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–+ servings
A palmier propped on top of another.
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Palmiers Recipe

Crisp, buttery, and deeply caramelized palmiers are so easy! With just two ingredients and twenty minutes of active work, you get cookies that taste like they came out of a French bakery.
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 22 cookies
Calories 79kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients

Instructions

  • If using frozen puff pastry, make sure your sheet is fully thawed but still cold before you start. If using homemade, roll into a 9-inch square before proceeding.
  • Sprinkle ¼ cup (50g) sugar on your counter in about a 9-inch square. Lay the puff pastry sheet on top. Sprinkle pastry with remaining ¼ cup (50g) of sugar.
  • Roll pastry into a 12-inch square. Tightly roll up one edge to the center of the pastry. Tightly roll the opposite edge until they meet in the center.
  • Freeze for 30 minutes. (If you’d like, you can place the log in a split paper towel roll or use another mold like a baguette pan to help the puff pastry hold its shape during freezing.)
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F while the dough freezes. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  • Slice the frozen log crosswise into ¼-inch thick pieces. (You will have about 22 slices.) Place the slices on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 8 minutes or until sugar starts to caramelize on the bottom. Flip cookies over and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Video

Notes

  • If baking the palmiers in batches (if they won’t all fit on one baking pan), switch out the parchment paper or wipe down the silicone mat in between. Sugar from the previous batch will burn onto your new batch. Keep the unsliced portion of the log in the freezer until the first batch has baked, cooled, and been transferred from the pan.
  • If using an all-butter brand or homemade puff pastry (versus Pepperidge Farm), the cookies may caramelize faster in the oven. Cut the initial bake time by 1-2 minutes and watch the bottoms closely from minute 6.
  • A parchment paper-lined baking sheet will caramelize faster than a silicone baking mat (like a Silpat). If using a Silpat, look for a nice bubbly caramel forming around the bottom of the palmiers to know when they're ready to flip. It will likely be around 10 minutes, but it may take a minute or two longer depending on your oven. The bottom of the palmiers should look mostly glossy and have a light amber color when you flip them.

Nutrition

Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.3mg