cookies/ Dessert/ French Recipes/ New Year's Eve/ Party/ puff pastry

Palmiers – 3-ingredient Puff Pastry Cookies (video)

5 February 2023 | Last Updated: 2 November 2023 By Aleksandra

Palmiers are crunchy puff pastry cookies that are super quick to make and require just 3 ingredients! Puff pastry is sprinkled with cinnamon and granulated sugar, which caramelizes during baking, adding an additional crunch. Cinnamon is optional but it adds great flavor! These are the easiest and also one of the most delicious cookies you can make!

Palmiers cookies on a cooling rack.

Palmiers

Palmiers are a well-known French cookies. Palmier means palm tree in French, as these cookies resemble the look of palm tree leaves. Other names for them are elephant ears or pig’s ears (in German-speaking countries).

Initially, it was a way for French chefs to use up puff pastry leftovers (which is not surprising, considering how labor-intensive puff pastry is).

You can also try to use up your puff pastry leftovers this way, for example, after cutting out a round from a puff pastry sheet, like for a tart. Just sprinkle the dough with cinnamon sugar (or just sugar), roll out slightly, and bake.

Ingredients

These puff pastry cookies require just 3 ingredients! Here´s what you need:

Labeled ingredients for palmiers cookies.
  • puff pastry – try to find all-butter puff pastry – it tastes best
  • sugar – regular granulated white sugar (don´t use powdered sugar, granulated sugar sweetens the cookies and also provides a crunch)
  • cinnamon – it´s optional but very recommended! authentic palmiers are actually made without cinnamon

How to make palmiers step by step

Three bowls with cinnamon sugar.

STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine the sugar with cinnamon together. Divide roughly into 3 parts: 2 very large and 1 very small.

Cinnamon sugar on a white rolling mat.

STEP 2: Sprinkle the first large portion of cinnamon sugar on the counter or on a rolling mat (roughly in the size of your puff pastry sheet).

Puff pastry sheet on a white rolling mat.

STEP 3: Place puff pastry sheet on top.

Puff pastry sheet topped with cinnamon sugar is being rolled out with a mallet.

STEP 4: Sprinkle the puff pastry with the second large portion of cinnamon sugar. Slightly roll it out to a rectangle (to thin out the pastry and so that the cinnamon sugar can stick to the pastry).

Partially rolled up puff pastry sheet with cinnamon sugar.

STEP 5: Roll up the longer side of the dough in towards the middle.

Rolled up log of puff pastry.

STEP 6: Repeat on the other side: roll up the other side in towards the middle.

Puff pastry log cut into slices.

STEP 7: Use a sharp knife to cut the log into about ½-inch (1 cm) slices.

Palmiers cookies are being dipped in cinnamon sugar.

STEP 8: Dip each side of the cookie into the reserved cinnamon sugar mixture (third part).

STEP 9: Transfer the cookies to a parchment paper lined sheet pan, at least 1.5-inch (4 cm) apart to allow for the cookies to expand. Press the cookies lightly so they are of even thickness.

Palmiers cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready to be baked.

STEP 10: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the sheet pan with the cookies in the fridge while the oven is warming up.

STEP 11: Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then flip them over and bake for a further 5-6 minutes or until golden in color.

Towards the end of the baking time, keep an eye on the cookies, they can turn from golden brown to burnt very easily. When they´re golden, they´re done! Every oven bakes differently so baking time may vary.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet.

Enjoy!

Freshly baked palmiers cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Storage

You can make the cookies ahead, cover them with plastic foil, and put in the fridge. You can bake them later or even the next day (the dough can be a little more grey-ish the next day but the flavor will be the same).

Store the baked cookies in a tightly closed container. They taste best on the day of baking them but are also very good the next day! (but less crunchy).

General rules for working with puff pastry

  • Puff pastry dough likes cold temperatures. If you leave it out of the fridge for too long it will become soft and sticky. Make sure to have everything ready before taking the pastry out of the fridge.
  • I recommend rolling out the pastry on a piece of baking paper, or even better – silicone rolling mat – they are great for rolling out any kind of dough.
  • Homemade puff pastry or all-butter puff pastry is more sticky than store-bought puff pastry made with shortening, so all those tips may be irrelevant if you’re using such pastry. I recommend searching for an all-butter puff pastry, as it tastes so much better than shortening puff pastry.
  • If you’re using frozen puff pastry, you must first thaw it completely, preferably in the fridge overnight.

Other puff pastry recipes you may like

Palmier cookie is being held in a hand.

Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!

Palmiers – 3-ingredient Puff Pastry Cookies (video)

Palmiers are crunchy puff pastry cookies that are super quick to make and require just 3 ingredients! Puff pastry is sprinkled with cinnamon and granulated sugar, which caramelizes during baking, adding an additional crunch. Cinnamon is optional but it adds great flavor! These are the easiest and also one of the most delicious cookies you can make!
Pin This Recipe! SAVE THIS RECIPE
Palmiers cookies on a cooling rack.
Print Recipe

RATE THE RECIPE

(click on the stars)

5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 14 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 26 cookies
Calories 66kcal
Author Aleksandra

Ingredients

  • 9 oz (260g) puff pastry (1 sheet) preferably all-butter puff pastry
  • cup (70g) granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the sugar with cinnamon together. Divide roughly into 3 parts: 2 very large and 1 very small.
  • Sprinkle the first large portion of cinnamon sugar on the counter or on a rolling mat (roughly in the size of your puff pastry sheet). Place puff pastry sheet on top.
  • Sprinkle the puff pastry with the second large portion of cinnamon sugar. Slightly roll it out to a rectangle (to thin out the pastry and so that the cinnamon sugar can stick to the pastry).
  • Roll up the longer side of the dough in towards the middle, now roll up the other side in towards the middle (see photos).
  • Use a sharp knife to cut the log into about ½-inch (1 cm) slices.
  • Dip each side of the cookie into the reserved cinnamon sugar mixture (third part).
  • Transfer the cookies to a parchment paper lined sheet pan, at least 1.5-inch (4 cm) apart to allow for the cookies to expand. Press the cookies lightly so they are of even thickness.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the sheet pan with the cookies in the fridge while the oven is warming up.
  • Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then flip them over and bake for a further 5-6 minutes or until golden in color.
    Towards the end of the baking time, keep an eye on the cookies, they can turn from golden brown to burnt very easily. When they´re golden, they´re done! Every oven bakes differently so baking time may vary.
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • If using frozen puff pastry, thaw it completely before using in this recipe, preferably overnight in the refrigerator. 
  • Store the cookies in a tightly closed container. They taste best on the day of baking them but are also very good the next day!
  • Cinnamon can be omitted (traditional Palmiers are made without cinnamon).
  • Calories = 1 cookie (1/26 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Tried this Recipe? Rate the Recipe and tell us what you think in the Comments!

You Might Also Like

5 Comments

  • Reply
    Fran
    15 February 2023 at 15:19

    Very e-x recipe and very tasty. Just want to add that I brush on a little apricot jam before I sprinkle cinnamon/sugar. Try it

    • Reply
      Aleksandra
      15 February 2023 at 15:25

      I will try that, thanks for the tip!

  • Reply
    Natalie
    6 August 2018 at 01:52

    5 stars
    I love Palmiers! These look so delicious and crispy! Perfect to make with kids!

    • Reply
      Aleksandra
      23 August 2018 at 19:00

      I love them too! They are really easy, my daughter has sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top of them 🙂

    Leave a Reply

    Recipe Rating




    The maximum upload file size: 1 MB. You can upload: image. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop file here