French sablé shortbread cookies are wonderfully crumbly and deeply buttery. This snickerdoodle-inspired sablé adds cinnamon to both the dough and the coating, making it an ideal cookie for winter holidays. If you enjoy snickerdoodles, these snickerdoodle sablé cookies will quickly become a favorite.
The dough is flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, chilled into logs, then brushed with egg white and rolled in sparkling cinnamon-sugar before baking. The sugar coating gives a festive sparkle and a pleasant crunch—perfect for cookie plates, gift boxes, or a cozy treat with coffee or tea.
Plan for at least 2 hours of chilling time so the logs are firm enough to slice cleanly. I slice mine about 1/2 inch thick; you can make the rounds thinner for smaller cookies, just reduce the baking time slightly. The dough is soft and slightly sticky, so wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap. To keep a log from flattening on one side while chilling, place the wrapped log inside a lengthwise-split paper towel tube and secure loosely.
I like sparkling sugar for the coating because it adds shine and a crisp, cinnamon-flavored crunch, but sanding sugar, turbinado, demerara, or even plain granulated sugar will work too.
What You’ll Like About This Cookie
Snickerdoodle flavor with a French texture. Warm cinnamon and sugar meet a delicate, buttery bite.
Festive, sparkly edges. The coarse sugar coating creates a crunchy, attractive finish.
Easy slice-and-bake method. No rolling pin or cutters required—shape into logs, chill, then slice and bake.
Great for gifting. These cookies travel well and look lovely on platters or in boxes.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature for the best texture and control over seasoning.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon appears in both the dough and the coating; increase the amount if you prefer a stronger spice note.
- Sparkling or sanding sugar: Choose coarse sugar for sparkle and crunch; turbinado or demerara are good alternatives.
- Egg yolk and white: The yolk enriches the dough while the reserved white helps the coating adhere.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor and complements the cinnamon.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Sablé Cookies
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Beat the butter until smooth. Add the cinnamon-sugar and the confectioners’ sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. Reserve the egg white and chill it for brushing later. Stir in the flour mixture on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the dough in two and shape each portion into an 8–9 inch log. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. To help keep the logs round while chilling, place the wrapped log inside a lengthwise-cut paper towel tube and tie loosely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours).
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix the coating by combining sparkling (or sanding) sugar with ground cinnamon.
- Whisk the reserved egg white and brush it over each chilled log, then roll the log in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Slice into 1/2-inch rounds (thinner for smaller cookies) and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between cookies.
- Bake until the bottoms are just golden, about 14–18 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Variations
- Try different sugars. Turbinado, demerara, or colored sanding sugar give the cookies a different crunch and look.
- Add nutmeg. A tiny pinch of nutmeg in the dough enhances the warm spice profile.
- Make mini cookies. Slice thinner for bite-size cookies and reduce baking time accordingly.
How to Store (and Reheat, if applicable)
Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough logs (wrapped tightly) for up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
Snickerdoodle Sablé Cookies
Diana Rattray
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, (255 grams)
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar, (67 grams)
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar, (38 grams)
- 1 large egg (separated, white reserved)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Snickerdoodle Coating
- Reserved egg white
- ¼ cup sparkling sugar, or sanding sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Recommended Equipment
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Stand mixer (optional)
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Parchment paper
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Cooling racks
Instructions
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Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour and salt; set aside.
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Combine sugar and cinnamon. Mix the granulated sugar with the ground cinnamon until evenly blended.
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Make the dough. Beat butter until creamy. Add the cinnamon-sugar and confectioners’ sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. Reserve the egg white for brushing the logs.
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Add the flour mixture and blend on low speed just until combined.
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Shape and chill. Divide the dough into two pieces and form each into an 8–9 inch log. Wrap tightly and chill at least 2 hours.
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Preheat and prepare pans. Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.
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Make the coating. Combine the sparkling or sanding sugar with the cinnamon.
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Coat the logs. Brush each chilled log with the reserved egg white and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
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Slice and bake. Cut the logs into 1/2-inch slices, space them on the prepared sheet, and bake 14–18 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned.
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Cool on racks. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
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