French Christmas Cookie Roundup

The Holidays are just around the corner! For all your holiday baking inspiration, I have gathered the most delicious cookie recipes from the blog that are very popular around the Holidays in France- and easy to make at home. I included classics like the Butter Sablés from Alsace (Butterbredele) and lesser-known recipes like the Cocoa and Almond Thumbprint Cookies from Alsace (Linzele). These recipes are great for cozying up near the fireplace with a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, to offer as hosting gifts, or even for office cookie swaps.  Let me know in the comments if you’ve made one (or several) of them, and which one is your favorite. Happy baking!

Chocolate Almond Twice-baked cookies from Provence

Known in French as “croquants”, these little twice-baked cookies may remind you of the Italian biscotti, but I promise they are French through and through. They are very popular in the South of France, and especially in Provence, where almonds grow abundantly. Just like biscotti, they are quick and easy to assemble, cut cross-ways and twice baked for an incomparable crispness. And they are very hard to stop at one!

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Cocoa and Almond Thumbprint Cookies from Alsace (Linzele)

These little Holiday treats are a specialty from Alsace, France – a region that has an extensive repertoire of Holiday cookies. In essence, they are simple thumbprint cookies filled with raspberry jam, but the dough is made with ground almonds, cocoa and cinnamon. They are ultra sandy with a sweet sticky middle, and bring the taste of all the warm Holiday spices we love. 

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Almond Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies (Alsatian Schwowebredele)

Known as Alsatian Schwowebredele, these Almond Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies belong to the long list of typical “bredele” cookies made over the holidays in Alsace, Eastern France. Made with ground almonds, a pinch of cinnamon and a generous amount of butter, these cut-outs are easy to make, deliciously sandy and taste just subtly spiced and nutty. A must-do recipe for your holiday cookie box!

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Thin Spiced Almond Cookies (Pains d’Amandes)

Known as “Pains d’Amandes”, these thin Spiced Almond Cookies are a beloved specialty from the Flanders region, straddling Northern France and Belgium. Made with cinnamon, nutmeg and almonds, these slice-and-bake oblong cookies pack warm holiday-spiced flavors and a great crunch.

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Spiced Cookies with Candied Citrus Peels and Almonds (Leckerli)

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, candied citrus peels, honey, almonds, kirsch liquor… if you like all kind of Holidays spices and fixings, you’re in for a treat! These popular Leckerli cookies embrace all the flavors of the Holidays in a delicious tiny format. “Leckerli” means “little treat” and that’s exactly what they are: sticky, chewy yet crisp edged, and so fragrant from all the spices.

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Raspberry Jam-Filled Sablé Sandwiches (Lunettes de Romans)

Known in French as Lunettes de Romans, these Raspberry Jam Filled Sablé Sandwiches are delicious cookies hailing from the little town ofRomans-sur-Isère, in South Eastern France. Made from two layers of “pate sablée” and a jammy filling, they are the perfect mix of buttery/tangy and crisp/tender.

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Breton Salted Butter Sablés

If there’s one cookie that defined my childhood, it is undoubtedly this one: the Breton Salted Butter Sablé, also known in French as the Galette Bretonne. It is a crisp, “sandy” cookie made with the simplest of ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs and a lot of butter enriched with sea salt flakes. It can be found in all bakeries across Brittany, and lots of natives like myself will tell you it is their absolute favorite.

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Butter Sablés from Alsace (Butterbredele)

These Butter sablés from the Alsace region, known as “butterbredele”, are the most common cut-out cookies made and enjoyed over the Holidays in France. They are buttery, subtly flavored with lemon zest and satisfyingly crisp yet sandy. They are also simple to make – which make them a great baking project for the whole family. They are perfect for gifting, hanging on trees or just to be devoured on the spot.  

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Buckwheat Sablés with Chocolate

Popular French butter cookies, Sablés come in all forms and flavors– and these Buckwheat Sablés with Chocolate are some of my favorite ones. Nutty buckwheat flavor, the rich taste of butter and speckles of dark chocolate come together in a perfectly crisp shortbread cookie texture. These easy to make cookies are a must to try, and adopt. 

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Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé Cookies

These Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé cookies are melt-in-your-mouth French shortbreads that I recommend for any season, any occasion, or any reason. They offer a burst of zesty lemon, a gentle crunch from earthy poppy seeds, all wrapped in a rich buttery flavor. With their delicate, sandy texture, these sablés are perfect to pair along with your afternoon tea or coffee.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel

We all need a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe in our baking repertoire – and this is mine. These Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel are chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside, rich and buttery, and full of chocolate chips. They are sprinkled generously with Fleur de Sel before baking to make all the flavors pop and give them an incomparable taste. 

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Classic French Madeleines

Quintessentially French, Madeleines are dainty bite-sized cakes that yields a soft middle, crispy edges, and a distinctive buttery taste. Easy and fun to make at home, they are best known for their shell-like shape and their signature bump at the top. I am sharing my tips (and the bump secret!) to master madeleines at home.

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Roasted Hazelnut Financiers

While classic French financiers are typically made from ground almonds, these Roasted Hazelnut Financiers are made from – you guessed it – roasted hazelnuts, to help provide bolder flavors. This variation on these iconic French bite-sized cakes is a favorite of mine for its perfectly-matched notes of nutty brown butter and rich, toasty hazelnuts. These financiers are quick and easy to make, incredibly delicious and the perfect treats to ease into Fall baking.

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The second Chocolate Sablés you see in the cookie box pictured (bottom row, middle) are Double Chocolate Shortbreads from Ricardo. I have been using this recipe for a while, and love it!