Easy Palmiers Cookies (Elephant Ears)
Classic French palmiers made with just puff pastry, sugar, and a pinch of salt, crisp, caramelized, and ready in about 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Large wooden cutting board (or clean flat work surface)
- Sharp chef's knife or bench scraper
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Mixing bowl (small, for sugar and salt)
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
- 1 lb puff pastry 2 sheets (450 g), thawed according to package instructions
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt 0.5 g
For the work surface:
- Parchment paper, to line the baking sheet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack set in the center.
- Mix the sugar and salt together in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup (100 g) of the sugar mixture onto a clean, flat surface, such as a large wooden cutting board.
- Roll out the pastry. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto the sugared surface and sprinkle 1/4 cup (50 g) of sugar over the top. Roll with a rolling pin until it forms roughly a 13-inch (33 cm) square, pressing the sugar into the dough as you go.
- Fold the dough. Fold two opposite sides of the square into the center. Fold again and close it like a book — you should end up with 8 layers total.
- Slice. Cut the folded pastry log into pieces just under 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) thick. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them apart.
- Repeat the rolling, folding, and slicing process with the second sheet of puff pastry.
- Bake for 6–8 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and caramelized (check at the 6-minute mark, since it can be hard to see from the top).
- Flip each cookie, reshape as needed, and bake for another 4–5 minutes until golden brown on the other side.
- Cool. Remove from the baking sheet right away and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- You can thaw puff pastry on the counter according to package instructions, then refrigerate until ready to use or thaw it in the fridge overnight.
- Pepperidge Farm and Trader Joe's puff pastry both work well; Pepperidge Farm tends to bake slightly faster, so watch it closely in the last couple of minutes.
- Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If stacking, place parchment between layers. Avoid the fridge or freezer once baked moisture will soften the cookies.
- Make Ahead: Roll, sugar, and slice the cookies, then freeze on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe zip bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or bake straight from frozen.