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.
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Helpful Reader Review
“The elephant ears were so easy and fun to make…They were pretty and fluffy on top and glazed and crunchy on the bottom. My husband LOVED them and thought I was so talented. (LOL) They were really really good!” – JoAnne
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
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 lb puff pastry, 2 sheets of storebought puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions*
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
What you will need:
- Parchment paper to line the cookie sheet.
Instructions
- Mix – Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the center. Mix sugar and salt together. Pour 1/2 cup of sugar mixture on 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.
Nutrition Per Serving
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More Recipes with Puff Pastry
Store-bought puff pastry makes elegant and buttery desserts and appetizers, like these Classic Palmiers. If you keep a box in the freezer as I do, check out these quick recipes with puff pastry:
- Apple Turnovers
- Peach Tartlets
- Berry Puff Pastry Tart
- Apple Roses
- Easy Cheese Danish
- Apple Danish Braid
- Peach Cream Cheese Danish
- Apple Cinnamon Slab Pie
- Cream Horn Recipe
Very nice I like It and it really works well with me thank you
I’m happy to hear that, Soad!
I need to try these again because i love how simple this recipe is. I didn’t realize the puff pasty i bought was gluten free and these turned out like crackers. 450 does seem a little high for sugar and my second batch burnt after flipping them even though i only had them in for the written time.
Hi Danielle, I didn’t know there was a puff pastry that was gluten free – or at least I haven’t seen one. What brand was it? I wonder if that dough might need a lower baking temperature?
Oof – I made a mistake with the first sheet. I didn’t know that all the cookies from one sheet of pastry dough wouldn’t fit on my cookie sheets. They weren’t crowded – but they did grow into each other and so didn’t get that hot oven heat all around that I think they needed, so even though I was careful to cut them just less than 1/2 an inch, they took a few minutes longer to cook and came out thicker and not as flaky. The second batch I did on my large aluminum sheetpan and they turned out better – still needed longer initial cooking time, but looked a lot more like they should and weren’t doughy.
All in all though, to me these tasted pretty meh – I think it’s because I used the Pepperidge Farms brand. I didn’t know there was no butter in them until I had already opened the package and then decided to look at the ingredients! I would try these again with a brand that has real butter and use the larger sheet with fewer cookies on it! *I did use the granulated white sugar like you suggested – thanx for that tip!*
I just made these and they came out a little bit bigger than normal. But I tested one and it tastes great. I have always loved these cookies when I see them in a restaurant. But never thought I could make them until now. My problem was browning the tops. I had to turn on the broiler Just for a few minutes. Do you think I can do an egg wash before putting on extra sugar on top? I’d like your opinion on that to help it Brown more.
Hi Gail, let them bake until they turn golden on the bottom side before flipping – this is how they gain most of their color (from the bottom of the pan) as the sugar caramelizes.
HONESTLY, I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT FLIPPING THEM LOL
BUT THEY CAME OUT DELICIOUS ANYWAY. I WILL DEFINITELY FLIP THEM NEXT TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL ADVICE AND ALL YOUR FAB RECIPES.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!
Thank you Gail! Merry Christmas!
Hi Natasha, I just made a batch of these and had to have three of them after the first bite. I always loved palmiers but never attempted to make them myself. That’s in the past now!
They are that good. I now will be making these often as a fancy for afternoon tea, actually anytime I fancy anything sweet. Thank you!
You’re very welcome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Dina!
These cookies seem so very easy and quick. A wonderful treat to have available for the holidaysl. Thank you Natasha for sharing.
These are some of the BEST and easiest pastries I’ve ever made. Shortbread cookies used to be my favorite. These have replaced them. Sooo good
It sounds like you found a favorite on my blog, Andrea. I’m so happy to hear that.
I made these again using half white sugar and half turbinado sugar. The turbinado sugar melted to make them crisper and more caramelized. Just another option to try. However you make them, they are delicious.
Simply divine! The best Palmier cookie I have ever had and so, so easy! Natasha, you are a breath of fresh air in every video you post – along with your family! Thank you so much as always for sharing with all of us. A very blessed Christmas to you and yours!
You’re so kind, Carol- thank you! And I’m so glad you loved the recipe.
They call Pigs ears in German, and they are larger in size and they get tipped in dark chocolate just a little.
I have not made these yummy cookies yet as I am confused by the 1 cup of sugar and salt mix. The recipe calls for a half cup on board then a quarter cup on top of the rolled puff pastry.. That makes three quarters of a cup of sugar and salt mix. What do you do with the last quarter cup of the mix? please let me know what I am missing. thank you
Hi Judy, in step 4 we mention to repeat the process for the second sheet of puff pastry, where you will use the last quarter of the mix. I hope this helps!
Every recipe is fully explained and made it so easy to follow . Really good and make my festive season very festive. Thank you my dear Natasha
Thank you for your good comments and feedback! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.