Mise en Place the Cookie

• Preheat the oven to 450F to toast the flour.
• Hard-boil 3-4 eggs and let cool to room temperature.

• Sprinkle flour evenly over a baking sheet and set the tray in the upper portion of the oven.

• Toast the flour, stirring often once top layer of flour browns, until all flour is golden, 10-15 minutes. The flour will burn quickly, so check it frequently.

• Sift the toasted flour into a medium bowl, breaking up the clumps and pushing them through the sieve. Let cool.

• Meanwhile remove the cooked, cooled egg yolks and push them through a fine sieve directly into the bowl with the toasted flour.

• Add the salt to the flour mixture. Combine thoroughly with a whisk and set aside.
• Measure 2 tablespoons of water into a small bowl and set aside.
• Measure sugar and butter in a bowl of an electric mixer and set aside. Read The Finer Cookie’s post on how to weigh and measure.
• If you’re using the pistachios, lightly salt 1 cup of pistachios and grind them in a food processor until fine. Set aside.

• Tear a sheet of plastic wrap onto a clean surface.

Finish the Cookie Dough

• With a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. See more on how to cream butter and sugar here.
• With your mixer on low, slowly add the flour, egg and salt mixture.
• Then mix in the water just until combined.
• The cookie dough will appear crumbly, but will hold together when pinched gently.
• Pour the dough onto a clean counter and collect it together, until smooth.

• Roll the dough into 2.5 inch diameter log.

• OPTIONAL: If you’re using the pistachios, roll the log into the ground pistachios here.

• Wrap the cookie roll in plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for approximately 4 hours until very firm, or overnight.

Cutting and Baking the Toasted Flour Sablés

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking liner.
• Remove the log from the refrigerator and let the dough soften slightly.
• Unwrap the log and slice a little dough from both ends to square it off.
• With a serrated blade, evenly slice the dough 1/4 inch thick. If the dough is too cold, the slices will crack and sometimes break. If that happens, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.

• Place the rounds on parchment lined baking sheets, spacing about 1″ apart.

• Bake cookies at 400F about 10-12 minutes, just until set, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until edges are golden but centers are still pale. Remember the egg is already cooked, so careful not to over bake.
• Let cookies cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

Stencilling the Cookies

• Stencilling the cookies can be delicate work, but with a few techniques, you should be successful. Find the stencils I used here.
• Melt the chocolate over steam in a double boiler or in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time. The chocolate must be very liquid when applying to the stencil.
• To get a nice clean stencilled image, you’ll will need to use the flattest section of the cookie, even if this means flipping the cookie over and stencilling the underneath.

• Secure the cookie with your finger so that it doesn’t move.
• Then with the lightest touch, using an offset spatula, quickly spread the chocolate over the stencil.
• To keep the chocolate from getting underneath the stencil, pass the spatula as gently as possible, and only once over the open areas.

• Lift the stencil with one hand, as though you are peeling tape. This will give you the cleanest edge. Avoid using both hands to lift the stencil, as you might shake and smear the chocolate.
• Clean the stencil before using it on the next cookie.
• Repeat until all the cookies are complete.

Applying the Pistachio Edge

• Pour the ground pistachios onto the counter or into a wide mouth bowl and set in your work area.
• Roll the edge of each cookie in the remaining chocolate, being careful not touch the stencilled image.
• Immediately roll the wet chocolate in the ground pistachios.

• Lay on the rack to cool.

Storing the Toasted Flour Sablés

• These cookies will keep quite a while.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature until all gone, which will only be a few days.

Visit these Canadian Bloggers to view all of these sweet holiday cookie recipes:

• Austrian Husarenkrapferl Cookies by Evelyne at CulturEatz
• Candy Cane Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies by Fareen at Food Mamma
• Chocolate Candy Cane Biscotti by Amanda at Peppers & Pennies
• Christmas Piñata Cookies by Karin at The Kitchen Divas
• Coconut shortbread Sandwiches by Taylor at The Girl on Bloor
• Crispy Spicy Almond Roccoco Italian Cookie Recipe by Maria at She Loves Biscotti
• Double Chocolate Mint Cookies by Diana at 365 Days of Easy Recipes
• Eggnog Madeleines by Samantha at My Kitchen Love
• Eisenbahner (Railroad) Cookies by Vicky at Tiny Sweet Tooth
• Gluten Free Thumprint cookies by Jenn at One Heart One Family
• Jewish Shortbread Cookie Pie by Jo-Anna at A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
• Nanny’s Molasses Cookies by Laura at Bluenose Baker
• Peppermint Macarons by Cristina at I Say Nomato
• Sablés Bretons with Chocolate Caramel Beurre Salé by Hilary at Cocoa Bean, the Vegetable
• Stained Glass Gingerbread Cookies by Megan at Food & Whine
• Stuffed Double Chocolate Turtle Cookies by Cassie at Crumb Kitchen
• Thumbprint Caramel Shortbread Cookies by Kacey at The Cookie Writer
• Toasted Flour Sablés by Kimberlie at The Finer Cookie
• Triple Chocolate Pistachio Cookies by Marie at Food Nouveau
• Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate Ginger Crisps by Melanie at The Refreshanista