Key Takeaways:
- Salted butter creates distinctly rich, balanced cookies with a perfect sweet-salty flavor
- Chilling the dough is essential for the best texture
- These cookies need just 6 basic ingredients
- Room temperature ingredients yield the best results
Some bakers shy away from using salted butter in their baked goods. But French bakers have long known its secret – salted butter adds complexity and enhances flavors in ways that regular butter simply can’t match.
These French salted butter cookies (sablés bretons) showcase butter as the star ingredient. The resulting treats offer a melt-in-your-mouth texture with a subtle salty finish that keeps you reaching for more.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 250g salted butter, room temperature
- 130g powdered sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 320g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt (for topping)
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
Kitchen Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or baking paper
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters (2-inch round preferred)
- Pastry brush
- Fork
- Plastic wrap
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Cooling rack
Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare Your Workspace (15 minutes before starting)
- Remove butter from refrigerator and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Place butter cubes on a plate to reach room temperature
- Separate 3 eggs, keeping 2 yolks for dough and 1 for egg wash
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
- Measure all ingredients and place in separate bowls
- Clear counter space for rolling dough
- Make the Butter Mixture (10 minutes)
- Test butter softness by pressing with finger – it should leave an indent but not be mushy
- Place softened butter cubes in mixing bowl
- Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until no lumps remain
- Sift powdered sugar to remove any lumps
- Add sifted sugar gradually, 1/4 cup at a time
- Beat mixture for 3-4 minutes until very light and fluffy
- Stop mixer and scrape down sides with spatula
- Add Egg Yolks (5 minutes)
- Check that egg yolks are at room temperature
- Add first yolk, beat on medium speed until fully mixed
- Scrape down bowl sides
- Add second yolk, beat until mixture is smooth
- Mixture should look pale yellow and creamy
- Prepare Dry Ingredients (5 minutes)
- In separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder
- Whisk for 30 seconds to ensure even distribution
- If flour looks lumpy, sift before mixing
- Make the Dough (10 minutes)
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 portions
- Mix on low speed just until each portion is incorporated
- Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour remains
- Dough should look slightly crumbly but hold together when pressed
- Use spatula to gather dough into a ball
- Chill the Dough (2 hours minimum)
- Place dough on plastic wrap
- Pat into 1-inch thick disk
- Wrap tightly, pressing out air
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight is better)
- Dough should feel firm and cold
- Roll and Cut Cookies (20 minutes)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Lightly flour work surface
- Remove dough from refrigerator
- If too hard, let rest 5-10 minutes
- Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness, turning frequently
- Dip cookie cutter in flour between each cut
- Cut cookies as close together as possible
- Gather scraps, re-chill if soft, then re-roll
- Prepare for Baking (10 minutes)
- Transfer cut cookies to lined baking sheets
- Space cookies 1.5 inches apart
- Whisk egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water until smooth
- Strain egg wash if lumpy
- Gently brush each cookie with thin layer of egg wash
- Make crosshatch pattern with fork tines
- Sprinkle each cookie with a few sea salt flakes
- Bake and Cool (15-20 minutes)
- Place one sheet at a time in center of oven
- Set timer for 12 minutes
- Check cookies – edges should be light golden
- Bake 1-3 minutes more if needed
- Remove when edges are golden brown
- Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes
- Transfer to cooling rack
- Cool completely before storing
Special Notes and Tips
For the Best Results:
- Let butter soften naturally at room temperature (30-60 minutes)
- Don’t skip the chilling time – cold dough prevents spreading
- Space cookies 1.5 inches apart on baking sheets
- Watch carefully during final baking minutes to prevent over-browning
- If dough becomes soft while working, return to refrigerator for 15 minutes
Things to Avoid:
- Don’t substitute unsalted butter – the salt content is crucial
- Avoid rolling dough too thin or cookies will be crisp instead of tender
- Don’t skip the egg wash – it creates the signature shine
- Never use warm or melted butter – it will make greasy cookies
- Don’t overbake – cookies should be golden, not brown
Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Layer cookies with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Unbaked dough keeps in refrigerator for 3 days or freezer for 2 months.
These French salted butter cookies bring the magic of French bakeries right to your kitchen. The recipe creates perfectly crisp, buttery treats that pair wonderfully with hot chocolate or afternoon tea.
Remember that quality ingredients matter – choose good butter and flaky sea salt for the best results. Happy baking!
