A morning meal composed of coffee and one or two French Butter Cookies is not a bad way to greet the day!
I may have a little experience with this!
If you’re a regular follower of my social media then you may have caught our anniversary trip to Paris a few weeks ago.
We had the good fortune of spending time in The City of Light shortly before the holidays were in full swing.
It was a stunning trip that exceeded our expectations. We visited Notre Dame, The Eiffel Tower, Shakespeare and Company, The Louvre, and a few other famous landmarks; and although there were many [more] places we could have visited, we were careful with how we spent our time and energy. We wanted to take in the sights while integrating down-time to feel at home. We hoped to experience, as closely as we could, living like a local, which meant for us, taking the days slowly.
We walked our quiet neighborhood often. We got to know its friendly bistros and perfectly moody corner restaurants. We frequented its quaint grocery store, which had everything we could possibly need, including delicious wine and limoncello; we became regulars at its pastel colored patisserie with sweets and pastry more beautiful than delicate baubles the colors of gemstones; and shared a knowing nod on more than one occasion with the sweet butcher from the brightly lit meat market that provided us with more than one savory roasted chicken. Because each establishment was located just around the corner from our apartment, we could keep the grocery bags light and look forward to another stroll tomorrow.
Of course we had our fair share of French (foodie) specialties, but the bites we consciously set to repeat were: croissants, roasted chicken and potatoes (four times, to be exact), French wines and cheeses, and French butter cookies. If we were to plot our diet on a bar graph, croissants, cheese, and chicken would tower over everything, with cookies and chocolate coming in a close second.
With the holidays upon us, I thought it apropos to share a cookie recipe that reminded me of our travels.
French Butter Cookies, made with extra egg yolk to add richness and flavor, is a melt in your mouth cookie that starts with a crisp texture and ends with delicious buttery flavor!
Buon Appetito!
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French Butter Cookies
- Category: Dessert
Description
A morning meal composed of coffee and one or two French Butter Cookies is not a bad way to greet the day!
Ingredients
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Garnish edges with sanding sugar or colored sprinkles
Instructions
Sift flour and salt. Set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla.
Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until combined.
Form dough into three 4-inch logs, about 2-inches in diameter, on a sheet of plastic wrap, and roll dough up in the plastic wrap.
Chill dough on a flat surface until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll cookie logs in sanding sugar or sprinkles, coating evenly, and slice into 1/4-inch rounds.
Place cookies on baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake until golden brown, 15 – 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire racks.
I’m so glad you had such a fun trip to Paris, Annie! I loved seeing your photos on Instagram. It truly is a magic city!!
These cookies look amazing! We’ve been on the same wavelength – I’ve been testing butter cookies all week! (work, work, work 😉 )
We can never have enough butter cookies! Oh yes – Paris is a very special city!! 🙂
It was lovely to see glimpses of your anniversary trip to Paris! It truly is such a romantic city, and you’ve described your time there in such beautiful words, I can almost imagine myself there with you! These cookies are a perfect tribute to that special time you two had! XO
Thank you, sweets! I kept my eyes wide open to everything…big and small. It was wonderful. XO
Sounds like you had a great trip! And these cookies are also great, perfect melt in your mouth cookie for the holidays! Thanks for sharing!
We really did! Very special! Thanks, Kevin! You are right on – these are perfect for the holidays!!!
I loved catching glimpses of your trip to Paris on social media. Looked like a lovely time! These cookies sound like a delicious reminder of that trip. They really look like they would melt in your mouth!
This cookie is the perfect combination of crisp to bite, then melt in your mouth to finish! Thank you, Leanne!
Yayaya!! You just got back from Paris! SO exciting and your trip sounds amazing Annie! Happy Anniversary! What a fabulous time of year to go… and these cookies are so festive and of course, my favorite during the holidays!
Who can resist a French Butter Cookie? Thank you, my friend! We had a wonderful time!
Annie, your trip to Paris sounds just lovely! So often we rush about trying to hit all the touristy spots then need to come home and relax after our vacation. Your approach of slowing down and living like a local is wonderful. One of my kids’ fondest memories in Paris was a day when we just walked through the neighborhood to a local park where they played on a playground. So simple, but so relaxing and enjoyable.
These cookies look amazing! I love a simple cookie and these are so pretty with the sprinkles on the edges!
Yes! I can imagine that day at the park being a favorite day for your family! It was pretty incredible, we arrived home the weekend before Thanksgiving, and I would have imagined we’d be dragging heading into the holiday – and we weren’t! It was amazing! So happy you like the cookies! Thank you, friend!
What a fabulous trip! And what fabulous cookies!!! I love the simplicity and the festive sprinkles!
Thanks, Kathy! Sprinkles make everything more fun!
Paris is one of my favorite places! It sounds like you all had such a wonderful trip! And these butter cookies! Yum! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
I think you’ll love them! 🙂 Thanks, Kendra!
Congratulations on your anniversary! Paris is magical and such a foodie destination. These cookies look like they melt in your mouth! Cookies and cappuccino is my go to ?.
Thank you, Nicoletta! We had a wonderful time!
The trip was magical!!! Paris definitely lives up to its reputation!
I can’t wait to go back with you!!!
Love you Annie!!!
Magical from beginning to end! There hasn’t been a day since getting back that a sweet memory doesn’t pop into my head. I’ll go to Paris with you anytime, my love! 🙂 Love you, sweets!!!
Congrats on your anniversary and your wonderful trip to Paris – sounds like you had a great time, Annie! Love these simple butter cookies – perfect little pick me up with a cup of coffee! And such pretty, festive sprinkles.
The cookie certainly needs no embellishment – but I thought the sprinkles were a nice holiday touch. 🙂 Thank you, my friend!!
How perfect are these? My cup of coffee is nodding approvingly:) Love the subtle yet unmistakable X-mas touch too:)
PS. Glad you are back from Paris after such a lovely time and will need recommendation on where you stayed:)
Your cup of coffee is a smart cookie! 😉 (Couldn’t resist!) Yes!! DM me and I’ll pass along some great recommendations! 🙂
What a great thing to enjoy delicious cookies and flash back to those special moments in Paris 🙂 Can’t wait to try these!
Thank you, Jennifer! I agree! These cookies carry with them a lot more than just delicious flavor! 🙂
Your trip sounds incredible! I’m so glad you had such a wonderful time! I adore French butter cookies and yours look just perfect, especially for breakfast 🙂
We’d make a good team…. Yes to cookies for breakfast!! Thanks, Kelsie!!
Yes, I followed along and saw lots of your gorgeous pics of your trip. Must have been such a fun experience!! And what a way to celebrate your anniversary! These butter cookies are a Christmas classic and would be so happy to see them on my cookie tray…though they wouldn’t last long 😉 Happy Monday to ya! XOXO
They never last long, do they?! For good reason!:) Thank you, my friend! Happy Monday! XOXO
So happy you both enjoyed your anniversary trip Annie! Paris is on my bucket list! And these cookies sound like they need to get on my holiday baking list ASAP! I can never, ever pass up a butter cookie. And I love the festive little sprinkles! Thanks for sharing!
I can never pass up a good butter cookie, either! Thanks, Mary Ann! Have a great day!