Palmiers are light, crunchy, swirled treats you can easily make in under 30 minutes. With a buttery puff pastry covered in sweet caramelized sugar, these cookies have a delightful balance of flavor and texture in every bite. They're buttery, crispy, flaky, and sweet. It’s made with only two ingredients, so I’m pretty sure it's the easiest cookie recipe you'll ever make!
Also known as elephant ear cookies, palmier cookies are a classic French pastry that looks like a palm leaf (“palmier” means palm tree in French). The uniquely shaped cookies are formed by folding the Puff Pastry dough multiple times, rolling with coarse sugar, and then baking until crispy. The result is a golden brown treat with a delicate, flaky interior and a sweet glossy coating that makes it so irresistible to snack on. Not to mention, it has a very rich and buttery flavor that’s perfect with a cup of coffee or tea for an after-dinner treat. Since these sweets use ready-made puff pastry, they’re incredibly easy to make at home even if you’re not a pro baker.
Why You'll Love this Palmier Cookie Recipe
- Extremely easy to make. These cookies might have a complicated shape, but they’re really easy to make. The puff pastry is pre-made to make your life easier, and you can add as much sugar as you want to get the perfect sweetness level. Plus, it only takes less than 15 minutes to bake.
- Crispy and buttery. The beautiful layers of puff pastry, the rich, buttery flavor, as well as the crunchy, sweet sugar coating will make you want to eat the entire batch! They’re also surprisingly lightweight, so it won’t feel like you’re eating a brick.
- Classic taste. The combination of the flaky puff pastry and caramelized sugar is just heavenly. The sugar gives that sweet, caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the buttery pastry dough. Plus, it looks pretty impressive too with that unique shape, so everyone will surely want to have their hands on them.
- Make-ahead. Who doesn’t like to have ready-to-bake cookies when those late-night cravings hit or unexpected guests arrive? This cookie recipe can be made in advance and stored in the freezer for up to a month. And when it's time to bake, just pop them in the oven and voila!
Ingredient Notes
To make these easy and delicious Palmiers, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- coarse cane sugar - use coarse can sugar or turbinado sugar. This give a sweet caramel taste and a nice golden brown color to the cookies. You can also use white granulated sugar if you prefer a clean, sweet taste.
- puff pastry sheet - the base of the cookies. It has a buttery taste and flaky texture when baked. I prefer using store-bought, but a homemade version is also easy to make with a few pantry staples.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, baking sheets with parchment, rolling pin, and wire cooling rack.
How to Make the Best Palmiers
- Roll the dough. On a clean work surface, sprinkle about ½ cup sugar across the work surface, then unfold your puff pastry onto the work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the puff pastry out to be about a 14x14-inch rectangle.
- Add sugar. Generously sprinkle the top of the rolled out puff pastry with the remaining sugar, lightly press the sugar into the puff pastry.
- Fold. Fold the sides in about halfway towards the middle, then fold again until the two sides meet each other. Then finally, fold the one side on top of the other side.
- Cut. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, slice into ¾-inch slices and divide the cookies evenly onto the two baking sheets, placing them cut side up. Place the baking sheets into the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Bake. After 15 minutes, remove the sheets from the freezer, then place into a 425F preheated oven to bake for 14-16 minutes, flipping the cookies over halfway through.
- Cool and serve. Remove the cookies from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and allow the cookies to fully cool before enjoying.
Recipe Variations
- Add cinnamon. For a touch of fall flavor, you can coat the cookies with cinnamon sugar by stirring in a teaspoon if cinnamon to the coarse sugar before sprinkling it on a puff pastry sheet. It elevates the buttery taste of your cookies with an aromatic and warm flavor everyone loves.
- Texture with nuts. Evenly spread finely chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts together with sugar. The crunchy texture of nuts complements the caramelized sugar very well. Those nutty bits also add a pleasing visual accent to your cookies.
- Add chocolate. Make your cookies chocolatey by applying a thin layer of chocolate ganache or hazelnut spread before folding the rolled-out pastry. You can also drizzle some melted chocolate over the cookies or dip them into melted choclate after they've been baked and cooled.
How to Serve
Serve these delicious Palmier Cookies with coffee, tea, or even ice cream as dessert and snacks for parties and get-togethers. They pair well with these drinks and sweets:
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Chai Tea Latte
- Matcha Latte
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Strawberry Muffins
- Blueberry Cake
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use homemade puff pastry. If you’re not in a hurry, you can make the puff pastry from scratch. Just combine cold butter and water with flour and salt in a food processor.
- Roll tightly. Those beautiful layers are achieved only when the puff pastry sheet is rolled tightly. This step also ensures that your cookies hold their shape well when during baking.
- Adjust sugar. When sugar is baked at a high temperature, it caramelizes and gives this cookie its distinct color and flavor. You can add or reduce the sugar to control the sweetness and texture. I find one cup of coarse cane sugar the ideal amount for a perfect balance of flavor and appearance.
- Freeze before baking. Make your palmiers as crispy and flaky as possible by freezing the dough so that the butter is kept cold and won’t melt as quickly during baking.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store the palmiers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend keeping them in the fridge as they will come out sticky.
How to Freeze
Baked palmier cookies do not freeze well. You can however freeze the cut dough before baking. Place on a lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours until hard. Then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge first.
More Cookie Recipes
- 50 Best Cookie Recipes
- Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Buckeyes
- Chocolate Covered Oreos
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