Shortbread Cookies (Sablé Breton)

There's a cookie in Brittany that doesn't apologize for itself. Thick, buttery, slightly salty, with a crumb that's tender rather than crisp - the sablé breton, or French shortbread cookie, is the kind of thing you remember long after the plate is empty. At Au Pralin, it's also one of our favourite ways to show off a spread we're especially proud of: our almond cardamom spread.

We didn't set out to reinvent the shortbread. We just wanted an excuse to eat more of our almond cardamom spread - and it turns out the two were made for each other. This classic French shortbread's buttery, slightly salty crumb needs a partner that's bold but not sweet-heavy, and our almond cardamom does exactly that: warm, aromatic cardamom folded through a spread that's mostly almonds.

Makes about 14–16 cookies | Prep: 25 minutes (plus 2 hours chilling) | Bake: 15–18 minutes

This recipe is adapted from a traditional sablé breton base, simplified into individual cookies so it's easy to make at home - no tart rings or multi-step assembly required. Just bake, cool, and spread.

Ingredients

For the shortbread cookies:

3 large egg yolks
130g sugar
150g unsalted butter, softened
200g all-purpose flour
1 pinch of salt
1 packet (about 11g) baking powder
Optional: Coarse-grained sugar

For the topping:

Au Pralin Almond Cardamom Spread (as generous a layer as you'd like)
Optional: a few crushed toasted almonds and a pinch of flaky salt, for finishing

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the yolks and sugar

In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until smooth, pale, and slightly thickened.

Step 2: Add the butter

Incorporate the softened butter, mixing with a spatula until the batter is smooth and even.

Step 3: Fold in the dry ingredients

Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder over the mixture, then mix just until combined into a soft dough. Don't overwork it – we want tender, not tough.

Step 4: Chill the dough

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This step matters – it firms up the butter so the cookies hold their shape instead of spreading thin.

Step 5: Roll and cut

Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 4–5mm thick. Cut into rounds with a 6–7cm cutter.

Step 6: Bake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15–18 minutes, until the edges turn a light golden brown.

Step 7: Press a well while warm

As soon as the tray comes out of the oven, working quickly while the shortbread is still warm and soft, gently press the bottom of a small jar (about 3–4cm wide – a spice jar works perfectly) into the centre of each cookie, leaving a border of about 1cm around the edge (you can put some coarse grained sugar on the border for extra crunch). Press about three-quarters down, not all the way through. Let the cookies cool completely once shaped – they'll firm up and hold that well as they cool.

The Au Pralin finale!

Once your cookies are completely cool, spoon a generous amount of Au Pralin almond cardamom spread (or another of our spreads) right into the well of each one. Finish with a few crushed almonds and a pinch of flaky salt for some crunch and contrast. Trust us, this is what an afternoon coffee break was made for!

Pro tip: Keep the cookies and the jar separate until serving – letting everyone fill their own is half the fun.