Palmier Cookies
Crispy, caramelized French puff pastry cookies with a butterscotch crunch and elegant palm-leaf shape. Paper-thin layers achieve a restaurant-quality result with minimal hands-on work.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 24
- Calories
- 95
- Protein
- 1g
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 package thawed puff pastry sheets (about 14 oz total)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Position the racks so one is in the upper third and one in the lower third of the oven.
- 2
Pour 0.5 cup of granulated sugar onto a large cutting board or work surface, spreading it into an even, thin layer about 12 inches wide — this is your coating surface.
- 3
Remove your thawed puff pastry sheets from the packaging. You'll have two thin, flexible sheets — do not unroll them yet; keep them stacked and at room temperature for easier handling.
- 4
Unroll the first puff pastry sheet directly onto your sugar-coated work surface, pressing it gently so sugar adheres to the bottom side. If it tears slightly, don't worry — just press it together. Dust the top lightly with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to prevent sticking as you work.
- 5
Take a small knife and score a thin, vertical line down the exact center of the pastry sheet, dividing it into two equal halves — this is your guide line. Do not cut all the way through; a light score is enough.
- 6
Starting from the top of the sheet along the left side of your center line, tightly roll the pastry toward the center line like you're rolling a newspaper. Keep the roll as compact and even as possible — this creates the palm-leaf layers. Stop when you reach the center line.
- 7
Repeat on the right side: starting from the top, roll the pastry tightly toward your center line until both rolled edges meet in the middle, creating a log that looks like a spiral from above.
- 8
Press 2 tablespoons of room-temperature unsalted butter into the crevice between the two rolled sections — this keeps them together during baking and adds extra butterscotch flavor.
- 9
Using a sharp knife, slice the log crosswise into 0.5-inch-thick pieces. You'll get about 12 palmiers from one sheet — they should look like little spirals or palm leaves. Transfer them sugar-side up to your prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart because they expand as they bake.
- 10
Repeat steps 4 through 9 with the second puff pastry sheet, repeating the same sugar-dusting and rolling process — you'll have another batch of about 12 palmiers on the second baking sheet.
- 11
Place one baking sheet on the upper rack and one on the lower rack. Bake for 12–15 minutes, watching carefully after minute 10 — the bottoms should turn deep caramel brown and crispy. The tops will look golden and slightly puffed. Swap the baking sheets halfway through baking so they brown evenly.
- 12
When the palmiers are a rich, caramel-brown color and feel crisp when you tap the edge, they're ready. Remove both sheets and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes — they'll continue to crisp up as they cool. The sugar caramelizes during this resting period, creating that signature crunch.
- 13
Transfer the cooled palmiers to a wire rack or serving plate. They keep best in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days — though they rarely last that long.
Tools you’ll need
- two large baking sheets
- parchment paper
- large cutting board or work surface
- chef's knife
- oven thermometer (optional but recommended)
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