If you keep only one “fancy” cookie in your back pocket, make it sablé — the buttery French shortbread that ranks number four on Martha Stewart’s list of all‑time favorite desserts on her website. A specialty of Normandy, the name sablé means sand, which is a nod to its delicate, melt‑in‑your‑mouth crumb. Unlike standard shortbread, sablés include egg yolks and a touch more sugar, giving the cookie a richer color and a sweeter snap.
Martha Stewart loves sablés because of their delicate buttery texture, sandy crumb, and perfectly balanced sugary flavor. Plus, they work great as a blank canvas for chocolate icing or a thick layer of jam. That balance of richness and restraint is exactly what makes sablés so versatile — they’re elegant enough for an elevated holiday dinner but also simple enough for everyday tea or an after-work snack. In general, Martha Stewart doesn’t miss when it comes to knowing what to eat and how, be it her favorite cocktails or recipes that never go out of style, so we trust her on her cookie recommendations!
Perfect the sablé cookie
Making sablés is simple and doesn’t require any special ingredients. You can basically follow our lemon shortbread cookie recipe, just take out the lemon and frosting, adding in some egg yolks and a bit more sugar instead.
Martha’s go‑to method for these cookies starts in a food processor. She pulses softened butter with sugar until the mixture becomes fluffy, blends in a few egg yolks for richness, then adds flour and a pinch of salt. Once the dough comes together, let it chill in the refrigerator so the butter firms up. You’ll want to chill it once more after you cut the dough into cookie-shaped rounds — the butter needs to be nice and cold for your sablés to have that fine crumb.
A quick brush of yolk‑and‑water wash gives the cookies their trademark sheen; a sprinkle of sugar adds sparkle and an extra crunch. All that’s left is to bake the sablés until the edges turn golden. You’ll soon taste why Martha Stewart keeps these delightful cookies on call: crisp rims, tender centers, and pure butter flavor!
