Galettes Bretonnes are buttery French cookies with golden tops, crisp edges, and a tender crumb. They are made with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and flour.
These Galettes Bretonnes are rich, crisp, and lightly sweet, with a beautiful egg-wash finish on top. The dough is easy to prepare, then rolled, cut into rounds, brushed with egg yolk, and baked until golden.
This French butter cookie recipe is perfect with coffee, tea, milk, or a simple dessert plate. The cookies keep well, so they are great for holidays, gifting, lunch boxes, or make-ahead treats. For another simple buttery cookie, try my Easy 3-Ingredient Butter Cookies or these filled Shortbread Cookie Sandwiches.
Table of contents
Ingredients for Galettes Bretonnes
How To Make Galettes Bretonnes
- Preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. - Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the softened butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat until creamy, pale, and well combined. - Add egg yolk and vanilla.
Add 1 egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. - Add the flour.
Add the flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix. The dough should come together without being sticky.
- Chill the dough.
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it, and chill for 30 minutes. This makes it easier to roll and cut. - Roll and cut.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into round cookies using a cookie cutter. - Add the egg wash.
Mix the second egg yolk with 1 teaspoon milk, then brush a thin layer over the tops of the cookies. Egg wash helps the cookies bake with a golden color and a shiny finish, but the layer should stay thin so the surface does not become wet. See this egg wash guide for more helpful tips. - Make the fork marks.
Use a fork to gently score lines on top of each cookie. You can make straight lines or a simple crosshatch pattern. - Bake.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden on top and lightly browned around the edges.
- Cool.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. - Galettes Bretonnes become firmer and crispier as they cool, so allow them to cool completely before storing.
- Serve them with my creamy Chill Coffee or a warm mug of Homemade Hot Chocolate.
Why did my cookies spread
The butter may have been too warm, the dough may not have chilled long enough, or the flour measurement may have been too low.
Can I freeze Galettes Bretonnes
Yes. Freeze the cooled cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to two months. Thaw them at room temperature.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Using butter that is too cold or melted.
- Overmixing the dough after adding the flour.
- Skipping the chilling time, which makes the dough harder to cut.
- Rolling the dough too thin, so the cookies lose their tender texture.
- Forgetting the egg wash, which gives the cookies their golden top.
- Baking the cookies until they are too dark instead of lightly golden.
FAQs
Galettes Bretonnes are French butter cookies from Brittany. They are known for their rich buttery flavor, crisp edges, tender texture, and golden egg-wash topping.
Yes. If using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon fine salt to the dough so the cookies still have balanced flavor.
Yes, chilling helps the dough firm up and makes it easier to roll and cut. It also helps the cookies keep their round shape while baking.
Yes. You can make the dough ahead and chill it for up to 2 days before baking. You can also freeze the baked cookies for later.
They may have been rolled too thin, baked too long, or mixed too much after adding the flour. Roll the dough about 1/4 inch thick and bake just until golden.
Yes. Superfine sugar gives a smoother texture, but regular granulated sugar works well for this recipe.
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Galettes Bretonnes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the softened butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat until creamy and well combined.
- Add 1 egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
- Add the flour and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut the dough into round cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Mix the second egg yolk with 1 teaspoon milk. Brush a thin layer over the tops of the cookies.
- Use a fork to gently score lines on top of each cookie.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden on top and lightly browned around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Use softened butter, not melted butter.
- Do not overmix after adding the flour.
- Chill the dough before rolling for cleaner cookie shapes.
- Brush the egg wash lightly so the cookies bake with a shiny golden top.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
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Let us know how it was!Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
