French Palmiers with Quick Puff Pastry

Introduction

Few pastries capture the essence of French baking like French Palmiers—delicate, golden, and irresistibly crisp. With just a handful of ingredients and a simple technique, these elegant pastries are ready to steal the show at brunch, parties, or afternoon tea. What truly sets this recipe apart is its use of a quick puff pastry, delivering all the buttery, flaky layers of traditional versions in a fraction of the time.

Why Make French Palmiers with Quick Puff Pastry?

French Palmiers, also known as “Elephant Ears,” shine for their simplicity, flavor, and stunning presentation. The shortcut puff pastry brings this sophisticated treat within reach for the home baker, eliminating hours of resting and folding. The resulting cookies feature a caramelized, crunchy exterior with a tender, buttery bite—perfect for impressing guests or enjoying as a sweet homemade snack with coffee.

Making Quick Puff Pastry the Easy Way

Crafting puff pastry from scratch can sound daunting, but this version simplifies the process without sacrificing quality. All you need are cold butter, flour, a little salt, and chilled water. Quick pulses in a food processor will create those essential layers and make your pastry puff beautifully in the oven. If you’re looking for the ideal kitchen tool, the Ninja BL610 Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender, Black or a quality food processor can handle this task quickly and efficiently.

For best results, keep your ingredients and work surface extra cold. Rolling out the dough on a cool counter or using a marble pastry board can also help maintain those crucial layers.

Shaping and Baking Your Palmiers

Once your puff pastry is ready, the iconic palmier shape is easy to achieve. Generously sprinkle sugar across your work surface and the dough, then fold and roll according to the recipe instructions. Use a sharp knife or KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Shears with Protective Sheath, Black to slice with minimal drag for perfect, uniform cookies.

Line your baking sheet with Reynolds Kitchens Brown Parchment Paper Roll, 45 Square Feet to prevent sticking and promote beautiful caramelization on the undersides. Chilling the shaped cookies briefly before baking ensures crisp, well-defined layers.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

Serve your French Palmiers warm from the oven or at room temperature, paired with a rich espresso or fragrant tea. For a playful twist, add a sprinkle of cinnamon, cocoa powder, or finely chopped nuts between the sugar layers. You can also try baking these in an air fryer for extra crunch and speed, using a COSORI Air Fryer 9-in-1, Compact & Large 6-Qt, Grey lined with Air Fryer Paper Liners, 125Pcs, 8” Square by Baker’s Signature for easy cleanup.

Palmiers store beautifully in an airtight container for several days, ready to crisp up if you reheat them briefly in the oven.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields about 24 palmiers, with each cookie offering around 60–70 calories, depending on how much sugar is used for rolling. Their light sweetness and airy texture make them perfect for a guilt-free indulgence, best enjoyed in moderation alongside your favorite beverage.

French Palmiers with Quick Puff Pastry (Recap)

French Palmiers with quick puff pastry deliver all the hallmarks of classic French baking—flaky, caramelized, and utterly moreish—without the fuss. Use this recipe to whip up a tray of bakery-worthy treats in record time, and customize the flavor for any occasion.

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl (or food processor), combine flour and salt. Add chilled butter and pulse with a Ninja BL610 Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender, Black (or food processor) until you have pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
2. Add the ice-cold water gradually and mix just until a dough forms. Do not overmix—visible butter pieces are ideal for flaky pastry. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle.
3. Roll the dough into a long rectangle about 8×16 inches. Fold the short edges toward the center, then fold in half (like closing a book). Wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Repeat rolling and folding once more, then chill again.
4. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Sprinkle a generous layer of sugar onto your work surface. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/8 inch thickness into a large rectangle, ensuring both sides are well coated with sugar (and cinnamon/nuts, if using).
5. Fold the long sides toward the center, then fold in half to create the signature palmier shape. Slice the log into 1/2-inch pieces using KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Shears with Protective Sheath, Black for clean cuts.
6. Arrange slices, cut side up, onto a baking sheet lined with Reynolds Kitchens Brown Parchment Paper Roll, 45 Square Feet, spacing cookies apart. Sprinkle a bit more sugar on top.
7. Chill shaped cookies in the fridge for 10–15 minutes. Bake in batches for 15–18 minutes or until beautifully golden and crisp, turning once halfway through.
8. For an air fryer option: Place palmiers in a single layer in the COSORI Air Fryer 9-in-1, Compact & Large 6-Qt, Grey lined with Air Fryer Paper Liners, 125Pcs, 8” Square by Baker’s Signature, and air fry at 350°F for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 30 minutes (+ 45 minutes chilling)
Cook Time: 15–18 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes