Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup Unsalted French Butter, softened
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt (or Fleur de Sel) for the dough
Optional Variations
- 1 cup Chocolate Chips, semi-sweet or dark
- 1/2 cup Chopped Nuts, pecans or walnuts
- 1 tablespoon Citrus Zest, lemon or orange
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure the cookies bake evenly and don’t stick.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted French butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, ensuring an even distribution of flavors.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt throughout the dough.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a smooth dough forms. If desired, fold in optional chocolate chips, nuts, or citrus zest at this stage for added flavor and texture.
- Chill Dough: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm it up, which makes it easier to handle and helps prevent spreading during baking.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the chilled dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place them spaced on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle a little additional sea salt on top of each ball to enhance the buttery flavor.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown, indicating they’re perfectly baked with a crisp edge and tender center.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely, which helps them set properly.
Notes
- Use high-quality unsalted French butter for the best flavor and texture.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent cookies from spreading too much and to improve texture.
- You can customize the cookies by adding chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or citrus zest as per your preference.
- Sprinkling sea salt on top before baking enhances the overall flavor contrast.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French