Palmiers Cookies (Elephant Ears)
These Palmiers Cookies (a.k.a. Elephant Ears) are so light and crisp, and super easy! It takes just 3 ingredients to make these classic French pastries if you buy pre-made puff pastry. Serve as a dessert or to enjoy paired with coffee or tea.
Elephant Ears Video
These might just be the easiest cookies I’ve ever made. Watch the video to see just how simple these are. You hardly need a recipe!
Easy Palmiers Recipe
Classic French Palmiers (pal-me-ay) are such a fun and unexpected treat, and they are simple to make using puff pastry and white sugar that caramelizes to give the pastry a sweet crunch. You may see them called “Elephant Ears,” “Pig Ears,” “French Hearts,” or “Palm Leaves” for their beautiful shape, as you can see in my photos–they have a lovely presentation.
Vadim and I took a trip to France this year, and I rediscovered my love for French pastries, like Homemade Croissants, Cherry Clafoutis, and Angel Wing Cookies. These palmiers are by far the easiest of these recipes, so if you’re interested in French baking, definitely start here.
Palmiers Ingredients
This semi-homemade Palmiers cookie recipe uses frozen puff pastry for a quick and tasty dessert you’ll make over and over. Keep a box of pastry on hand to enjoy this simple recipe in just 30 minutes.
- Granulated sugar – melts in the oven to create a caramelized crust on the puff pastry
- Store-bought Puff pastry – you’ll need a 16 oz package which contains 2 sheets. Thaw according to package instructions. You want them chilled, not frozen.
- Pinch of salt – helps to balance the sweetness of the sugar
The Best Puff Pastry for Making Palmiers?
I used to use Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry to make palmiers for beautiful, consistent results, but I discovered Trader Joe’s Puff Pastry uses real butter with a shorter ingredient list, so I have switched brands. The Pepperidge Farm brand pastry tends to keep the heart shape a bit better and seems to bake a little faster, but I think better ingredients are worth the trade-off.
Variations
This basic Palmiers recipe creates simply beautiful, tasty cookies, but you can add a bit of flair with these variations:
- Cinnamon – add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the sugar/salt mixture
- Spices – opt for pumpkin pie spice in the Fall or orange zest for a subtle citrus flavor
- Nuts/dried fruit – Before folding, sprinkle toasted nuts or dried fruit over the unfolded dough. See my Walnut Rugelach.
- Jammy – spread a thin layer of Plum Jam over the dough before folding
- Chocolate – sprinkle cocoa powder or dip the baked cookies in Chocolate Ganache
- Savory – add minced garlic, savory spices (Italian seasoning, rosemary, etc), parmesan cheese, or even a layer of Pesto before baking.
How to Make Elephant Ears:
This recipe for Palmiers could not be any easier! It’s my go-to recipe when guests visit unannounced or we just want a little something sweet.
- Mix – Preheat the oven to 450°F. Mix the sugar and salt together, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup over a clean work surface.
- Roll – Open a sheet of thawed dough over the sugar, sprinkle 1/4 cup of the sugar over the dough, then roll it out, pushing the sugar into the dough with the rolling pin.
- Fold opposite sides to meet in the center, and then repeat the fold, making opposite sides meet in the middle. Finally, fold the sides together like a book to make a long log.
- Cut the dough into just under 1/2″ slices and place cut-side-down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Repeat steps 2-4 with the second pastry dough sheet.
- Bake at 450°F for 6-8 minutes until browned, and then flip the palmiers (reshaping as needed if they open up too much) and bake another 4 minutes or until golden brown on both sides, transfer to a rack to cool.
Pro Tip:
It can be tricky to see when the Palmiers are ready to flip until you check the bottom of a cookie, so flip one over after 6 minutes to check for browning.
How to Freeze Palmiers
To have fresh Palmiers cookies ready to bake, simply follow the directions up to step 4 and then freeze them on the baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen anytime!
My easy Palmier recipe will quickly become your go-to semi-homemade dessert recipe with puff pastry. The buttery cookie is light and airy with an irresistible caramelized sugar crunch. Try them with your morning coffee or as a quick dessert to share with friends.
Palmiers Cookies (Elephant Ears)
Ingredients
Method
- Mix – Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the center. Mix sugar and salt. Pour 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture onto a clean, flat surface, such as a large wooden cutting board.
- Roll – Unfold one Puff pastry sheet onto the sugared surface and spread 1/4 cup sugar over the top. With a rolling pin, roll the pastry sheet to about a 13" square, pressing the sugar into the dough.
- Fold 2 opposite sides into the center. Fold again and close like a book (you should have 8 layers total).
- Cut the pastry log into just under 1/2" pieces and arrange on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes* until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown and caramelized (this can be hard to see, so check at 6 minutes). Flip the cookies over, reshape as needed and return to the oven for another 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown on the other side. Remove from the baking sheet to cool.
Notes
*I’ve had great results using store-bought Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry and Trader Joe’s Puff Pastry. Both of these products can be found in the freezer section of the grocery store. The Pepperidge Farm brand seems to bake slightly faster, so keep an eye on it in the last couple of minutes of baking. Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days. If you have to stack them, place a sheet of parchment between layers. Do not store in the fridge or freezer, because the moisture could cause the cookies to become soft. Make Ahead – Roll and slice the cookies, arrange on a baking sheet, and freeze for a couple of hours until solid, then freeze in a freezer-safe zip bag up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or bake from frozen.
