Palmiers Puff Pastry Recipe

Palmiers Puff Pastry Recipe

Palmiers are a  sugary, sweet treat with a surprising history. Palmiers, also known as palm leaves, elephant ears, or even pig's ears, are delectable pastries with a surprisingly simple recipe and a curious history.

What is a Palmier?

These treats hail from France and are characterized by their distinctive palm leaf shape, achieved by folding and slicing puff pastry. Despite their intricate appearance, they only require two main ingredients: puff pastry and sugar. The dough is rolled out, showered in sugar, folded, sliced, and baked, resulting in a light, flaky, and buttery cookie.

Sweet or Savory?

Traditionally, palmiers are enjoyed plain or dusted with additional sugar for a sweeter bite. However, variations abound! You can find them flavored with cinnamon, and nutmeg, or even filled with chocolate. Savory versions are also gaining popularity, featuring fillings like cheese, herbs, or spices.

History of the Palmier

While their exact origin story remains a bit hazy, the most common belief places palmiers in early 20th-century France. Some sources attribute their creation to pastry chefs in Bordeaux, while others suggest variations existed earlier under different names. Despite the uncertainty, their connection to French baking and their delightful taste solidified their place as a popular treat.

Palmiers Puff Pastry Recipe

I love Elephant Ears so we decided to try our hand at making them. These Palmiers were the least time-consuming recipe of all the recipes shared in this post. And they happen to be my favorite. They turned out beautifully. 

Ingredients

• one box of Puff Pastry sheets
• 1 cup of sugar

Directions

1. The method is super simple. Roll out the puff pastry until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick.
2. Sprinkle sugar generously all over your sheet making certain to cover all the pastry dough.
3. Gently use a rolling pin to set all of the sugar in the dough.
4. Fold the sides of the dough towards the center so that they meet halfway to the middle.
5. Sprinkle the sugar and cover the dough entirely. Again gently use a rolling pin to set all of the sugar in the dough.
6. Fold the dough again so that the two folds meet in the middle of the dough. Fold one half over the other half, like closing a book.
7. Slice the rolled dough into 1/2-inch slices and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don't worry about making perfect ears. 
8. Bake the Palmiers for about 12 minutes at 400 degrees. They are finished when the sugar has caramelized into a light brown as shown in the picture below. 
9. Let them cool for at least 20 minutes. 

Facts about Palmiers

• The name “palmier” translates to “palm tree” in French, reflecting their shape.
• They have multiple nicknames, including “pig's ears,” “elephant ears,” and even “French hearts.”
• Despite their deceptively simple recipe, achieving the perfect fold and bake for a flaky, caramelized palmier requires some skill.
• Elephant ears are another common nickname, referencing their size and flaky texture.
• Despite their simple ingredients, palmiers require delicate handling and precise folding for the perfect shape and texture.

When I recently hosted a very fun Ladies' Game Night at the house, I decided to do something with the 6 packages of puff pastry dough in the freezer. Now I honestly don't know how we ended up with so much frozen dough, but it was enough to get my creative juices flowing. On the afternoon before the party, my husband and I whipped up these 6 puff pastry appetizers. I wanted to share them with you because they both taste great and are super easy. So let's get cooking! The first thing you will want to do is pull all of the puff pastry dough that you plan to use out of the freezer and defrost it. Just follow the directions on the package and you will be fine. 

Quick & Easy Puff Pastry Recipes 

Puff Pastry Apple Dumplings

For the apple dumplings, we rolled out the puff pastry and cut it into 4-inch squares. Then we sauteed three large Ambrosia apples with about 1/4 cup of butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. After the apples were cooked, we turned off the heat and let the mixture cool. We then dropped a tablespoon of apples onto each square and pinched it to form a little pocket or dumpling. Finally, bake for 18 minutes on a lined sheet tray at 400 degrees.

Puff Pastry Chocolate Nutella Roll

This was our favorite recipe of the night and the one that everyone ate until it was gone. We rolled out one full puff pastry sheet and spread a thin layer of Nutella on the entire thing leaving about a 1/2-inch crust all around. We added two cups of chocolate chips and pressed them into the Nutella. Next, we tightly rolled the puff pastry into a roll. We baked it for 15 minutes at 400, let it cool for 20 minutes, and then used a pizza roller to cut sushi-sized pieces. This one is super easy, but oh so good.

Puff Pastry Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

These were delicious but are best if they are served hot. Roll out your dough to about 1/4 inch thickness, then top half of the dough with a generous portion of ham and shredded cheddar cheese. Fold the dough over the ham and cheese, and then crimp the seams closed. Finally, cut a few vent slits on the top of the puff pastry. Bake for 18 minutes on a lined sheet tray at 400 degrees. Slice with a pizza cutter when done and eat.

Puff Pastry Strawberry Shortcakes

These yummy Strawberry Shortcakes were made with puff pastry shells. We cut up a clamshell of strawberries and poured a 1/3 cup of sugar on them. Then cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for at least an hour. The strawberries will soak up the sugar and create a strawberry syrup. We baked the shells exactly as directed on the package and then let them cool. We popped off the top of each shell, added a tablespoon of strawberries, and then topped with whipped cream. Place the shell back on top and serve immediately. These tasted amazing but in retrospect, I should have used Cool Whip for them to stay full looking longer.

Chicken Salad with Puff Pastry Herbed Rolls

Our final offering for the puff pastry appetizers is this chicken salad dish. This was another surprise that I ended up loving. My husband made a mustard-based chicken salad with herbed rolls created with the puff pastry. For the rolls, we cut 4-inch squares out of the dough and placed them on a plate of herbs (salt, pepper, sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, and turmeric) to coat thoroughly.  We baked them for 12 minutes on a lined sheet tray until they were light brown. Break them open to add the chicken salad and enjoy.

Palmiers Puff Pastry Recipe

Palmiers are versatile cookies that remain a popular choice for tea parties, dessert tables, or simply a sweet snack. While the classic version reigns supreme, bakers experiment with flavor variations, incorporating chocolate, cinnamon, or even savory fillings. So, if you ever spot these palm-shaped delights, remember their charming history and indulge in their sweet, flaky goodness!