Croq Tele Cookies

Croq-Télé (loosely translated, TV crunch) are French snacking cookies that are unbelievably buttery and salty-sweet. Once you start eating them, it’s hard to stop!

Croq Tele, French Snacking Cookies

Time flies when you’re having fun, which means December has been extra fun! We’re just a few days away from Christmas and I’m getting in as much cookie-making as possible. Although these cookies don’t look fancy, they are truly special. If I were writing Sea Salt Sweet all over again, I’d have to include my own rendition of these in the book. They are buttery and salty-sweet, which makes them so snackable!

Croq Tele, French Snacking Cookies

Butter is the magic ingredient here. It’s the only thing holding the dough together because there’s no egg or other liquid in the formula. And there’s no chemical leaven, so the cookies don’t rise or puff. They are formed by hand in a rustic shape and as they bake they settle into a sandy, crunchy texture.

The base recipe is a creation by Patisserie Arnaud Larher, known to me via Dorie Greenspan’s book Paris Sweets. My variation is the addition of sultanas (golden raisins), which gives these buttery, slightly salty cookies a touch more sweetness.

Croq Tele, French Snacking Cookies

We’ve made a lot of cookies this season, and these really stood out as a favorite. I’m thinking of making little packages of these to give at my mom’s Christmas Eve brunch – they are too good not to share! (Hopefully I’ll find the time!)

Croq-Télé

Heather Baird
Croq-Télé (loosely translated, TV crunch) are French snacking cookies that are unbelievably buttery and salty-sweet. Once you start eating them, it’s hard to stop!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 50 cookies

Equipment

  • Food processor

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3/4 cup 82 grams blanched whole almonds
  • 1/2 cup 100 grams granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup 120 grams all-purpose flour
  • 7 tablespoons 98 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into 7 pieces
  • 1/2 cup 80 grams golden raisins

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.
  • In a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, combine almonds, sugar and salt. Process until the nuts are finely ground, and set aside in a separate bowl.
  • Pour the flour into the bowl of the food processor. With the processor running, drop in the pieces of cold butter; pulse until the mixture is sandy, about 10 pulses. Add nut-sugar mixture. Pulse the mixtures until dough forms clumps and small curds, then add raisins. Pulse 3-4 more times until raisins are combined in the dough. Transfer the finished dough to a bowl.
  • Shape the cookies by forming cherry-sized pieces of dough into irregularly-shaped balls. Place dough balls 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes, then rotate sheets and bake 8 minutes more, until just browned on the bottom. Let cookies cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will keep 5 days in an airtight container.

Notes

Adapted from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan
Keyword food processor, golden raisins, snack cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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KP
KP
4 years ago

Can you use almond flour instead of almonds? I bought a huge bag intent on perfecting my macarons, and have made macarons maybe once since then….

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
4 years ago
Reply to  KP

Yes! Just weigh out about 84 grams of almond flour and process as directed.

Capecodder
Capecodder
4 years ago

Would a vitamix work for the mixing? I only have a small food processor 🙁

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
4 years ago
Reply to  Capecodder

Hi! I've never made this in my Vitamix. They are very powerful, so if you try it, I'd err on the side of caution and mix in short bursts. And I'd avoid the high speed switch altogether, or you may end up with croq-tele butter! Another option would be to divide the recipe in half and use your small food processor to process half batches.

Jana
Jana
4 years ago

Thank you so much for this and all your holiday recipes this month! I made a double batch of these tonight and they turned out exactly as you described, with that lovely texture from the ground almonds and butter and that delectable sweet/salty taste. Loved having the golden raisins included as well . . . that was a wonderful addition. These will be perfect shared with my family and enjoyed with a cup of coffee over the next week and I plan to include these in my regular holiday cookie rotation. Merry Christmas and thanks again!

Rebecca K.
Rebecca K.
4 months ago

This is one of my favorite cookies! They are irresistible!

To another commenter—using fresh, whole almonds makes for a much more flavorful cookie.