Crisp, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth, these Butter Cookies are made with just 5 ingredients and are great for any occasion! The dough can be rolled into a log shape and sliced, or cut out with cookie cutters. I recreated the popular dove-shaped butter cookies “Hato Sabure” from Kamakura, Japan.
Since moving from Yokohama to the Bay Area when I was 20 years old, I get a craving for the snacks I grew up with once in a while. Whenever my mom comes to visit me, I ask her to bring my favorite Butter Cookies called Hato Sabure (鳩サブレー) from the popular confectionery store Toshimaya.
What’s Hato Sabure?
Hato Sabure (鳩サブレー) is a brand of butter cookies sold at Toshimaya in Kamakura (鎌倉) near Yokohama.
These sablé cookies go all the way back to 1887 (during the Meiji Era). Around that time, Japan started to open itself up to the world, allowing many foreign goods to come into the country.
One day a foreigner visited this shop and gave the founder of the store a biscuit. That was the first time he tasted a western cookie, and he was immediately intrigued to make them. However, butter wasn’t a common ingredient in Japanese food at that time so he had to look for butter in neighborhoods where Westerners lived. Since then he tested and created this version – that’s Hato Sabure.
Why Dove-Shaped?
You may wonder why these famous Japanese butter cookies have a dove shape. The name “Hato Sabure” means dove sablé; Hato (鳩) is a dove in Japanese, and sabure (サブレー) is the Japanese spelling for sablé.
This famous confectionery store is very close to Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu shrine (鶴岡八幡宮), where the founder often went to pray. He was inspired to make dove shape cookies because children at the shrine adored doves. Also, the shrine’s name contains Japanese character number eight “八” which resembles the shape of two birds facing each other (more in Japanese here).
Making Homemade Hato Sabure
I was inspired by a Japanese blog (unfortunately, the website no longer exists) where the blogger dedicates his time to making the perfect Hato Sabure! After reading his blog and comparing it with sable cookie recipes online, I came up with this simplified recipe that works very well, which I will share today.
This butter cookie recipe is made with only 5 ingredients:
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Baking powder
You can add vanilla extract if you like, but the original recipe didn’t include it.
Downloadable Dove-Shaped Pattern
I also made the dove pattern with parchment paper (you can download and print out here). I was extremely happy that they tasted and looked just like the Hato Sabure I love!
These Butter Cookies are:
- Super buttery, yet light
- Crisp on the edges
- Quick– only 30 minutes of chill time
- Can be rolled into a log shape and sliced, or cut out with cookie cutters
- Versatile – dip in melted chocolate or matcha chocolate and/or sprinkles
They are delicious, and it’s fun to make especially with your kids who can help cut out the dough with cookie cutters. Enjoy!
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Butter Cookies (Homemade Hato Sabure)
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) (If you use a measuring cup, follow this method: fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. Otherwise, 1 cup of flour ends up with more than 120 g.)
- ½ cup sugar
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (at room temperature; you can increase up to 8 Tbsp, ½ cup, 113 g for a more buttery taste)
- 1 large egg (50 g w/o shell) (at room temperature)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pure vanilla extract (optional; I did not add)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. If you want to make the dove-shaped Hato Sabure cookies, print out the image (see Notes) and trace the pattern on parchment paper.
- Sift the flour.
- Fit an electric mixer with the whisk attachment and combine sugar and butter in the bowl. Whisk on high speed until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the beaten egg and mix to combine. Add the vanilla extract if you're using.
- Change the whisk to the beater attachment. Add the flour and baking powder and mix on low speed until flour is incorporated.
- Roll the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, to ¼ inch thickness. Tip: I put the long cooking chopsticks (it’s about ¼ inch thickness) on both sides of the dough and roll the dough to keep the same thickness.
- Cut out the dough around the dove shape, or cut the dough with a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or use a tall glass).
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack. Enjoy!
To Store
- These cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. I usually reheat the cookies at 350ºF (180ºC) in the toaster oven (or oven) until toasty.
I tried out this recipe, today and the cookies turned out amazing. I’m so bad at baking, particularly making cookies, but today is a success. Thank you
Hi Katherine! Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed my favorite cookie. 🙂 These are very simple butter cookies but quite addicting. Thanks for trying this recipe and for your feedback! 😀
おはよございます(*^^*)
Thanks for the recipe! The whole family loves it😊
おはよう、Kate! I’m so glad to hear your whole family enjoyed it! 🙂 Thank you for your kind feedback.
I was searching for the right texture of butter cookies I love to eat and this recipe is by far the best butter cookies recipe I have tried (I have tried soooo many). Thank you very much for sharing this beautiful recipe.
Hi Cathy!
Aww. Thank you very much!!!!
We are so glad to hear you enjoyed Nami’s Butter cookies!
Thank you for your kind feedback.😊
I made it into flower shapes. Everyone loved it. Thank you.
Hi Maya! So happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for letting me know. 🙂 xo
These are so good and are easy to make! I made a batch yesterday, and they are all gone. Am making another batch now. (Seriously, they are so addictive!) My whole family likes them. 😀 Made them in teddy bear, heart, hippo, star, and flower shapes, and for the second batch I added a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Thank you Nami for this recipe! Keep up the good work.
Hi Esther! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy this recipe! It’s one of my favorite cookies! Love that you made into different shapes. My kids would love the different shapes. Thank you so much for your kind comment!
Not only my friends and family love them, they can’t seem to stop! I am planning on buying a bigger oven because I can’t seem to make enough of them. Thanks for another great recipe.
Hi Meng! Aww I’m so happy to hear yours came out very well! Thank you for trying my recipe! 🙂
i jist got my cookies out of the oven and they turned out amazing! I’ve had Hato Sabure before and this recipe is right on. I never leave a reply on recipe websites but I had to do it this time because these cookies are amazing.
Hi Erika! Thanks so much for leaving a comment! Your kind feedback means so much to me! I’m happy to hear your cookies came out well. Aren’t these so delicious? Thanks for trying this recipe, Erika!
Waaaahhhhh~~~ Thank you so much! This really brings back memories, when i was little my mother worked at a Japanese owned hotel, and she would bring me these cookies, and I LOVED these cookies.
Hi Judy! So happy to find another Hato Sable fan! 😀 It’s so delicious, I can eat a few cookies at one sitting… 🙂
you can also buy dove shaped cookie cutters on amazon 🙂
Hi Nancy! Thanks so much for your tip! I went to look for a dove cookie cutter like Hato Sable but the shape wasn’t the same…
The original cookie looks like this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHj2I3kBqsA/
I wish they have similar ones! Thank you for your comment, Nancy! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! I recently visited Kamakura and, thanks to your post, made sure I did not leave without stopping by their store! Now I can recreate that wonderful flavour and all the memories of a lovely trip to a very friendly town. 🙂
Hi JJ! That is so cool! I’m glad I introduced my favorite cookies to you! So buttery and delicious right? I hope you enjoyed it. 😀 Ah I miss it! I can’t wait to go back to Kamakura in the summer again. 🙂
Thank you Nami! I’ve made 3 trials and on the third the variation suggested by my boyfriend was adding turbinado sugar sprinkled/pressed on the to, baked for 20 minutes-they came out great with lightly browned edges. All the best in the New Year!
Hi Dre! Oh that sounds delicious and crunchy! Great idea suggested by your BF! I’m so happy you enjoyed the cookies. Thank you for your kind feedback. Happy New Year!
Thank you so much for all the recipes. Also making it so easy to download. Thanks!!!
Claudine
Hi Claudine! I’m happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. Thank you for your kind words and support! xo
Hi! I made these Hato Sable and they taste exactly like the ones from Narita Airport! I love them. I think these cookies can also be iced and decorated…will try one day. Thanks for the recipe : )
Hi Luz! Thanks so much for trying this recipe! I’m so happy you liked them too. They are my favorite cookies. 🙂
Hi- Your content was lovely! I have always been a huge fan of Japanese culture and food, desserts . Your blog blends it all together perfectly!
Hi Melinda! Thank you for your kind words. I’m really happy to hear you enjoy the contents I share on my site. Happy exploring and reading! xoxo
Waiting for them in the oven.. I can’t wait. I think this is the easiest butter cookies. Thank you Nami!
Hi Juliana! I’m glad to hear that and I hope the cookies came out well! 🙂
Thank you very much for this recipe. My son enjoy helping me making it and it’s very tasty, my husband love it too. It’s very easy to make especially for me first time baking cookies 😆
Hi Mariana! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and I’m so happy your family enjoyed these cookies! 🙂
Nami-san,
Thank you so much for this Hato Sabure recipe! It is one of my favorite cookies I buy when I visit Japan. Your recipe is so close to the real deal!!! It’s very GOOD. Arigato, Love it!
Hi Didi! So happy to know there is another Hato Sabure fan out there! 😀 Thank you so much for your kind feedback. Hope you can figure out to tweak to make it taste like the real one! 🙂
May I know what type of sugar?
Hi Adeline! Granulated sugar. 🙂
It was great and they all tasted amazing! Definitely something I’d bake more often.
Hih Skiii! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so glad you liked it. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! can I make these by just using my arm strength and spatula? I love cookies and recently interested in learning more about baking.
Hi Charo! Yes, you can do that. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe!
whaat type of sugar?
Hi Adeline! It’s white granulated sugar. 🙂
This is my first butter cookie attempt and I am glad that the entire family gave their thumbs up. Thank you for your generous sharing. I made 4 different kinds of butter cookies for variation i.e. with white chocolate buttons, with raisins, with sea salt and original. My fav is sea salt. I will definitely make this again as it is easy and really delicious!
Hi Esther! Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I’m so happy to hear your family enjoyed these cookies. 🙂
Just made these today. They are WONDERFUL! I used all vegan ingredients and will need to make some adjustments over the next couple of batches before I get it just right, but these are perfect to enjoy with coffee or to relax with at the end of the day with some tea. Arigatou, Nami-san!
Hi David! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I’m so glad you can make this recipe vegan-friendly! Thank you for your kind feedback! xo
Made these for thanksgiving with turkey cookie cutters. They do taste like hato sabure!! My mom always buys some for me when she visits (I’m in Hawaii, and she’s in Japan) or sends it via EMS but I can’t get any this year. Thank you for the recipe! It’s easy and delicious. My son loves it too.
Hi Akiko!
Awww…. Turkey shape Butter Cookies! It must be so cute!
We are so happy to hear you and your son enjoyed it. Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Nami! I just made the cookies.. but my dough was way too soft to cut any shapes.. so I ended up rolling it in balls and pressed it down with a fork. The cookies came out a bit crispy. Just curious though, I used the measuring cup 200ml of flour — did I just not use enough flour? I feel like I may have got confused with 200g and 200ml as I thought they’re the same conversion. Would it be better if I follow the 1 2/3 cup measurement instead?
Hi Jasmine,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe!
Yes. If you are using a measuring cup, you need to follow the 1 2/3 cup flour measurement.
200g is for weight measurement, and you need a scale. 😉
We hope this helps!
Thanks for clarifying Nami! Well definitely try it again!!
Hi Jasmine,
It is our pleasure! Thank you for trying again!🥰
These came out great! I added the vanilla extract which was nice. I don’t always love cookies or sugar cookies for that matter but these were so good and not too sweet at all. They taste great with icing! I didn’t use the bird shape, I went with a candy cane shape and circles and 15 minutes was too much, some of them started to burn a little. So I’d keep an eye on them once you hit 10 minutes if you use a different shape or perhaps make them thinner than intended. I am also not an experienced baker so this was all experimental for me. Overall, very yummy and so easy.
Hi Naomi!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
We love your candy cane shape idea for the Holiday season! It’s a great cute idea.😍
Have a wonderful Holiday!
Hello Namiko-Sensai,
I cannot express how happy I am with this recipe! Every time I make them, they don’t last long. My neighbors, relatives, and friends eat them up before I know it. Everyone I know loves these. Whether they are Persian, Indian, American, Japanese, Chinese, or Mexican, everyone cannot get enough of these!
My friends and I recently tried these immediately after eating cookies from the store, and while the flavor is similar, there is a noticeable difference in taste and texture with these hato sabure cookies because they aren’t processed and only have 5 ingredients. They taste much cleaner than the store-bought cookies. We love how mildly sweet they are, and how they can be made into different shapes easily. I’ve experimented with this recipe by adding a bit of cacao powder to make chocolate sabure cookies. They taste delicious as well, but I had to add a bit more sugar to the mix because organic pure cacao is bitter.
Hi Ashton!
We are so happy to hear you and your family and friends and neighbors enjoyed this cookie! 🥰
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.
Hi Nami, another winner – recipe was so easy and cookies were delicious. We had a zoom session and made cookies with as a group. Thank you.
Hi D,
Aww… We are so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe and made it with friends!
Thank you very much for your kind feedback.😊
Hato Sabure! Ureshii!!!!! Love your recipes, by the way. I used to live in japan, and miss it a lot. I live in Mtn View, ca.
Hi Stacey,
We are so glad to hear you enjoy many of Nami’s recipe! Arigato!
Yes. We miss Japan a lot too, especially this year… We hope good homemade Japanese foods and sweets are making you feel like you are in Japan.
Have a wonderful New Year!
How much cocoa powder should I add if I wanted to make it chocolate butter cookies instead?
Hi Crystal,
To experiment with cocoa powder, we normally substruct the cocoa powder amount from the flour amount and adjust the recipe’s liquid amount to get the texture right. You may add 2 Tbsp or more cocoa powder as you like to get more cocoa taste.
We haven’t tested this recipe with cocoa powder and currently don’t have a perfect recipe to share. Sorry…😞
No worries! thanks for the response!
actually, i just tested with cocoa powder – i added 1.5 tbsp in this recipe and it seems to work out.
im not sure if the original recipe is supposed to be a softer cookie, but adding the cocoa powder seemed to make it bit a crispier/firmer, which i enjoyed anyway.
Thank you!
Hi Crystal, Fantastic! Thank you very much for sharing your baking experience with us!
Hi may I know if I am able to pipe these cookies?
Hi WY, Sorry…No. This will not work for piping. The dough needs to be chilled and hard, and if the dough gets soft, it will melt in the oven.