Chocolate Breton Butter Cookies
I fell in love with Breton butter cookies many years ago while visiting Quimper, France. They were plain, simple, and buttery, and honestly, I did not think a cookie needed much more than that. A good butter cookie has a way of letting the ingredients speak for themselves, and when the butter is really good, you can taste the difference. Of course, I have children. As much as I love the simplicity of a traditional Breton butter cookie, the kids will do just about anything for a little chocolate. So, we took that basic buttery cookie I loved in France and improvised a little to suit their taste. The result is these chocolate Breton butter cookies, with the same simple, tender cookie base I fell in love with in Quimper and a drizzle of chocolate over the top.
The butter really matters here. I always recommend using the best-quality butter you can find because there are not a lot of ingredients competing for attention. In my opinion, there really is nothing better than European butter, especially butter from France. It has such wonderful richness and makes a noticeable difference in a simple cookie like this.
These cookies are not difficult, either. I bet you already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen. Once the dough comes together, it needs a little time in the refrigerator before you roll it out, cut the cookies, and bake them.
Then comes the part that makes my kids especially happy: chocolate.
What Are Breton Butter Cookies?
Breton butter cookies come from Brittany, a region in northwestern France. They are traditionally known for their rich buttery flavor and simple ingredients.
The French name you may see for these cookies is sablé Breton. “Sablé” refers to the sandy, crumbly texture associated with this style of French cookie.
Traditional Breton cookies use simple ingredients and very basic decoration. The butter is the most important ingredient for success.
That simplicity is exactly what made me fall in love with them in Quimper.
However, once you have children asking whether there is chocolate involved, plans can change quickly.
Adding melted chocolate over the finished cookies gives this classic-style cookie a little extra sweetness and plenty of chocolate flavor without losing the buttery foundation. It is a pretty easy compromise between a traditional French cookie and what makes the kids excited to see the cookie tin come out.
Why Good Butter Matters
Since these cookies are built around such a short ingredient list, quality really does matter.
Butter is one of the main flavors in the finished cookie. Therefore, I would not use this recipe as the time to grab the cheapest butter on the shelf.
European-style butter generally has a higher butterfat content than standard American butter, although the exact amount varies by brand. That extra richness can make baked goods taste especially buttery and luxurious.
French butter is my personal favorite.
When I was in France, I remember how incredible the butter tasted even when it was simply spread on bread. That same rich flavor is exactly what I want in these cookies.
Look for a good-quality European-style butter if you can find it. French butter is wonderful, but another high-quality European-style butter can work too.
Just make sure the butter is softened before you begin. Softened butter will cream properly with the sugar and help give the cookies their tender texture.
Ingredients for Chocolate Breton Butter Cookies
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these cookies.
Butter
Use 10 tablespoons of softened butter. Again, choose a good-quality butter because you will absolutely taste it.
Sugar
You need ½ cup sugar for the cookie dough. The sugar adds sweetness while also helping create the texture we want.
Egg
One large egg helps bind everything together and gives the dough structure.
Vanilla Extract
A teaspoon of vanilla adds another layer of flavor without taking away from the buttery taste.
Flour
Use 2 cups all-purpose flour. Measure it accurately so the dough has the right consistency.
Baking Powder
A small amount of baking powder gives the cookies a little lift while they bake.
Sea Salt
You will need ½ teaspoon sea salt. Salt may seem like a small ingredient, but it helps balance the sweetness and brings out the butter and chocolate flavors.
Chocolate
Use 1 cup chocolate chips or another chocolate that melts easily. You can drizzle the chocolate over the cookies or pipe it on for a little more control.
How to Make Chocolate Breton Butter Cookies
Start by adding the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This step is important because properly creaming the butter and sugar helps create the texture of the finished cookies.
Next, add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat again until everything is well combined.
Now add the flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until the dough just comes together.
Be careful not to overmix the dough. Once the flour disappears and you have a cohesive cookie dough, stop mixing.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten it into a rough 4-inch square, then wrap it tightly in the plastic wrap.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Do not skip the chilling time. Chilling the dough makes it much easier to roll and cut, and it also helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
Rolling and Cutting the Cookies
After the dough has chilled for at least an hour, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper.
Roll the dough evenly until it is approximately ¼ inch thick.
Using parchment paper for rolling is especially helpful because it keeps you from adding a lot of extra flour to the dough. Too much flour can make the finished cookies tougher and less tender.
Once the dough is rolled, use a circular cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.
Transfer the cut cookies to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Leave a little space between them so they have room to bake without touching.
If the dough becomes too soft while you are working, put it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
Baking the Cookies
Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes.
Keep an eye on the edges toward the end of the baking time. You want the outer edges to begin turning slightly golden brown.
The centers should still look fairly light. You do not want to overbake these cookies because the buttery texture is part of what makes them so good.
Once the edges have browned slightly, remove the cookies from the oven.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before adding the chocolate.
That last part is important. If you add the melted chocolate while the cookies are still hot, it can become runny and difficult to control.
Adding the Chocolate
Once the cookies have cooled completely, it is time for the part my kids have been waiting for.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Heat it in short intervals, stirring between each one, until the chocolate is smooth.
You can use chocolate chips or another chocolate that melts easily. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate can all work depending on what your family likes.
Now drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies.
If you want a little more control, transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or a small plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the chocolate over the cookies in thin lines.
You do not need to make them perfect. In fact, I think the slightly imperfect chocolate drizzle is part of the fun.
Let the chocolate cool and set completely before serving or stacking the cookies.
Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Breton Butter Cookies
Use good butter. This is probably my biggest tip. With such a simple cookie, the flavor of the butter really comes through.
Make sure your butter is softened. You want softened butter, not melted butter. Melted butter will change the texture of the dough.
Chill the dough. Give it at least one hour in the refrigerator. The chilled dough will be much easier to roll and cut.
Roll the dough evenly. Aim for about ¼ inch thick so the cookies bake at roughly the same rate.
Do not overmix. Once the flour is incorporated, stop mixing.
Watch the edges. The cookies are ready when the outer edges begin to brown slightly.
Cool completely before adding chocolate. This keeps the melted chocolate where you put it instead of letting it slide right off the cookie.
Can I Make These Cookies Without Chocolate?
Absolutely.
If you want to make a more traditional-style Breton butter cookie, simply leave off the chocolate. You will have a wonderfully buttery cookie with a simple sweetness that lets the quality of the butter shine.
That is actually how I first fell in love with Breton butter cookies in France. They did not need chocolate or elaborate decorations.
Still, if chocolate is what gets your kids excited, I say go for it.
Sometimes a little chocolate is exactly what turns a simple cookie into something the whole family gets excited about.
What Makes These Cookies Different From Shortbread?
Breton butter cookies and shortbread have plenty in common. Both rely heavily on butter, and both have that wonderful tender, crumbly quality that makes buttery cookies so good.
The recipes are not identical, though. Breton cookies traditionally include egg yolks or eggs, depending on the recipe, while classic shortbread is often made with just butter, sugar, and flour.
This recipe uses a whole egg, giving the cookies a slightly different texture from traditional shortbread.
The chocolate topping also makes these a little more playful than the plain Breton cookies I remember enjoying in France.
A Little Taste of France at Home
Food memories have a fun way of sticking with you.
Years after my trip to Quimper, I can still remember those simple Breton butter cookies and how much I loved them. They were not fancy, they didn’t even need to be.
Instead, they were buttery, crisp around the edges, tender in the middle, and wonderfully simple.
That is what I wanted to recreate at home.
Then the kids got involved.
Their version needed chocolate, of course. So we took the basic cookie and added a generous drizzle of melted chocolate over the top.
These chocolate Breton butter cookies still have that simple buttery character I love, but now there is a little chocolate waiting on top. The combination is hard for my family to resist.
Make These Chocolate Breton Butter Cookies
If you have never made Breton butter cookies at home, this is a great recipe to try.
The dough is simple, the ingredients are easy to find, and you do not need any complicated baking techniques. Plus, once the dough has chilled, rolling and cutting the cookies is a fun project to do with the kids.
Most importantly, use good butter.
If you can get your hands on a really good European butter, especially French butter, this is the recipe to use it in. You will taste that buttery richness in every bite.
Then add the chocolate.
After all, if a little chocolate is what convinces the kids to love a French butter cookie as much as I do, I am perfectly happy to improvise.
These cookies are a little taste of the trip I fell in love with years ago, adapted for my own kitchen and my own family. Simple, buttery, French-inspired, and finished with just enough chocolate to make everyone happy.
More Cookie Recipes
Iced Molasses Cookies
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Breton Butter Cookies
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Equipment
- cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 10 tbsp Butter, softened
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 cups Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 1 cup Chocolate chips or meltable chocolate
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat again to combine.
- Slowly mix the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- Remove the dough from the mixer onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flaten the dough to a rough 4 inch square, wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and between 2 pieces of parchment paper, roll to an even 1/4 inch thickness.
- Cut the dough with the cookie cutter and place onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the outer edges begin to brown slightly.
- Remove the cookies to a cooling rack.
- After the cookies are cooled, melt the chocolate in the microwave.
- Drizzle or pipe the melted chocolate over the top of the cookies.
- Allow the chocolate to cool and set before serving.
Nutrition
