Quick Summary: Rosemary sablés are buttery, crumbly French cookies with pine nuts and lemon zest. They pair beautifully with light green tea for a spring tea party or quiet morning on the porch. Unlike shortbread, sablés include egg yolks for a sandy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Prep: 30 min | Cook: 20 min | Chill: 2-3 hours | Makes: 12 cookies
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In Minnesota, the snow is usually gone by Easter and spring herbs are starting to appear at HeathGlen Farm. One of my favorite ways to welcome the season is with a light green tea and a plate of rosemary sablés, a French shortbread-style cookie with pine nuts and lemon zest.
These buttery, crumbly cookies pair perfectly with the grassy notes of green tea. I enjoy them on the porch in the morning, but they also work beautifully for a casual spring tea party.
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What Is the Difference Between Sablé Cookies and Shortbread?
The French word sablé means “sandy” and in the case of sablés, it is referring to the crumbly texture.
Shortbread texture is similar but it tends to have more of a sugar cookie-type texture.
They are both buttery, crumbly cookies, but French sablé cookies usually include eggs or egg yolks, whereas shortbread does not typically include eggs.
Apparently, sablé cookies in France are as popular as chocolate chip cookies in the US.
By the way, the Italians also love a similar version of this cookie, which they call an Italian butter cookie. Italian butter cookies are very popular around the Christmas holidays, but since it’s spring here, I’m going with the French version.
What Tea Pairs Best with Sablé Cookies?
I am a huge fan of tea and “biscuits”, as the British call shortbread-like cookies. They also refer to crackers served with tea as biscuits. The distinguishing factor between an American cookie and a British biscuit is that a British biscuit must always have a “snap” because it is crispy.
Tip: The type of tea that pairs best with sablés is, of course, subjective. I personally prefer the lighter green tea with savory sablés and a more robust black tea with sweet sablés.
This Moroccan Mint Green Tea or the Green Sencha Pomegranate Tea would be my preferred pairing with the rosemary sablés.
For all my hand-mixed specialty teas, my tea shop will certainly entice you!
How to Make an Easter Derby Cocktail
Not a tea drinker? If you would prefer to watch the spring sunset with a cocktail instead, try this citrusy fresh cocktail:
Ingredients:
- 2 oz rye or bourbon
- 1 oz. grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz. cinnamon vanilla simple syrup
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker full of ice and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Strain into a martini glass or your favorite cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
How to Make Rosemary Sablé Cookies
Full details for the cookie recipe is in the recipe card below.
FAQ
Both are buttery and crumbly, but French sablé cookies include egg yolks while traditional shortbread does not. The egg yolks give sablés their characteristic sandy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The name “sablé” means “sandy” in French.
Light green teas like Moroccan Mint or Green Sencha complement the rosemary and lemon flavors without overpowering them. For sweet sablés, a more robust black tea works better.
Yes. Shape the dough into logs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. Slice and bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. The cookies stay crisp if kept away from humidity
Yes. Substitute chopped almonds, walnuts, or leave the nuts out entirely. The cookies will still have good flavor and texture from the butter and rosemary.
If you want to explore the world of teas and tisanes, check out this Complete Guide to Teas. It includes information on how to grow a tea garden, types of tea, brewing times and temp., recipes for blends, caffeine amounts, and much more.
Rosemary Sablé Cookies
Equipment
- bowls
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup butter unsalted and at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Add the sugar and lemon zest to a bowl and mix well with your fingers.1/2 cup granulated sugar, zest of 1 lemon
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl), mix the butter on low speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar to the mixer and beat until smooth and velvety (about 1 minute).1 cup butter
- Add the salt and the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each one. Still on low speed, add the flour, mixing until just combined (don’t overmix, the dough should be clumpy and soft).1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 egg yolks, 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Remove bowl from stand mixer and stir in rosemary and pine nuts until evenly distributed.2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary, 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and knead it gently a few times. Divide it in half and shape each half into a 9-inch log, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours (can also freeze at this point for about 2 months).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking liners. Using a sharp knife, slice the log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Put them on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each round.
- Bake cookies until golden and brown around the edges, about 18-22 minutes, changing the position of the baking sheets halfway through. Let cool on the sheets for a couple of minutes and then carefully transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
I am confused about the amount of butter. Is it 1 cup plus two sticks, or one cup total, since two sticks equal one cup? In short, one cup or two cups of butter?
Yes, I can see where the way it was worded would be confusing. Sorry about that! It should be 1 cup of butter. I took out the 2 sticks text as that was confusing. So just 1 cup (or 2 sticks), but not 1 cup plus 2 sticks. Thank you for bringing that to my attention!