Vanilla Bean French Butter Cookies (Sablés)

I feel like Christmas always springs up on me each year. I cherish the Christmas season with all of the beautiful lights, poinsettias, candlelight service, and celebrations with loved ones. And of course, I love all of the baking, especially the cookies! It’s Christmas Eve and if you’re looking for a quick yet elegant and delicious cookie recipe, these Vanilla Bean Sablés are for you!

This year was my second year participating in Food52’s Holiday Swap and I had so much fun thinking of a variety of delicious cookies to include in my basket! The concept behind this international holiday swap is that you send a package of homemade and/or curated gifts (food is highly recommended – this is a swap between people who love food after all!) to someone either in your own country or abroad and excitedly wait for them to receive it. In return, you also receive a lovely packaged gift from someone else! The swap also provides funds to Action Against Hunger, which helps fight global hunger. If you’re interested, sign up for reminder emails to receive notifications for next year’s swap using the link above!

These Vanilla Bean Sablés are one of my favorite cookies because I am a purist and these cookies really highlight the vanilla and butter with a subtle hint of lemon. The cookies melt in your mouth and I love the slight crunch of the sugar-coated edges, which I think also dresses up the cookies and gives them a nice sparkle. And perhaps the best part of all is that the dough can be made in advance so all you have to do is slice and bake them right before your guests arrive or whenever you’re in dire need of some buttery cookies asap!

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and Healthy & Happy New Year! 

Vanilla Bean Sablés

Yield: 36 cookies

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 3 tsp vanilla paste or extract (or pulp from 2 vanilla beans)
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (preferably high quality European butter)
• 1 large egg, separated
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
•  1/2 – 1 cup sanding sugar (or granulated sugar), for rolling

Directions:

In a small bowl, add granulated sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract or paste (or scrape vanilla beans into the bowl). Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest and vanilla into the sugar until well-mixed. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and salt until combined. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. You don’t want the butter to get light and fluffy since you don’t want to add air to the dough. Add the sugar mixture and mix on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and paddle attachment as needed. Add the egg yolk and mix until just combined. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour and mix until just blended. It is normal for the dough to be soft at this point.

In the bowl, knead the dough gently a few times until it comes together. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 9-inch log. Wrap the logs in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably rolling the logs occasionally to help prevent any one side of the log from flattening too much. The parchment paper-wrapped logs can also be frozen for up to one month in a resealable plastic bag.

Position oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

With a fork, whisk together the reserved egg white with a splash of water. Brush each log with egg wash and sprinkle or roll in sanding sugar until evenly coated. Using a sharp knife, trim the ends of the logs and cut the dough into rounds with 1/2-inch thickness. Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them.

Bake the cookies for about 18-22 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway, or until the edges are slightly brown and the bottoms are golden. Let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the cookies to the wire rack and let cool completely before serving for the best texture.

Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.