For the first cookie in my weekly European cookie post the Langue de Chat is a French cookie that translates to cat's tongue because of its shape. It is a crisp, sweet, long, wafer thin cookie and a snap to make with only five ingredients.
While this cookie is made in other countries and known as Kue Lidah Kucing in Indonesia, Lengua de Gato in the Philippines, and Lingue di Gatto in Italy they retain the traditional ingredients and look.
I love them as a simple straightforward cookie, but they are even better by sandwiching with chocolate. Think Milano cookies here...especially if you remember them when they were made with butter instead of oils.
Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.
While they are often seen barely browned on the edges, they taste, look and last better when baked to a golden brown. An easily made template keeps these cookies the same size.
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European vs. American Cookies
- Let's face it - all cookies are good but there are definite differences between European and American cookies. One of the major differences between them is European cookies are not as sweet as American Cookies. On the other hand, many American cookies and bars have a lot of add ins that make for a more complex cookie.
- While American cookies can have an ingredient list that is daunting, European cookies generally have fewer ingredients but they are manipulated a hundred different ways. The cookies usually contain butter, flour, egg yolk as opposed to whole eggs and flavoring. Leavening such as baking powder and baking soda are rarely used. If leavening is needed it is often ammonium carbonate or baker's ammonia and is used when crispness is the desired outcome.
- European cookies often feature a lot of ground nuts. Almonds, pistachios, walnuts and hazelnuts are used but peanuts and pecans will be found in American cookies. Almond paste is a popular ingredient and is instantly recognizable.
- Greek, Middle Eastern, Italian, German and Scandanavian cookies often feature honey as a sweetener, in whole or in part and a lot of spices. Think Lebkuchen and Pfeffernusse. Candied citrus peel is also used as well as anise and lemon flavoring.
- Salt, while a staple in American cookies, is not used in most European Cookies.
- Chocolate and peanut butter are huge components in the states but not so much in Europe.
- Americans like their cookies large whereas European cookies are usually small in comparison.
- There is no right or wrong cookie, no satisfactory or unsatisfactory, no better or worse cookie. As with all things human, there are differences, and in the case of cookies, delicious differences.
What makes these cookies so easy
- There are only 5 ingredients and I'm betting you have them in your fridge and pantry.
- If you have left over egg whites this is a quick, delicious way to use them.
- The cookie batter mixes up in a matter of minutes.
- While these do require some piping, I have a whole section dedicated to making this easy for you.
- What else can I say, simple, delicious and easy? So why wouldn't you make them?
Langue de Chat Ingredients
Cookies
FRONT ROW: Vanilla and egg whites
MIDDLE ROW: Unsalted butter
BACK ROW: Powdered sugar and flour
Chocolate Filling
Callebaut #811 semisweet chocolate callets for the filling
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. On a piece of parchment paper the size of your pan, draw lines 3" wide with about ½" between them from the top to the bottom of the paper. Set aside. Step 2. Add the softened butter, powdered sugar and vanilla to the mixing bowl. Cream until light. Step 3. Add one egg white. Step 4. Beat on medium until it is completely incorporated.
Step 5. Add the second egg white. Step 6. Beat on medium to combine. It will probably curdle but that will be fixed in the next step. To learn more about curdled batters see my post How to Avoid Curdled Cake Batter. Step 7. Add all of the flour. Step 8. Beat on low to bring the batter together until smooth. Do not raise the speed as you don't want to incorporate additional air into the batter.
Step 9. Place a second piece of parchment over the template. Fit a piping bag with a ½" plain tip and pipe in a straight line between the 3" lines. It will have a sharp upward tip at the end. Don't be concerned about this. It will come out flat when baked. Step 10. Be sure to leave about 3" between piping the cookies. These will spread a lot in the oven. Step 11. If sandwiching the cookies after baking and cooling, pair the cookies for shape and size. Step 12. Turn a pair of cookies bottom up. Spread a thick layer of melted semi-sweet chocolate on the bottom cookie about ¼" in from the edge. Place the top cookie on and gently press down to bring the chocolate to the edges.
Recipe FAQs
Long duh shot.
By baking them to a golden brown, they will keep in an airtight container for weeks, either plain or sandwiched with chocolate.
Sure. Use another extract such as almond or add lemon or orange zest or a bit of cinnamon can be used.
Piping Tips
- Piping can be scary but it's actually easy when piping these cookies. I do suggest you purchase a ½" piping tip. They are very inexpensive and do a much better job than a plastic bag with the tip cut off. The plastic bags can and do stretch out of shape as you apply pressure when piping.
- The most important thing to remember when piping is to keep an even, steady pressure on the bag, letting up only at the end. Don't worry about the peak at the end, it will melt in the oven and won't show.
- The harder you squeeze the piping bag the more comes out of the tip.
- I'd suggest that you do a trial run on a few cookies to get a feel for how much pressure you need to apply. Scrape up the practice cookies and put them back in the bag.
- When piping, look at where you want to go, not how you're doing along the way. Your hand will follow your eye and you will get straighter lines.
- For these cookies, to keep the lines of batter straight, keep the bottom edge of the piping tip on the paper and, keeping even pressure on the bag, pipe straight down to the bottom line while looking at it.
- When you get down to the last row of piping, turn the pan around to make piping the last row easier.
Expert Tips
- Creaming butter and sugar is an important step for these cookies. Using powdered sugar helps blend the two smoothly. If you forget to take the butter out early, there is information in Softened Butter and Better Butter for Baking. I refer to butter as softened rather than room temperature because all rooms aren't the same temperature. Some are too cold, some too hot. The ideal temperature for butter to cream well is 72°F to 75°F where the sugar and butter can best work together.
- Whatever you do, do not use melted butter as it can't incorporate air.
- Using plain chocolate to sandwich cookies instead of ganache keeps the cookies crisp for weeks in an airtight container. The ganache can soften them due to the cream in the chocolate.
- And while I know some people suggest cutting the end off of a plastic bag to pipe these, I encourage you to purchase a half inch pastry tip as the plastic bags often stretch out of shape as they are used. These are one of the easiest cookies you can find to make so don't let the piping deter you.
More Special Cookies for You
If you love this recipe for Langue de Chat or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟star rating in the recipe card and let me know how it went the in 📝 comments below. I appreciate each of you being here!
Langue de Chat
Equipment
- ½" piping tip
- Piping bag
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (130 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (105 grams)
- 2 large egg whites
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate (85 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Make a template on a piece of parchment paper that fits your pan,spacing wto lines 3" apart. Continue down the paper, leaving about ½" between the 3" lines. Set aside.
- Combine the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat until very light in color and texture. Scrape down.
- Add 1 egg white and mix until completely combined.
- Add the second egg white and mix on medium until blended. It will most like curdle but that will be fixed in the next step.
- Add all the flour at once and beat on low until everything is incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Place a piece of parchment over the template. Place the pastry tip in a pastry bag. Fill with the batter.
- Pipe a few practice cookies between the 3" lines. They can be scooped up and put back in the bag if you're not happy with them. Please see the piping tips above you need help. Keep the bottom edge of the piping tip on the paper and, keeping even pressure on the bag, pipe straight down to the bottom line while looking at it. It will make a small point at the bottom, but it will disappear when baked.
- When the last line of cookies needs to be piped, turn the pan around to make it easier to pipe without damaging the cookies above it.
- Remove the template, place it under another piece of parchment and proceed to pipe the remaining cookies.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown. Cool and store in an airtight container.
- If they are to be sandwiched, match the cookies for size and shape. Melt the chocolate in a microwave at half power or over hot water, just until completely melted. Turn a set of cookies over and put a generous amount of chocolate on the lower cookie about ¼" from the edges. Cover with the top cookie, right side up, and gently press down to distribute the chocolate out to the edges of the cookie. Let them sit at room temperature until set. Store in an airtight container for a week or so.
Notes
-
- See Piping tips above for additional information.
- Piping can be scary but it's actually easy when piping these cookies. I do suggest you purchase a ½" piping tip. They are very inexpensive and do a much better job than a plastic bag with the tip cut off. The plastic bags can and do stretch out of shape as you apply pressure when piping.
-
- The most important thing to remember when piping is to keep an even, steady pressure on the bag, letting up only at the end. Don't worry about the peak at the end, it will melt in the oven and won't show.
-
- The harder you squeeze the piping bag the more comes out of the tip.
-
- I'd suggest that you do a trial run on a few cookies to get a feel for how much pressure you need to apply. Scrape up the practice cookies and put them back in the bag.
-
- When piping look at where you want to go, not how you're doing along the way. Your hand will follow your eye and you will get straighter lines.
-
- For these cookies, to keep the lines of batter straight, keep the bottom edge of the piping tip on the paper and, keeping even pressure on the bag, pipe straight down to the bottom line while looking at it.
- To make mini Langues de Chat,make the ones on the template 1 ½ to 2 inches. Use a ¼ inch pastry tip and reduce the baking time.
- Orange Langues de Chat can be made by adding the zest of an orange to the sugar and butter. Sandwich with milk chocolate.
- Lemon Cookies require the zest of 1 large or 2 medium lemons added to the butter and sugar. Sandwich with white chocolate.
Nutrition
Jess says
Very easy to follow and turned out great
Helen S Fletcher says
Thanks for this Jess. I agree with you.
Donna says
Also going to try to use my gluten free flour to make one batch. I’ll make a second batch with regular flour. Also thinking about adding orange oil to the dough and filling.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Donna, GF should work here. But let me know if you find a difference or, if you don't. I mention in the notes of the recipe that orange or lemon zest would be good. I've tried the oils from time to time but they just don't impart the flavor that zest does. However, if adding flavor to chocolate it has to be oil. Anything else can cause it to sieze.
Mary Howard says
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try them.
Helen S Fletcher says
Ho Mary, do me a favor and rate these. It's the best way for google to find me. Thanks
Kathy Parathyras says
These look amazing! I'm going to make them for my family this weekend. Thanks for another great recipe, Helen.
Helen S Fletcher says
And they are super easy Kathy. Do me a favor and rate these so my rating on google goes up. thanks.
Vivien says
Superb instructions.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Vivien - Hope you make these. They are definitely a favorite of mine.