Hi! I’m Cassandre, and today on Caramel Loafing, we’re making a classic French butter cookie from Brittany: Palets Bretons—also known as Galette Bretonne or Sablés Bretons.
Palets Bretons are rich and crumbly butter cookies originating from Brittany in the northwest of France. While they’re known by a few different names—Galette Bretonne, Sablés Bretons, and Palets Bretons—the main difference lies in their thickness. Traditionally, a touch of fleur de sel is added, which not only helps preserve the cookies but also enhances their buttery, caramelized flavor.
This recipe highlights the thick and luxurious version of Palets Bretons. With a high ratio of butter and egg yolks, they bake into deeply golden cookies that fill your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of caramelized butter and eggs. They’re perfect with a cup of coffee or black tea. I hope you’ll fall in love with this French classic too!
Palets Bretons Recipe (French Brittany Butter Cookies)
Ingredients
Mold dimensions: Cutter diameter 5.5 cm, height 1.5 cm; ring mold diameter 6 cm, height 5 cm
Yield: About 8–9 cookies
- Unsalted butter – 120g (4.2 oz), softened at room temperature but not melted
- Confectioners’ sugar – 70g (2.5 oz)
- All-purpose flour – 130g (4.6 oz)
- Aluminum-free baking powder – 2g (0.07 oz)
- Egg yolks – 25g (0.88 oz), about 1.5 yolks
- Dark rum – 10g (0.35 oz)
- Fleur de sel – 1g (0.04 oz), or coarse sea salt
Use our nutrition calculator to view full calorie and nutrition info for this recipe.
Instructions
- Remove the butter from the fridge and let it soften until soft and pliable, but not melted (about 30–60 minutes).
- Combine 25g (0.88 oz) of egg yolk with the rum and stir until smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Sift in the confectioners’ sugar. Using a whisk, beat until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened.
- Add the softened butter, then switch to a silicone spatula. Fold and press the mixture until fully emulsified.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder. Sprinkle in the fleur de sel. Use a cutting motion (as if slicing) to incorporate the dough, then fold until no dry flour remains. Press and smear the dough until smooth and cohesive.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, shape into a flat square, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to 1 cm thick. Freeze for 1 hour.
- Use a 5.5 cm round cutter to cut out the dough into circles.
- Place the cutouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, spacing them slightly apart.
- In a small bowl, mix one egg yolk with the remaining half yolk and a few drops of milk. Brush the tops of the cookies evenly and chill for 20 minutes to dry the glaze.
- Meanwhile, grease the insides of several 6 cm wide, 5 cm high ring molds to prevent sticking.
- Apply a second layer of egg wash. Use the back of a spoon to draw crosshatch patterns. If the dough softens while working, chill it again briefly.
- Place the greased ring molds over the cookies. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) and bake for 28–30 minutes. Remove the molds and bake for another 3–5 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely before serving.
Watch the full video tutorial here: Classic French Palets Bretons