Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Fat and Aromatics
- 110 g unsalted butter, softened to 18°C/64°F
- 52 g caster sugar
- 1 g fine sea salt
- 11 ml vanilla extract
- 5 g candied clementine peel, minced into a paste
Structure and Spice
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 295 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 7 g ground cinnamon
Garnish
- 15 g blanched almonds, halved vertically
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 164 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 35 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 32 mg
- Potassium
- 41 mg
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 9 mg
- Phosphorus
- 38 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 60 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.13 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 41 mcg
- Water
- 7 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare a heavy-gauge baking sheet by lining it with a silicone mat or high-quality parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter, caster sugar, and sea salt on medium speed until the mixture is aerated and noticeably pale.
Incorporate the room temperature egg, vanilla extract, and minced clementine peel. Beat on medium-low until the emulsion is smooth and fully unified.
Sift the flour and cinnamon directly into the wet components. Mix on the lowest speed only until the last streaks of flour vanish into the dough.
Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in film, and refrigerate for 60 minutes to hydrate the starch and firm the fats.
On a surface dusted lightly with flour, roll the chilled dough to a uniform thickness of 8mm (approx. 1/3 inch).
Punch out rounds using a 60mm cutter and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, leaving 3cm of space between each.
Press an almond half firmly into the center of each biscuit. If using as ornaments, use a straw to pierce a clean hole 1cm from the top edge.
Bake in the center of the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes, or until the edges reach a deep golden hue.
Allow the biscuits to set on the tray for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Chef's Notes
- For the cleanest edges, dip your cutter in flour between every single cut.
- The quality of your cinnamon matters immensely here; Saigon or Ceylon cinnamon provides a much more complex aromatic profile than standard Cassia.
- If using these as tree decorations, bake them for an extra 2 minutes to ensure they are fully dried and structurally sound.
Storage
Refrigerator: PT1W — Store in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked biscuits in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag.
Reheating: Not recommended; best served at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Biscuits spread too much and lost their shape
Cause: Butter was too warm or dough was not chilled sufficiently before baking.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but can be used as a crumble base for other desserts.
Prevention: Ensure the 60-minute chill time is strictly followed; if the kitchen is hot, chill the cut shapes for 15 minutes before baking.
Biscuits are hard/tough rather than crumbly
Cause: Overworking the dough after adding flour, developing too much gluten.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Use the 'pulse' method on your mixer and stop the moment the flour is incorporated.
Cultural Context
These biscuits are a modern, low-sugar take on the European 'Sablé' tradition—a sandy-textured shortbread originating from Caen in the Normandy region of France, traditionally enjoyed during the winter solstice.
