These French-Style Butter Cookies Are A Grocery Store Brand, And Taste Better Than Lorna Doone And Keebler

When it comes to a good old-fashioned butter cookie, sometimes the most familiar brands don't always deliver. When Tasting Table ranked 12 store-bought butter and shortbread cookies from best to worst, Trader Joe's French Galettes Butter Cookies took third place. Beating both grocery store staples Lorna Doone and Keebler Sandies, the French import upset both longtime American favorites with its rich, buttery flavor and straightforward ingredients. 

In the ranking, we found these TJ cookies noticeably more buttery than the other contenders sampled. The ingredient list is refreshingly short, and real, actual butter gives them a true richness that mass-market cookies just can't achieve. A fixation on good butter and its proper temperature when baking is one of our key tips when making high-quality shortbread. These cookies have a pleasantly glossy surface and a dense, compact crumb that never veers into cloyingly sweet. Now, there is one thing to note: Their texture is firmer and drier than some cookie fans might like. However, this density is exactly what makes them well suited to dunking in coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

The competition does have some things going for it, too. Lorna Doone earned praise for its crisp, snappy texture and convenient individually portioned packages, but it's missing real butter. Keebler Sandies have a crumbly texture, but any hint of butter is overshadowed by the soybean and palm oils lurking within. Still, they're mainstream brands at an affordable price and are easy to find at most major retailers.

Trader Joe's shoppers are overall enthusiastic about the French Galettes, especially because of their rich flavor and hint of salt. On Reddit, fans praised the flavor, with one stating: "I love how crunchy and buttery with a hint of salt they are!!" Another suggested: "All I could think was to put them in a food [processor] and use them for a pie or cheesecake crust." We totally concur, as shortbread is also one of our picks for the best cookies for a flavorful crumb crust. But the cookies haven't won over everyone. One Redditor explained: "They're delicious dunked in coffee, but really hard to chew as is." That firmness is a feature for people who enjoy crunchy, European-style biscuits, but a drawback for anyone expecting a melt-in-your-mouth cookie.

The lower-ranked cookies have their own loyal fans, too. Lorna Doone's nostalgic appeal shows up in online conversations, where some longtime shoppers continue to claim it as a favorite. One Redditor commented: "Made by Nabisco and around for over a hundred years. They're delicious and I've been eating them for ages." Another Reddit fan firmly stated: "Do not trash Lorna Doones. Ever." And Keebler Sandies continue to appeal to people who crave a familiar cookie. 

If you want a distinctly buttery, not-too-sweet cookie with a crisp bite, go for the galettes. Just don't expect a soft, succulent shortbread. These French-style biscuits are at their best alongside a hot drink, especially if you're a fan of dunking cookies in your afternoon cuppa.