2-Ingredient Palmiers
Palmiers, also known as palmier cookies or elephant ears, are a classic French pastry that’s as elegant as it is simple. With their caramelized sugar crunch and buttery layers, they’re the perfect treat to pair with coffee, tea, or as a light dessert.
There are these delicious French cookies that I made in culinary school that are ridiculously buttery and crisp made from puff pastry and sugar called, palmiers. Pronounced “palm-ee-ays”.
Of course in school we made them from scratch laminating the dough with butter, painstakingly rolling and chilling each layer. But nowadays I’m all for a nice shortcut, and since you can buy puff pastry in the freezer section, it makes these palmier cookies a super easy 2-ingredient hack!
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And although Costco sells them for around $8.99 (10/2025), you can still make them cheaper yourself. Plus, nothing beats these palmiers fresh and warm from the oven!
What Are Palmiers?
Palmiers are delicate puff pastry cookies shaped like hearts or palm leaves (hence the name). Originating in France, they’re made by rolling puff pastry with sugar until it forms thin, flaky spirals that bake into golden perfection. They’re sometimes called:
- Elephant ears (for their shape)
- French heart cookies
- Palmier cookies (the English-friendly name used in bakeries worldwide)
My father-in-law, who lived in Austria as a child told us that in German these palmier cookies are called, “schweineohren,” which translates to “pig’s ears.” There really are many different names for these palmiers.
No matter what you call them, these delicate and fancy, yet simple cookies are perfect for the holidays or any occasion where you want an easy, yet impressive treat.
Ingredient’s You’ll Need
Making palmiers at home requires only two ingredients:
- Puff Pastry (store-bought or homemade) – This is a dough layered with butter. I used Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets.
- Granulated Sugar
PRO TIP: Thaw the puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for no longer than 40 minutes, flipping it over every 10-15 minutes to help it thaw evenly. Once the dough is pliable, you will want to use it immediately as to prevent the butter inside the dough from melting.
Optional add-ins for flavor:
- Cinnamon, cardamom, or even pumpkin pie spice
- Vanilla sugar
- Melted chocolate for drizzling or dipping
How to Make Palmiers (Step-by-Step)
- Prepare your surface – Sprinkle 1/3 cup of sugar onto a large piece of parchment paper.
- Place the puff pastry on top of the sugar. (Unroll the thawed, store-bought puff pastry.)
- Add more sugar – Sprinkle another 1/3 cup of sugar on top of the puff pastry.
- Roll the dough – Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a larger square, about 12×12-inches.
- Fold the pastry: Fold the left and right sides inward halfway towards the middle. (I lightly drew a line through the sugar in the center to help eyeball it better.)
- Fold the left and right sides again to meet in the middle.
- Then fold the dough in half to make a closed book.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to help firm up the butter inside the puff pastry. (TIP: I like to use the parchment paper like a sling to pick up the puff pastry and place it on a sheet pan since you will still need the excess sugar in the next step.)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit while the dough is chilling. Make sure it comes to temperature before the next step.
- Slice cookies: Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 1/2-inch slices. Coat the cut edges with extra sugar and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
PRO TIP: I used a ruler and knife to score the top of the rolled dough to create uniform pieces before cutting through the dough. You should get 24 cookies from 1 puff pastry sheet.
Shaping and Baking
- Place the cookies 2-inches apart onto parchment lined sheet pans, with no more than 12 per tray. Separate the tips of the cookies like bunny ears to make them bake into a heart shape.
- Bake at 400˚F for 12 minutes, then flip them over to the other side and bake 3-7 minutes more, until golden and caramelized.
- Immediately transfer baked palmiers to a wire cooling rack and wait 10 minutes before eating, as the sugar gets really hot.
Result: crisp, buttery, and slightly chewy cookies that melt in your mouth.
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To Flip the Cookies or Not
I tested baking these palmier cookies two ways. Flipping them, and not flipping them.
- FLIPPED: The traditional way is to flip them partway through baking, which gives them a more even medium caramelization on both sides.
- UNFLIPPED: Not flipping the cookies gives them a darker, crisper bottom, slightly browned edges, and lighter top. It still looks nice and keeps things simple.
- CONCLUSION: They both have basically the same crunch and texture. It really comes down to looks. Having some of both actually makes the cookie plate more fun and interesting.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure your oven rack is not too close to the heating element and at least periodically check the bottom of the cookies, if you don’t plan to flip them. Sugar burns shortly after it caramelizes, so don’t walk away from these.
Recipe Notes
Tips for Perfect Palmier Cookies
- Chill before slicing: Cold dough keeps layers crisp and defined.
- Use plenty of sugar: It caramelizes beautifully for that signature crunch.
- Flip partway through: Helps both sides brown evenly.
- Experiment with flavors: Try savory versions with parmesan, herbs, or pesto!
Why You’ll Love Making Palmiers
Palmiers are one of those desserts that look fancy but are deceptively easy to make. They require no special tools, come together in minutes, and offer endless variations. Whether you call them palmiers, palmier cookies, or French heart cookies, these pastries will become a go-to favorite in your kitchen.
FAQs
Both! They’re technically a pastry cookie, made from puff pastry dough, but shaped and eaten like cookies.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They are best the day you make them.
Yes! However you can only freeze them before baking. Slice and freeze flat on a tray. Then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake for a few extra minutes from frozen.
They’re light, buttery, and sweet with a caramelized sugar coating — imagine a cross between a croissant and a sugar cookie.
Palmiers
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (134 g) granulated sugar
- 1 puff pastry sheet
Equipment
Instructions
- Thaw the puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for no longer than 40 minutes, flipping it over every 10-15 minutes to help it thaw evenly. Once the dough is pliable, you will want to use it immediately as to prevent the butter inside the dough from melting.
- Sprinkle 1/3 cup of sugar onto a large piece of parchment paper. Place the puff pastry on top of the sugar. (Unroll the thawed, store-bought puff pastry.) Sprinkle another 1/3 cup of sugar on top of the puff pastry. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a larger square, about 12×12-inches.
- Fold the left and right sides inward halfway towards the middle. (I lightly drew a line through the sugar in the center to help eyeball it better.) Fold the left and right sides again to meet in the middle. Then fold the dough in half to make a closed book.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to help firm up the butter inside the puff pastry. (TIP: I like to use the parchment paper like a sling to pick up the puff pastry and place it on a sheet pan since you will still need the excess sugar in the next step.)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit while the dough is chilling. (Make sure it comes to temperature before the next step.)
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 1/2-inch slices. Coat the cut edges with extra sugar and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (TIP: I used a ruler and scored the top of the rolled dough to create uniform pieces before cutting through.
- Place the cookies 2-inches apart onto parchment lined sheet pans, with no more than 12 per tray. Separate the tips of the cookies like bunny ears to make them bake into a heart shape.
- Bake at 400˚F for 12 minutes, then flip them over to the other side and bake 3-7 minutes more, until golden and caramelized. Immediately transfer baked palmiers to a wire cooling rack and wait 10 minutes before eating, as the sugar gets really hot.
Notes
- You can bake these for 15-18 minutes straight, without flipping them over. Make sure your oven rack is not too close to the heating element and at least periodically check the bottom of the cookies, if you don’t plan to flip them. Sugar burns shortly after it caramelizes, so don’t walk away from these.
- TO STORE: Palmiers are best eaten the day you make them. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- TO FREEZE: You can only freeze palmiers before baking them. Slice and freeze flat on a tray. Then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake for a few extra minutes from frozen.
Nutrition
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