Classic French Palmiers come together with pastry dough, sugar and a dash of salt. This buttery, flaky pastry cookie is layered with caramelized sugar and incredibly easy to make.
Don’t they look fancy, as if bought from a French bakery. Well, far from that, these elephant ears, as they are also called, are made in about 20 minutes. So, if you need something to serve with ice cream, with fruit or even with cheese, these Palmiers are a sure hit.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Pastry dough
- Sugar
- Salt
How to Make Classic French Palmiers
Step 1 – Thaw one sheet of pastry dough according to the directions on the packaging. You can do it overnight in the fridge or on the day off (thaw times differ, of course).
In a bowl, mix sugar and salt. Sprinkle your countertop with the sugar mixture. Place the pastry dough on top and sprinkle more sugar mixture on top of the dough.
Roll the dough into a square of about 13×13 inches. While doing this you’ll press the sugar into the dough, from the bottom up and from the top down.
Step 2 – Brush the excess of sugar off the dough, and roll one side toward the center. If you need a guide, make a small indentation in the middle, so you know what you’re aiming for.
Step 3 – Roll the other side toward the center, so they’ll meet in the middle.
Flip the rolled pastry over and gently press down and on the sides with your hands to form a compact roll.
Step 4 – Use a sharp knife and cut the rolls into about ½-inch slices. A serrated knife may work best. Place the slices on a baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Spacing the cookies about 1.5 inches apart.
If the rolls unravel during the process, just roll them back together. They may not look perfectly round; the pressure of the knife may do that, but they will turn out and become round during the backing.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 5 – Bake the cookies for about 6-7 minutes, the top will still be pale, but the bottom will be golden. Flip the cookies around and bake them 5-6 minutes (be careful they are very hot).
Some ovens may not cook evenly, so you may want to re-arrange some of the cookies from the middle to the side of your baking dish to make sure they all come out the way you want.
Check regularly after you flip the Palmiers; the step from golden to over-baked comes fast.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They are crisp when they are totally cooled.
Other French Cookies to Try
Classic French Palmiers
Ingredients
- 1 sheet pastry dough
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Thaw one sheet of pastry dough according to the directions on the packaging. (NOTE 1)
- In a bowl, mix sugar and salt. Sprinkle your countertop with the sugar mixture. Place the pastry dough on top and sprinkle more sugar mixture on top of the dough.
- Roll the dough into a square of about 13×13 inches. While doing this you’ll press the sugar into the dough, from the bottom up and from the top down.
- Brush the excess of sugar off the dough, and roll one side toward the center. If you need a guide, make a small indentation in the middle, so you know what you’re aiming for.
- Roll the other side toward the center, so they meet in the middle.
- Flip the rolled pastry over and gently press together down and on the sides with your hands to form a compact roll.
- Use a sharp knife and cut the rolls into about ½-inch slices. (NOTE 2)
- Place the slices on a baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Spacing the cookies about 1.5 inches apart. (NOTE 3)
- Bake the cookies for about 6-7 minutes, the top will still be pale, but the bottom will be golden. Flip the cookies around and bake them 5-6 minutes (be careful they are very hot). (NOTE 4)
- Check regularly after you flip the Palmiers; the step from golden to over-baked comes fast.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They are crisp when they are totally cooled.
Notes
- You can do it overnight in the fridge or on the day off (thaw times differ, of course).
- A sharp serrated knife may work best.
- If the rolls unravel during the process, just roll them back together. They may not look perfectly round; the pressure of the knife may do that, but they will turn out and become round during the backing.
- Since some ovens may not cook evenly, you may want to re-arrange some of the cookies from the middle to the side of your baking dish to make sure they all come out the way you want.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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