Bready or Not: Almond Sable Cookies

Let’s welcome 2020 in grand style: with French shortbread called almond sables!

I’ve made a lot of shortbread in my day. All varieties. This is shortbread that’s gone up in level. It tastes fancy. It’s a French recipe, so that’s only appropriate, right?

I highly recommend you use President-brand unsalted butter for this recipe. My recipe is actually modified from a version they used in advertisements. However, you can use other butters, just make sure you use unsalted and only 7 ounces. That means you’ll chop off a tablespoon from the standard American butter stick.

I made these cookies twice to get the recipe the way I wanted it. I used salted butter the first time, and the cookies tasted noticeably salty. Not just to me, but to other eaters as well.

Because these cookies have such few ingredients, the few that are present really have a chance to shine. They are buttery, mildly nutty, with a soft, sandy texture.

I liked using my fluted cookie cutters for these–that way the sugar coating has more nooks and crannies to cling to!

Recipe modified from a President butter advertisement.

Bready or Not: Almond Sable Cookies

These French-style shortbread cookies taste delicate and refined. Note that the dough needs at least a few hours to chill prior to baking. Modified from a recipe by President Butter.

1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 cups all-purpose flour
7- ounces President unsalted butter (softened, or substitute other unsalted butter)
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup white sugar (divided)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 vanilla bean (or substitute 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 3 teaspoons vanilla extract)
1 egg yolk



Toast the almonds prior to beginning cookies. Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Spread almonds in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast for about 10 minutes, until fragrant. Set aside to cool for a few minutes; turn off oven.
Measure out flour in a small bowl.
Use a food processor to grind almonds to a fine crumb; don’t process for too long or it’ll turn to almond butter. Mix almond crumbs with flour.

In a big bowl, beat butter until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, and salt, until smooth again. Add vanilla bean (or equivalent) and egg yolk. Gradually work in flour mixture. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead 3 or 4 times to form a cohesive ball.

Place dough between two large sheets of parchment paper and compress dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Enshroud in plastic wrap. Transfer to fridge to set, at least 2 hours but as long as 2 days.
Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Line large baking sheet with fresh parchment paper.

Roll out dough to closer to 1/4-inch thickness, then set aside top parchment sheet. Use a small round cookie cutter to cut dough, placing rounds spaced-out on sheet pan. Re-roll dough scraps to use up the rest, adding a touch of water, if necessary, to bring dough together again.

Bake until edges are just turning golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Measure out remaining 1/2 cup white sugar in a bowl. Use a spatula to dip warm cookies into sugar to coat top and sides. Place on rack to cool cookies completely.
Cookies keep well in sealed container for up to 3 days.

OM NOM NOM!