By Dorie Greenspan
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- 4(47)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Guillaume Portier, a pastry instructor at La Cuisine Paris cooking school, encouraged me as I was trying to recreate Biscuits Rose de Reims, pink sugar-topped cookies that were once dipped into champagne, the most famous export from the French city of Reims. I kept making delicious cookies, but none of my batches matched the storebought, which used ammonium carbonate (best known as smelling salts) to give them crackle and shelf-life. Guillaume told me to stop striving for a replica, reminding me that if what we baked at home lasted forever, we’d be deprived of the pleasure of making pastries again and again. These cookies will hold for a week or so if you keep them in a sealed tin. After that, you can look forward to the pleasure of making another batch. A word on piping: If you don’t have a piping bag, use a zipper-lock plastic bag. Fill with batter, seal and cut a 1-inch diameter opening in a corner.
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Ingredients
Yield:About 16 cookies
- ⅔cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
- ⅓cup (45 grams) cornstarch
- ¼teaspoon baking powder
- ¼teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 2large eggs, at room temperature, separated
- ½cup (100 grams) sugar, divided
- 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Red food coloring, optional
- ½cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (16 servings)
80 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 44 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Step
2
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
Step
3
Working with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites at medium speed until opaque. Increase the speed to high, and add half the sugar (¼ cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, until you have a stiff-peaked, glossy meringue. Transfer to another bowl (if necessary), and put the yolks in the original bowl (no need to wash it). Beat the yolks, the remaining sugar and the vanilla on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping as needed, until pale and thick. Add enough food coloring to tint the batter deep pink, if you’d like.
Step
4
Turn the meringue out over the yolks, and working with a flexible spatula and a gentle hand, fold the 2 mixtures together until almost combined. Fold in half the dry ingredients, and when almost blended, add the rest, and finish incorporating — check the bottom of the bowl for lurking flour. If you’re using parchment paper, use a little of the mixture to “glue” the four corners to the baking sheet.
Step
5
Scrape batter into a piping bag with about a 1-inch opening (no tip needed). Pipe out roughly 4-by-1-inch fingers, spaced at least 1 inch apart. Sift confectioners’ sugar generously over the cookies, leave 5 minutes, then repeat.
Step
6
Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the pan, and bake 6 minutes more. Turn off the oven, prop the door open a crack (I use a wooden spoon) and let the biscuits dry for at least 30 minutes (or for up to 2 hours). Serve now, or store in an airtight container. They’ll hold for 1 week.
Ratings
47
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Cooking Notes
Marie
I don't understand the reluctance to use the Bakers Ammonia from the original recipe. It is what I use for Springerle cookies because it gives that thin crisp exterior and the fine crumb inside. Again, perfect for dunking. The ammonia smell is gone within 5 minutes of being placed in the oven.Can you post the original Biscuits roses recipe for comparison?
W Wang
Ammonium Carbonate is available at Amazon and King Arthur Flour.
Babinski
It will not do to use cold egg whites or yolks - separate them when still chilled, the allow to come to room temperature. Ensure your mixing bowl/whisk are free of any oil or fat before preparing egg whites.
Susan@CranberryLane
Excellent instructions! Wonderful, well thought out recipe! My baking confidence in making French pastries has now just doubled. It felt great to make these elegant, light, crunchy and not-too-sweet French cookies--and in no time at all! My friends loved them. Thank you Dorie Greenspan for your hard work in figuring out the recipe!
Julia
This is basically the exact recipe that comes up when you google „biscuits roses recette“. It is all over the French internet, the difference being in the use of vanilla extract instead of vanilla sugar and baking powder/soda instead of „Levure chimique“. I do not understand why this isn’t acknowledged anywhere in the article.I also would be interested in the original recipe containing ammonia. It just gives superior texture (which I found out when I got Luisa Weiss‘ baking book).
Raven
Elegant, light, and gorgeous! Would be so perfect for a baby shower or bridal party. Definitely use a piping bag as prescribed: a few of mine came out a little awkward looking, even with this tool.
Susan@CranberryLane
Excellent instructions! Wonderful, well thought out recipe! My baking confidence in making French pastries has now just doubled. It felt great to make these elegant, light, crunchy and not-too-sweet French cookies--and in no time at all! My friends loved them. Thank you Dorie Greenspan for your hard work in figuring out the recipe!
W Wang
Ammonium Carbonate is available at Amazon and King Arthur Flour.
Amy
I have had a difficult time finding ammonia carbonate; While I did find it online, I don't need the large amount. I've tried my local drug stores with no help. If I ask drug stores for smelling salts, would that give me what I'm seeking? Thank you,Amy
Julia
This is basically the exact recipe that comes up when you google „biscuits roses recette“. It is all over the French internet, the difference being in the use of vanilla extract instead of vanilla sugar and baking powder/soda instead of „Levure chimique“. I do not understand why this isn’t acknowledged anywhere in the article.I also would be interested in the original recipe containing ammonia. It just gives superior texture (which I found out when I got Luisa Weiss‘ baking book).
frybyte
a bit more info on appearance if one doesn't have machines? I don't have a 'mixer' only a whisk, copper bowl but knowing what to look for would help.
Babinski
It will not do to use cold egg whites or yolks - separate them when still chilled, the allow to come to room temperature. Ensure your mixing bowl/whisk are free of any oil or fat before preparing egg whites.
Marie
I don't understand the reluctance to use the Bakers Ammonia from the original recipe. It is what I use for Springerle cookies because it gives that thin crisp exterior and the fine crumb inside. Again, perfect for dunking. The ammonia smell is gone within 5 minutes of being placed in the oven.Can you post the original Biscuits roses recipe for comparison?
kmg
Could someone post how much Bakers Ammonia to use for this recipe? ...and for Springerle cookies? I was able to purchase LorAnn Ammonium Carbonate from King Arthur Flour. I love LorAnn products. There food grade essential oils are the best in baked goods, no fake taste.
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