more fragrance to the dough.
- Try lemon or almond. Add a pinch of lemon zest or a drop of almond extract for a different flavor.
- Add a chocolate dip. Dip one side of the cooled cookies in melted dark chocolate for an elegant finish.
How to Store (and Reheat, if applicable)
Refrigerate: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Freeze baked cookies for up to 4 to 6 months. To freeze, first place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag or container and label with name and date.
Vanilla Sablé Cookies
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
- Combine the sugar and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and vanilla bean paste or extract; mash with a spoon until well blended.
- Cream the butter and sugars. 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.
- Finish the dough. 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.
- Shape the dough log and chill. 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.
- Prep the oven and pans. Heat the oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough. 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. Bake the sablé cookies for 14 to 18 minutes, until just lightly browned on the bottoms.
