Hi! I’m Cassandre, and today on Caramel Loafing, we’re baking a sparkling French classic that’s as elegant as it is easy to make: Sablé Diamant, or French Diamond Cookies.
These buttery shortbread cookies are made with traditional French sablé dough, enhanced with lemon zest and rolled in coarse sugar that sparkles like tiny diamonds when baked. They’re crisp on the edges, tender and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside, and absolutely stunning under natural light.
The word sablé means “sandy” in French—referring to the crumbly texture of the dough. This technique is used in many French pastries, such as Breton butter cookies, checkerboard cookies, jam-filled sablés, Sablés Nantais, and even French tart crusts. It’s all about creating that delicate, crumbly bite.
This recipe is inspired by legendary French pastry chef Pierre Hermé, with a few simple adjustments to make it perfect for home bakers. With just a few ingredients, the result is absolutely heavenly—especially when the cookies are fresh out of the oven, filling the room with the warm aroma of butter and lemon zest. You’ll love them!
Classic French Sablé Diamant Cookies – Recipe & Instructions
Ingredients
Yield: 14–16 cookies
- Unsalted butter: 56g (2 oz)
- Powdered sugar: 25g (0.9 oz)
- Salt: 0.5g (0.02 oz)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- All-purpose flour: 80g (2.8 oz)
- Coarse sugar, for coating
Use our Dessert Nutrition Calculator to check the calories and nutritional breakdown for this recipe.
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy—similar to mayonnaise in texture.
- Add salt and powdered sugar. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Finely zest the lemon directly into the dough. You can adjust the amount to your taste, but we recommend using at least half the lemon.
- Sift the flour and gently fold it into the mixture using a cut-and-fold motion. Stop as soon as no dry flour is visible—don’t overmix.
- Shape the dough into a log approximately 3 cm (1.2 inches) in diameter.
- Roll the dough log in coarse sugar until evenly coated on all sides.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F). Slice the chilled dough into rounds about 1–1.5 cm thick (0.4–0.6 inches). Arrange them on a lined baking tray.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Watch the full step-by-step video here: Classic French Diamond Cookies