Petit Beurre Biscuits Français (Print Version)
Biscuits français dorés et croustillants à la vanille, parfaits avec le thé ou le café.
# What You Need:
→ Main Ingredients
01 - 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (200 g)
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)
03 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (100 g)
04 - 3 ½ tablespoons whole milk (50 ml)
05 - 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder (5 g)
06 - 1 pinch fine sea salt
07 - 1 vanilla bean (or 1 packet vanilla sugar)
# Directions:
01 - Gently melt the butter with the whole milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the sugar and vanilla seeds scraped from the pod, stirring continuously until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
02 - Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly until lukewarm, then transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
03 - Sift the flour and baking powder directly into the bowl. Add the pinch of salt, then stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a smooth, homogeneous dough forms and no dry pockets remain.
04 - Shape the dough into a tight ball, wrap it securely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up and develop structure.
05 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) using conventional bake setting. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
06 - Lightly flour a clean work surface. Roll the chilled dough out evenly to a thickness of about ⅛ inch (3–4 mm), rotating it occasionally to prevent sticking.
07 - Using a traditional fluted rectangular cookie cutter, cut out the petit beurre shapes from the rolled dough. Gather and re-roll any scraps to use all the dough.
08 - Place each cut biscuit onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a small gap between them. Gently prick each biscuit several times with a fork to create the classic dotted pattern and prevent puffing during baking.
09 - Bake on the center rack for 12 minutes, or until the edges and tops turn a lovely golden color. Watch carefully toward the end to avoid over-browning.
10 - Transfer the biscuits to a wire cooling rack immediately and let them cool completely before serving. This ensures they develop their signature crisp, snap-like texture.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The dough comes together in one saucepan, which means almost no dishes and zero stress on a lazy weekend afternoon.
- They stay perfectly crisp in an airtight container for up to two weeks, which in my house is a bold claim because they rarely last three days.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time in the refrigerator, because warm dough spreads into sad, shapeless puddles in the oven rather than holding those clean rectangular edges.
- Rolling the dough too thick is the most common mistake, and at even 5 millimeters you will get soft cookies instead of the signature crisp snap that defines a proper Petit Beurre.
03 -
- If your kitchen is warm and the dough softens while you are cutting, slide the tray of cut biscuits into the fridge for five minutes before baking so they hold their shape.
- Dusting your cutter with flour between every few cuts prevents the dough from sticking and tearing those beautiful fluted edges.