| Portions | Prep Time | Cook Time |
|---|---|---|
| 30 sablés | 50 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling | 16 minutes, plus 25 minutes cooling |
Ingredients
- 8 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and set aside
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (340 g) cold unsalted butter, diced into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces
- 2 large eggs, divided
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) coarse white sugar
Directions
- Add the cardamom seeds and granulated sugar to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and bash or blend until the mixture is very finely ground. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle along with the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add the butter and return to low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand, 3 to 4 minutes. Add one egg and mix just until a smooth dough forms. (This may take up to 3 or 4 minutes more if the temperature in your kitchen is cool.) Shape the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
- Position the oven racks in the top, center, and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line three baking sheets with baking parchment.
- Working with one disk at a time, gently knead the dough on a lightly floured counter a few times to soften, then roll out the dough to 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness. Using a 3-inch (7.5 cm) flower-shaped cutter, cut into shapes. Using a 1-inch (2.5 cm) round cutter, cut out the centers of each cookie. Arrange the flower shapes on the prepared sheets, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Reroll the scraps and cut out more shapes, repeating until the dough is used, chilling it if it becomes too soft.
- Combine the remaining egg with the water in a bowl. Brush each cookie with the egg mixture, then sprinkle over the coarse sugar.
- Bake in the top, center, and bottom thirds of the oven, switching the top and bottom sheets halfway through, until the cookies have set but not colored, 12 to 16 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and cool completely for 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
TIP: Sablé cookies get their name because of their delicate, sandy texture. This is best achieved by mixing cold butter straight into the flour, which is so different from the creaming method commonly used in cookies. Here, the addition of freshly ground cardamom really makes this simple treat special, but if you don’t have the pods on hand, a pinch of ground cardamom can be used instead.