Lemon Sable Cookies

Soft and crumbly butter cookies with a delicate lemon flavor. These cookies are easy to make and pair perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee. You won’t be able to eat just one!

Wow, do I love sable cookies! This lemon sable cookie recipe comes from the Miette Bakery cookbook. I’ve been in love with Miette Bakery in San Francisco ever since I first visited years ago. Their mini treats and cakes are flawless and look almost too pretty to eat. And of course, everything tastes incredible.

These lemon sable cookies are exceptionally tender and delicate. Unlike traditional butter cookies which are more firm, these cookies are crumbly and melt in your mouth when you take a bite.

I hope you love them as much as I do!

What are sable cookies?

Sable cookies, also know as Sable Breton, are a type of French butter cookies that originated in the village of Sablé-sur-Sarthe, located in the Normandy region off France. Sable means sandy, referring to both the name of the village and the sandy texture of the cookies.

While they are similar to shortbread cookies, they have a slightly more crumbly, delicate texture than shortbread do.

How to make lemon sable cookies

1. Combine sugar and lemon zest. Mix together with a fork and set aside.
2. Incorporate ingredients. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, butter, salt, and baking soda. Beat on low speed until it resembles cornmeal, about 3-4 minutes. Add the lemon sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla and beat until the cookie dough just comes together.
3. Chill the dough if very soft. If your dough is very soft, refrigerate it for 30 minutes wrapped in plastic wrap before moving on to the next step.
4. Form cookie dough into logs. Divide the cookie dough in half and shape each half \ into a log that is 1-1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze (my preference) for at least 30 minutes or until the cookie dough is firm.
5. Slice into cookies. Use a very sharp knife to slice the log into ½-inch thick rounds.
6. Bake. Place the cookie rounds onto parchment-lined sheet pans 1-2 inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F/180°C. The cookies will appear slightly golden brown around the edges.

Note: The original recipe says to roll the dough out into a ½-inch thick 6×4-inch rectangle, and then cut the dough into 1-inch squares. I use a different method that I find to be simpler and which doesn’t require rolling out the dough; that is, shaping the dough into a log, freezing it, then cutting it into rounds (see step 4).

Tips for making lemon sable cookies

• Mix the dough just until it comes together. To create ultra tender cookies, only combine the ingredients until they form into a dough. Don’t overmix the cookie dough because it will prevent tougher, less soft cookies.
• Don’t overbake your cookies. Bake your cookies just until the edges appear slightly golden brown. Otherwise, they will be too crispy.
• Freezing the cookie dough after forming into logs. Not only does this make it easier to slice the dough, but it also helps prevent the cookies from spreading during baking. After shaping, you can freeze the dough for up to several weeks if you don’t want to bake it right away.

More of my favorite cookie recipes

• Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies: Buttery, tender shortbread with loads of chocolate chips.
• Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies: Ultra tender, chewy, and moist.
• Coconut Cookies: Made with toasted coconut flakes, these cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
• Soft Sugar Cookies: Sweet, buttery, and and super soft.

4 from 2 votes

Print

Lemon Sable Cookies

Soft and crumbly butter cookies with a delicate lemon flavor.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

YIELD 30 cookies

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup (130g) granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks/227g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, toss together sugar and lemon zest until well combined (you can use a mortar and pestle or rub using a fork).
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, butter, salt, and baking soda and beat on low speed until it resembles cornmeal, 3-4 minutes. Add lemon sugar, cream, and vanilla and beat until just clumped together.
3. If the dough is soft, wrap it tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Otherwise, on a lightly floured surface or parchment paper, work the dough until it comes together, then divide in half. Shape each half of dough into a log that is 1-1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze (my preference) for at least 30 minutes or until set. Dough can be left in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line 2 pans with parchment paper.

5. Once the dough is cold enough, use a very sharp knife to slice the log into ½-inch thick rounds. They will look a bit thick, but they’ll spread during baking. If the dough is too crumbly and breaks, leave it for a few minutes to soften or just squeeze any broken bits back into each cookie.
6. Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, placing them 1-2 inches apart. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. When done, the cookies should still appear quite soft, not firm. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar one more time if you like. Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack.
7. Serve cookies warm or at room temperature.
8. Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, bringing to room temperature before serving. Cookies can also be frozen for up to 2 months.