This easy palmiers cookies recipe uses store-bought puff pastry and sugar! That's it! Just two ingredients and you have a classic French dessert that is sure to impress.
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Palmiers cookies (also called elephant ears) are one of my most favorite French pastries ever! EVER! They are simple, crisp, and buttery. And this palmiers recipe is made with just two ingredients: store-bought puff pastry and sugar.
If I see one in a bakery case, I'm going to go for it every time. I don't know what it is that makes them so good. Well, yes I do. Butter and sugar. Simplicity at its finest.
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What are palmiers cookies?
Palmiers, also known as elephant ears or palm hearts, are classic French cookies made made by sprinkling sugar onto a sheet of puff pastry and folding the two sides together so they meet in the middle.
The resulting shape, once baked, resembles a palm leaf. They can be small and bite-sized, or quite large, depending on the size of the sheet of puff pastry used to make them.
Palmiers are standard fare in France, often an after school snack for children. You'll find them in the Viennoiserie section of a French pastry case.
Viennoiserie are baked treats that are made from yeasted dough or puff pastry. Things like croissants, brioche, apple turnovers, chouquettes, etc. and always palmiers! You're more likely to find them in a boulangerie (bread bakery) than a pâtisserie (pastry shop.)
5 reasons to make palmiers right now!
- You only need 2 ingredients!
- Store-bought puff pastry means these cookies are really easy to make!
- They are ready to enjoy in less than one hour.
- You can store them in the freezer for later.
- This is a classic French recipe, yet it's so simple that anyone can learn.
Palmiers cookies only have 2 ingredients!
- Store-bought all butter puff pastry: Trader Joe's sells a two-pack of all butter puff pastry for about $4 that is available seasonally, usually from fall through the spring. There is also a very expensive brand called Dufour. It's about $11 for one sheet of pastry. I tested with both of these and found that Dufour puffed up more than TJs, but there was no real difference between the two in terms of tastiness. I actually liked the TJ's ones a bit better in terms of the overall texture. So I say, go with the Trader Joe's puff pastry and have more palmiers for less money! It keeps well in the freezer for a long time.
- Granulated sugar
How to make palmiers cookies
Step by step instructions
Using store-bought puff pastry for this recipe makes it absolutely one of the easiest "fancy" recipes on earth.
Step 1: Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator
If frozen, thaw puff pastry in the fridge overnight or on the counter for about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Sprinkle the pastry with sugar and fold into the palmiers shape
Sprinkle a cool, flat surface with sugar. Gently open up the sheet of puff pastry and lay flat on top of the layer of sugar.
Sprinkle sugar evenly all over the sheet of puff pastry.
Fold the long sides of the pastry in ¼ of the way, then sprinkle with more sugar.
Fold the long sides toward each other again so they meet in the middle, and sprinkle with more sugar.
Using a rolling pin, gently roll down the sheet of puff pastry to deepen the creases so the rectangle will hold the shape. You don't want it unfolding again!
Fold the rectangle in half one more time, and gently roll down the strip of dough so that it is pressed together and holds its shape. Again, you do not want to make the dough thinner, you are just ensuring it stays folded.
Step 3: Chill the folded pastry
Place in the fridge on a parchment lined baking sheet for 30 minutes to chill.
Step 4: Cut the cookies and bake!
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the fridge and slice into ¼ inch pieces. Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet cut-side down, so you can see all the little folds in the dough. Make sure the folds stay tightly together.
Allow plenty of space between each one, as the dough will expand on both sides as they bake.
Place the cookies in the oven and begin checking them after about 5 minutes. Cook time could be anywhere between 5 - 15 minutes depending on how big your palmiers are.
Once the palmiers are caramelized on the bottom, carefully flip each one over with an offset spatula and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
WARNING: Do NOT touch these with your fingers when you flip them! This is HOT, MELTED sugar and it will burn you badly and instantly!!
Remove palmiers cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack. Again, transfer them with an offset spatula and take care not to burn your fingers.
Tips for perfect palmiers cookies
- You MUST use ALL BUTTER puff pastry for these sweet palmiers. It simply does not work with Pepperidge Farm. I tried. The sugar just won't caramelize without that butter.
- Thaw frozen puff pastry in the refrigerator, NOT at room temp.
- Keep the puff pastry COLD. Work quickly when shaping and cutting and don't skip the step of chilling them before baking. You need them cold to create the steam to make the puff pastry puff up!
- I'll say it again and again. Don't touch the hot palmiers with your fingers when flipping them. It's hot sugar and it burns instantly!
Palmiers cookies variations
I can eat classic French palmiers all day long, but you can also zhuzh them up in lots of fun ways.
- Use a combination of cinnamon and sugar
- Add your favorite flavor of jam to the center.
- Try making them savory and still oh-so-French with ham and gruyère!
FAQ
Store palmiers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
You can freeze palmiers cookies in an airtight container for up to a month. Avoid zip-top bags as the cookies are a little too delicate. Pop them into a 325 degree oven for a few minutes to get them warm and crisp before serving. Remember the sugar will be very hot when they come out of the oven so watch your fingers.
More baking recipes
These baking recipes may have more than two ingredients, but they are still no sweat to make!
- Let's keep things French and make some Madeleines with Early Grey Tea.
- These Pecan Pie Bars are legendary. I take them everywhere and get rave reviews.
- If you can throw everything in a bowl, you can make Caramel Pretzel Banana Bread Pudding.
- And here's another one-bowl recipe because you can never have too many: Gluten Free Double Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies.
Recipe
Palmiers Cookies (Elephant Ears)
Ingredients
- 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry (520 grams)
- 1 cup sugar (you won't use all of it)
Instructions
- If frozen, thaw puff pastry in the fridge overnight or on the counter for about 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle a cool, flat surface with sugar. Gently open up the sheet of puff pastry and lay flat on top of the layer of sugar. Sprinkle sugar evenly all over the sheet of puff pastry.
- Fold the long sides of the pastry in ¼ of the way, then sprinkle with more sugar.
- Fold the long sides toward each other again so they meet in the middle, and sprinkle with more sugar.
- Using a rolling pin, gently roll down the sheet of puff pastry to deepen the creases so the rectangle will hold the shape. You don’t want it unfolding again!
- Fold the rectangle in half one more time, and gently roll down the strip of dough so that it is pressed together and holds its shape. Again, you do not want to make the dough thinner, you are just ensuring it stays folded. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and slice into ¼ inch pieces. Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet cut-side down, so you can see all the little folds in the dough. Make sure the folds stay tightly together. Allow plenty of space between each one, as the dough will expand on both sides as they bake.
- Place them in the oven and begin checking them after about 5 minutes. Cook time could be anywhere between 5 – 15 minutes depending on how big your palmiers are. Once the palmiers are caramelized on the bottom, carefully flip each one over with an offset spatula and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
- Remove palmiers from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack. Again, transfer them with an offset spatula and take care not to burn your fingers.
Notes
- You MUST use ALL BUTTER puff pastry for these palmiers cookies. It simply does not work with Pepperidge Farm. I tried. The sugar just won’t caramelize without that butter.
- Trader Joe’s sells a two-pack of all butter puff pastry for about $4. There is also a very expensive brand called Dufour. It’s about $11 for one sheet of pastry. I tested with both of these and found that Dufour puffed up more than TJs, but there was no real difference between the two in terms of tastiness. I actually liked the TJ’s ones a bit better in terms of the texture of the cookie overall. So I say, go with the Trader Joe’s puff pastry and have more cookies for less money!
- WARNING: Do NOT touch these with your fingers when you flip them! This is HOT, MELTED sugar and it will burn you badly and instantly!! An offset spatula works well to flip them over, or chopsticks would also be a good choice.
Luke
These are really good
Debra
So glad you liked them, Luke!
Thanks for reading,
Debra
Ana
Fantastic! Mine came out perfectly! I thought I could cheat and skip refrigerating the dough before slicing, but ohhhhh nooo. Definitely CAN NOT skip this step. Also, it’s pretty important to have a sharp knife.
Now if only I had coarse sugar to finish it with, it would possibly be even better. But really, I ate like 7 of these before stopping to write this review. Lol! Love love love!
Debra
Ana,
So glad you love the palmiers! Yes I agree, it is VERY difficult not to eat them all in one sitting.
And that is a good tip - a sharp knife is key.
Thanks so much for reading and trying my recipe!
Debra