Ingredients for Making Soft Petit Fours — The Complete Recipe, Step by Step

Ingredients for Making Soft Petit Fours — The Complete Recipe, Step by Step

Soft petit fours are one of pastry-making's most elegant challenges. That melt-in-the-mouth sensation — where the cookie dissolves the moment it touches your tongue — doesn't happen by accident. It requires the right ingredients, exact ratios, and a light hand.

Whether you're preparing petit fours for a celebration, a gift box, or simply to treat your family, this guide gives you the full professional recipe and every ingredient you need.

What Are Petit Fours?

The term "Petit Fours" comes from French, meaning "small oven." Historically, these delicate bites were baked in the residual heat of a cooling oven. Today, petit fours is a broad term for elegant bite-sized confections served at celebrations, weddings, and high tea.

Two main types:

  • Petit Fours Sec (Dry): Buttery shortbread-style cookies, crisp and light
  • Petit Fours Glacé: Coated in sugar glaze, chocolate, or ganache

Ingredients for Soft Petit Fours (Makes approximately 60–80 pieces)

For the Dough:

Ingredient | Quantity
All-purpose flour, sifted | 500 g
Unsalted butter, room temperature | 300 g
Icing sugar, sifted | 150 g
Eggs | 2 whole + 1 yolk
Vanilla extract | 1 tsp
Cornstarch | 50 g
Baking powder | ½ tsp
Salt | Pinch


For Coating & Decoration:

Ingredient | Quantity
Dark or white chocolate | 200 g
Butter | 1 tbsp
Heavy cream | 2 tbsp
Apricot jam (for glazing) | 3 tbsp
Food colouring | As needed
Crushed nuts for topping | Optional


Step-by-Step Preparation

Step 1: Make the Dough

  1. Beat butter with icing sugar using an electric mixer for 5–7 minutes until pale and creamy.
  2. Add eggs and yolk one at a time, continuing to beat.
  3. Add vanilla and mix.
  4. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture using gentle strokes until just combined.
  6. Do not overwork the dough — overmixing makes petit fours hard, not soft.

Step 2: Shape

  1. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  2. Roll to 5–6 mm thickness on a lightly floured surface.
  3. Cut with petit four cutters or pipe into rosettes/swirls using a piping bag.

Step 3: Bake

  1. Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F).
  2. Line a tray with baking paper.
  3. Bake 12–15 minutes until the edges are just lightly golden — the centres should remain pale.

Step 4: Decorate

  1. Once completely cool, brush with a thin layer of melted apricot jam.
  2. Melt chocolate with butter and cream using a bain-marie.
  3. Dip or coat pieces with chocolate and add toppings before it sets.

Signs You've Got It Right

Perfectly soft petit fours dissolve on the tongue, are crumbly at the edges, and never feel dense or biscuit-tough. If they come out hard, the most common cause is overworking the dough or overbaking.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the ingredients for soft petit fours?

Core ingredients: 500g flour, 300g butter, 150g icing sugar, 2 eggs, vanilla, 50g cornstarch. Follow the ratios carefully for the best texture.

Why do my petit fours come out hard?

Overworking the dough or overbaking are the most common causes. Mix only until just combined and watch your oven time closely.

Can I freeze petit four dough?

Yes — the dough freezes well for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use.

What's the difference between petit fours sec and glacé?

Sec are dry, buttery biscuits. Glacé are coated in coloured sugar icing or ganache.

How long does it take to make petit fours at home?

From prep to decoration: approximately 3 hours total.

The secret to perfectly soft petit fours is precision in your ingredients and a light touch in your technique. The ingredients are simple — it's the method that makes the magic. Try this recipe at home, and if you ever want the professional benchmark to compare against —