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Close-up of golden-brown, heart-shaped puff pastries, showing flaky texture and sugar coating.

French Palmiers Recipe

Author: Jessica Haggard
Sugar-coated puff pastry palmiers are a classic, versatile treat that’s great for any occasion. 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. Just coat the dough in sugar, shape, and bake - pretty easy for a fancy pastry!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 78 kcal

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.
Serve: Enjoy puff pastry palmiers with a warm cup of coffee, tea, or any seasonal drink. Pair them with a chocolate or caramel dipping sauce, fruit compote, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent snack or dessert. Serve as part of a pastry spread or alongside a cheese board at parties.
Store: Place puff pastry palmiers in an airtight container and store at room temperature, preferably in a cool, dry place, for up to a week. You can also refrigerate them if preferred, or keep them in the freezer for up to a month. Warm them up in the oven in moderate heat until they crisp up again. Defrost frozen palmiers first before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 78kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 25mgPotassium: 6mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 0.1IUCalcium: 1mgIron: 0.3mg
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