Homemade Alsatian Bredeles: my traditional recipe with butter

I have a soft spot for bredeles: these little Alsatian biscuits have that simple and comforting quality that everyone agrees on!

The recipe I make most often is the butter base (a bit like shortbread), flavored with vanilla and just enlivened by a touch of lemon zest. It smells like raw dough (in a good way), it's crispy on the edges, and it almost melts in the middle.

What I love is how easy the dough is to work with. You get a perfect texture if you keep the butter nice and soft (not melted) and use just the right amount of flour. And with cookie cutters, it becomes a fun little activity: stars, hearts, circles… anything goes.

To give it a seasonal touch, I add a couple of ingredients that are very wintery in my house: a little lemon zest, a hint of cinnamon, and finely ground hazelnuts. It stays true to the spirit of the traditional Alsatian bredeles recipe, without changing it into anything else.

From a practical standpoint, you can make them in one go: prepare, roll out, cut, and bake. Then, let them cool completely; they firm up as they cool.

And if you like your cookies a little crunchier, extend the cooking time by a minute or two, but keep a close eye on the color.

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Homemade Alsatian Bredeles

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: dessertKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: easy

Portions

4

people

Preparation

23

minutes

Cooking

28

minutes

Calories

430

kcal

Total time

51

minutes

A recipe for small, buttery Alsatian biscuits, rich in vanilla, with a slightly crispy edge and a soft center. These Bredeles are perfect to share with coffee or tea, and they keep very well in a tin.

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Ingredients

• 250 g of wheat flour

• 150g very soft unsalted butter

• 110 g of powdered sugar

• 1 egg (approx. 55g each without shell)

• 1 egg yolk (for glazing)

• 60g of ground hazelnuts

• 1 lemon (finely grated zest)

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 tablespoon of milk (if needed, to adjust the dough)

Preparation steps

• Preheat the oven to 175°C (fan oven if possible). Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, work the softened butter with the sugar and salt until you obtain a smooth cream (2-3 minutes with a spatula or whisk).
• Add the egg, vanilla, lemon zest and cinnamon. Mix until smooth.
• Incorporate the flour and hazelnut powder. Mix first with a spatula, then quickly finish by hand: the dough should be smooth, without overworking it. If the dough seems crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of milk.
• Lightly flour your work surface. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 4 to 5 mm. If it sticks, lightly flour it (too much flour will make the biscuits tough).
• Cut out the shapes with the cookie cutter. Place them on the baking sheet, spacing them out a little (they will spread very slightly).
• Beat the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush on thinly (a light coat is enough).
• Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, depending on size, until the edges are golden brown. Leave on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 6 cookies, ~85g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

Storing the bredeles: once completely cooled, keep them in a metal tin for 7 to 10 days. They retain their aroma, and the texture becomes even better after 24 hours.

💡 Chef's Tips

For Alsatian-style bredele that cut cleanly, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. And for even baking, bake one tray at a time in the middle of the oven.

🔄 Variations

• Bredeles with simple decoration: add a little pearl sugar on the egg wash before baking.
• Classic finish: once cooled, lightly sprinkle with icing sugar (without putting on a thick layer).

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.