Puff Pastry Palmiers Recipe
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Make these puff pastry palmiers if you need a simple, wholesome treat to enjoy year-round. With just two ingredients – puff pastry and sugar – you’ll get light, flaky, and oh-so-buttery little pastries that are easy enough to make anytime but pretty enough to grace your holiday spreads. They’re the kind of treat that fits all occasions, and you’ll want to make them any time you need something quick but impressive.
I can’t stress how much I love puff pastry palmiers. I’ve been making them since I was in college when I spent a semester abroad in Spain. They’re one of my all-time favorite sweet treats. There’s just something about their ease and simplicity that always hits the spot, and they’re easy to enjoy with all my favorite drinks. When fall is around the corner, I take it up a notch and make a big batch of cinnamon palmiers.
This puff pastry palmier recipe can’t get any easier. It’s the simplest, most basic kind, leaving you with plenty of room for creativity. As delicious as it is with just caramelized sugar, you can add your own spin to fit your mood or the occasion.
Puff pastry palmiers, also called French palmiers, French hearts, or elephant ears, always have a spot in my spread of party treats alongside goat cheese stuffed dates and cranberry brie bites. They’re a perfect pair with morning coffee or afternoon tea. They’re also an excellent pastry to serve at weekend brunches or bring to potlucks.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple recipe: Coat the dough in sugar, shape, and bake. Shaping the dough into the signature palmier shape is easier than it looks and gets faster the more you practice.
- Two ingredients: If you have puff pastry and sugar, you’re all set!
- Delicious: These pastries are flaky, buttery, and airy with crispy edges. The caramelized sugar adds a delightful crunch!
- Holiday-worthy: Crispy golden puff pastry palmiers look gorgeous on holiday spreads, whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, or Valentine’s Day.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prepare the dough and assemble up to 2 days in advance and bake them fresh when needed.
How to Make Puff Pastry Palmiers
If you’re looking for a sweet treat that’s equal parts easy and fancy, look no further than puff pastry palmiers. I always have fun rolling out the puff pastry, coating it in sugar, and shaping the dough into hearts – I feel like a real pastry chef! After that, it’s pretty much hands off and my oven takes care of the rest. Pretty easy for a pastry this fancy!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Puff pastry: The buttery, flaky base of the recipe that creates those signature crispy layers. I use store-bought frozen puff pastry to simplify the process, but you can also use a homemade version.
- White sugar: Provides the sweetness that caramelizes during baking, giving the palmiers their irresistible sugary crunch.
Step-By-Step Instructions
There are only 3 simple steps to follow to make perfectly baked French palmiers – prep the puff pastry by coating it in sugar, shape the dough into the signature palmier shape, and bake it in the oven. Seriously, you can’t go wrong!
Step 1: Prep the pastry
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sprinkle approximately ⅓ cup sugar on a clean work surface, then unroll the puff pastry out onto the sugar. Puff pastry is typically rectangular. I work with the long side as the width, so my rectangle is wider than tall.
Pour the remaining sugar on the top side of the dough. Lightly roll a rolling pin across the surface a few times to press the sugar into the pastry.
Step 2: Shape the dough
Next, fold the top edge down and the bottom edge up the center of the dough. The edges should meet each other but not overlap. Repeat this step a second time; fold each edge to the middle.
Now, fold the two sides together, so all the dough is folded in a single stack. If your dough is getting warm at this point and starting to stick to the workspace, wrap it in plastic and pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up again.
Cut the dough ½-inch thick. Transfer cookies to a baking sheet and reshape any ones that unroll a little.
Step 3: Bake the cookies
Bake for 12-15 minutes. Flip over with a spatula. If you notice the bottoms browning too quickly, flipping sooner will help avoid them burning.
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes. Cool for a minute or so on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy!
Substitutions
It’s always a good idea to work with ingredients that you like or have on hand. While you only need super simple ingredients for this recipe, feel free to substitute the listed ingredients with what you prefer.
- Puff pastry: If you’re out of puff pastry, you can substitute with crescent roll dough, though the texture will be slightly different. If you want a dairy-free option, look for a puff pastry brand that uses oil, not butter.
- White sugar: If you don’t want to use granulated sugar, use light brown or brown sugar instead. You can also try coconut sugar for a more natural sweetness.
Variations
Once you’ve mastered the classic puff pastry palmiers, there’s no end to the delicious twists you can add. Switch the ingredients up or add your favorite mix-ins to make equally delicious sweet or savory French palmiers. Check out my favorite variations:
- Drizzle honey and sprinkle chopped almonds over the pastry once out of the oven to enjoy delicious honey-almond palmiers.
- Mix in cinnamon for cinnamon sugar palmiers.
- Mix cocoa or chocolate powder with the sugar for a chocolatey twist that’s sure to be a hit with the kids.
- Drizzle chocolate, white chocolate, or caramel sauce over the pastries while they’re still warm for a richer, more indulgent treat.
- For a savory version, sprinkle grated Parmesan and Italian herbs on the dough instead of coating it in sugar.
- Spread a thin layer of your favorite jam or jelly on the pastry before rolling it up for a nice fruity surprise. Alternatively, you can spread pesto for a savory bite.
Expert Tips
- Use quality puff pastry: Whether you make your own or buy pre-made, opt for high-quality puff pastry. It makes a noticeable difference in taste and texture.
- Keep the dough cold: After thawing the dough, keep it refrigerated until ready to use. It should be cold when you work with it; otherwise, it can become very sticky and difficult to use if it’s left out at room temperature too long. Keep the dough in the fridge or freezer anytime you’re not actively working with it.
- Make them crispy: Roll the dough thinly if you like your palmiers to be crispy and crunchy all throughout with more sugar caramelization, and a little thicker if you prefer flaky, buttery, and airy palmiers with crispy edges.
- Bake to your desired doneness: On top of every oven being a little different, everyone has their own personal preference on how crispy they like these. Some people like a lighter finish, with a shorter baking time and without flipping the cookies. Others prefer an even golden brown finish on both sides. My family (and oven) likes a 12-minute bake time, pause to flip and 5 more minutes to finish. No one likes burnt edges, so be sure to watch them once they turn golden and avoid finishing with a deep brown color.
How to Store This Recipe
Place puff pastry palmiers in an airtight container and store at room temperature, preferably in a cool, dry place, for up to a week. Although, it’s unlikely they will last that long.
You can also refrigerate them if preferred, or keep them in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost frozen palmiers first before reheating. Then, warm them up in the oven on moderate heat until they crisp up again.
What to Serve with Puff Pastry Palmiers
Enjoy puff pastry palmiers with a warm cup of coffee, tea, peppermint hot chocolate, or any seasonal drink. Pair them with a chocolate or caramel dipping sauce, fruit compote, or a scoop of vanilla or peppermint ice cream for an indulgent snack or dessert. Serve as part of a pastry spread or alongside a cheese board at parties.
More Dessert Recipes To Try
If you make these puff pastry palmiers, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
French Palmiers Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup white sugar divided
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed in the refrigerator overnight
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle approximately ⅓ cup sugar on a clean work surface, then unroll the puff pastry out onto the sugar. Puff pastry is typically rectangular. I work with the long side as the width, so my rectangle is wider than tall.
- Pour the remaining sugar on the top side of the dough. Lightly roll a rolling pin across the surface a few times to press the sugar into the pastry.
- Fold the top edge down and the bottom edge up the center of the dough. The edges should meet each other but not overlap. Repeat this step a second time; fold each edge to the middle.
- Now, fold the two sides together, so all the dough is folded in a single stack. If your dough is getting warm at this point and starting to stick to the workspace, wrap it in plastic and pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up again.
- Cut the dough ½-inch thick. Transfer cookies to a baking sheet and reshape any ones that unroll a little.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. Flip over with a spatula. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes. Cool for a minute or so on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Video
Notes
- Whether you make your own or buy pre-made, opt for high-quality puff pastry. It makes a noticeable difference in taste and texture.
- Keep the dough refrigerated until ready to use or anytime you’re not actively working with it to prevent it from becoming sticky and difficult to use.
- Roll the dough thinly if you like your palmiers to be crispy and crunchy all throughout with more sugar caramelization, and a little thicker if you prefer flaky, buttery, and airy palmiers with crispy edges.
- Bake to your desired crispiness. Shorten the baking time and without flipping the cookies if you want a lighter finish, and bake longer for a golden brown finish.
