Light and crispy, these palmier cookies look so elegant but are shockingly simple to make. A classic French pastry/cookie, palmiers are extremely versatile as you can make many different variations. They are a delightful pastry that can go with a cup of tea or coffee at breakfast or as an after-dinner treat.
Despite their impressive appearance, you can make these palmiers in an afternoon. It’s the perfect pastry recipe for beginners, but if you’re worried about making them, I have a ton of tips as well as step-by-step photos down below to help you out! Once you’ve mastered this dessert and you’d like to try another French pastry, try making my Cream Puffs or Mille Feuille.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Puff pastry — puff pastry can be found at most major grocery stores in the frozen aisle, but you can easily make homemade puff pastry as well. Puff pastry is sold in block form as well, so if you’d like to save time when making these palmiers, be sure to grab puff pastry sheets.
Sugar — white granulated sugar is ideal as it caramelizes beautifully in the oven. No need to get anything fancy!
HOW TO MAKE PALMIERS
1. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar on your counter before laying the puff pastry sheet on top. Sprinkle pastry with remaining ¼ cup sugar.
2. Roll pastry into a 12-inch square.
3. Tightly roll up one edge to the center of the pastry.
4. Tightly roll the opposite edge until they meet in the center, making the classic palmier shape.
5. Freeze for 30 minutes before slicing the frozen log crosswise into ¼-inch thick pieces.
6. Bake on a lined sheet pan for 8 to 10 minutes or until sugar starts to caramelize and bubble on the bottom. Flip the palmiers over and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Make sure the dough stays cold as you work with it. To keep the dough cold, you either have to work fast or in batches. The butter melts when puff pastry gets warm, and the pastry won’t bake into beautiful airy layers.
- If the puff pastry dough becomes too soft, place it back into the fridge or freezer to firm it back up.
- If you have a marble slab, use that when rolling the puff pastry to keep it cool.
- If baking the palmiers in batches, switch out the parchment paper or wipe down the silicone mat in between. The sugar from the previous batch will burn onto your new batch.
- Make sure there is enough space between the palmiers on the sheet pan as they will expand as they bake.
- Use an oven thermometer if your oven is not precise. The high heat in the oven is required to create enough steam in the oven so that the puff pastries will rise as there is no yeast in the dough. If the heat is too low, you may end up with flat pastries.
- Puff pastry can be delicate. If it has not fully thawed before you roll it out, it increases the chances of cracking or breaking.
- If using an all-butter or homemade puff pastry versus Pepperidge Farm, the cookies may caramelize faster in the oven, so keep an eye on them.
- A parchment paper-lined baking sheet will also caramelize faster than using a silicone baking mat like a Silpat. If you do use a Silpat as I did, increase the initial bake by 2 to 4 minutes and look for a nice bubbly caramel forming around the bottom of the palmiers to know when ready to flip. The palmiers should look mostly glossy when you flip them.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are palmiers the same as elephant ears?
Yes, palmiers go by many different names thanks to their fun shape! Other names you might encounter are palm leaves (palmier translates to “palm tree” in French), French hearts, butterfly crisps, or even pig ears.
How do you reheat elephant ears?
To reheat the pastry while keeping them crisp, bake them in a 350F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. If you are worried about the palmiers drying out, you can cover them with foil. Alternatively, you can enjoy these treats at room temperature.
Can these be frozen?
I recommend freezing this palmier recipe before baking, as baked palmiers may not be as crisp after thawing. To freeze, place the sliced dough in a single layer on a lined sheet pan and freeze for an hour or two until frozen. Transfer the frozen dough to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, bake the palmiers from frozen with an extra minute or two added on, keeping a close eye on them during the last two minutes.
Can I add other ingredients?
Palmiers can be both sweet or savory. In addition to the sugar added to the puff pastry, you can try adding cinnamon, brown sugar, shaved chocolate, Nutella, shaved parmesan, fresh herbs, crushed nuts, minced garlic, and more. There are so many ways to make palmiers that you will never get bored with them.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
If you’ve tried this Palmiers recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Palmiers
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 sheet thawed puff pastry
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar on your counter in about a 9-inch square. Lay the puff pastry sheet on top. Sprinkle pastry with remaining ¼ cup sugar.
- Roll pastry into a 12-inch square. Tightly roll up one edge to the center of the pastry. Tightly roll the opposite edge until they meet in the center.
- Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425F while dough freezes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Slice frozen log crosswise into ¼-inch thick pieces. Place on the baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until sugar starts to caramelize and bubble on the bottom. Flip cookies over and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make sure the dough stays cold as you work with it. To keep the dough cold, you either have to work fast or in batches. The butter melts when puff pastry gets warm, and the pastry won’t bake into beautiful airy layers.
- If the puff pastry dough becomes too soft, place it back into the fridge or freezer to firm it back up.
- If you have a marble slab, use that when rolling the puff pastry to keep it cool.
- If baking the palmiers in batches, switch out the parchment paper or wipe down the silicone mat in between. The sugar from the previous batch will burn onto your new batch.
- Make sure there is enough space between the palmiers on the sheet pan as they will expand as they bake.
- Use an oven thermometer if your oven is not precise. The high heat in the oven is required to create enough steam in the oven so that the puff pastries will rise as there is no yeast in the dough. If the heat is too low, you may end up with flat pastries.
- Puff pastry can be delicate. If it has not fully thawed before you roll it out, it increases the chances of cracking or breaking.
- If using an all-butter or homemade puff pastry versus Pepperidge Farm, the cookies may caramelize faster in the oven, so keep an eye on them.
- A parchment paper-lined baking sheet will also caramelize faster than using a silicone baking mat like a Silpat. If you do use a Silpat as I did, increase the initial bake by 2 to 4 minutes and look for a nice bubbly caramel forming around the bottom of the cookies to know when ready to flip. They should look mostly glossy when you flip them.
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