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Palmiers (aka elephant ears) are an easy pastry made with puff pastry rolled with cinnamon sugar. This classic French recipe is surprisingly easy to make at home, with just 4 ingredients and no special tools required.
Who knew making a French pastry at home could be so easy! Most people assume bakery pastries, especially French ones = complicated. But I’m here to show you that is most definitely not the case, especially when it comes to recipes like this one. It takes less than an hour to make these, with 15 minutes of chill time and less than 20 minutes in the oven.
Why I Love This Palmiers Recipe
This is one of my all-time favorite pastry recipes. Here are a few reasons why.
- Only 4 ingredients. This recipe is made with cinnamon sugar, salt, and puff pastry. That’s it! Sometimes the simplest desserts are the best ones.
- Sweet cinnamon flavor. The puff pastry is stuffed with cinnamon sugar, which gives these elephant ears a lovely flavor. Some recipes don’t use the cinnamon but I think it makes them so much better.
- Stores well. Once baked and cooled, these cinnamon palmiers stay fresh for up to a week. I love making a batch of these and snacking on them throughout the week. They can also be frozen prior to being baked, if you don’t want the entire batch right away.
Recipe Ingredients
This easy pastry recipe requires just 4 simple ingredients. The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Sugar – The base of the cinnamon sugar.
- Cinnamon – Adds a warm flavor to these elephant ears.
- Salt – Adds flavor and helps to balance the sugar.
- Puff pastry – Thaw frozen puff pastry ahead of time but keep it cold.
How To Make Palmiers
Here’s an overview of how to make elephant ear pastries. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the rack in the center position. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the cinnamon sugar. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Roll the dough. Sprinkle a smooth surface with 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture. Unfold a puff pastry sheet and gently roll it into a 9×12 rectangle. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cinnamon sugar over the top, gently pressing it into the dough with the rolling pan.
- Shape the dough. Starting with the shorter side of the puff pastry dough, roll each side inward toward the center until they meet in the middle. Gently press together to form a log shape. Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet and the remaining sugar.
- Chill. Chill the rolled logs for 10-15 minutes so they are easier to slice.
- Slice. Slice the chilled logs into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Arrange on the baking sheet, cut side up, with 2 inches between each piece.
- Bake. Bake for 12 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and caramelized. Flip and bake for an additional 5 minutes, until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
- Enjoy. Let the palmiers cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips & Variations
It’s easy to customize these palmiers with mix-ins. I also included a few general tips.
- Mix-in ideas. Add grated orange or lemon zest to the cinnamon sugar for citrusy flavor or try layering thinly chopped nuts like almonds before rolling up the dough.
- Customize the flavors. Replace cinnamon with ground cardamom or a chai spice blend for a different profile. Brown sugar is a good option instead of granulated sugar for a richer flavor.
- Keep the puff pastry cold. While the puff pastry does need to thaw before making these palmiers, I do recommend keeping it chilled in the fridge. Work with one sheet at a time. Warm puff pastry is more difficult to work with and more likely to tear.
- Chill before slicing. Chilling the rolled logs is key to clean and neat slices. It also helps prevent the dough from sticking while cutting.
- Avoid burning the sugar. Keep a close eye during the last few minutes of baking to avoid burning the sugar, as it can caramelize quickly.
Proper Storage
- Room temperature. Once cooled, store palmiers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezer. You can freeze unbaked palmiers after slicing by placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transferring them to freezer-safe bags. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 additional minutes.
Palmiers
Palmiers (aka elephant ears) are an easy pastry made with puff pastry rolled with cinnamon sugar. This classic French recipe is surprisingly easy to make at home, with just 4 ingredients and no special tools required.
Servings: 32 palmiers
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 package frozen puff pastry 2 sheets, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the oven rack in the center position and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Stir until evenly mixed and set aside.
- Sprinkle a clean, smooth surface with 2-3 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry on the prepared surface and use a rolling pin to gently roll it out to a 9×12-inch rectangle.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the rolled-out pastry. Gently press the sugar mixture onto the dough using the rolling pin.
- Starting with the shorter sides of the pastry, roll each side inward tightly toward the center until both rolls meet in the middle. Gently press the rolls together to form a log shape. Repeat this process with the second puff pastry sheet using the remaining sugar mixture.
- Transfer the rolled logs to a baking sheet or plate and chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm them up and make slicing easier.
- Using a sharp knife, slice each chilled log into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Arrange the slices cut side up on the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 2 inches (5 cm) between each piece as they will spread while baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden and caramelized. Carefully flip them over and bake for another 5 minutes, or until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the palmiers from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
Last Step:
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Nutrition
Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 5mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 0.3IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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