Learn how to make palmiers, a delicious pastry that can go sweet or savory. We break it down step by step with photos to guide you.
When you take a bite of a palmier, the pastry shatters between your teeth in a delightful crunch, then the buttery, flaky dough melts in your mouth. The pastry is addictively light, making it the perfect nibble after a dinner party alongside a cocktail or last glass of wine. I like it best for breakfast, with a big mug of coffee and a newspaper to catch the crumbs. Find more delicious breakfast bakes this way.
Also known as elephant’s ears, pig’s ears, French hearts and eyeglasses, the delicate pastry looks like a figure 8, with pretty swirls of pastry running through each side. Frankly, it looks fancy, fussy and complicated-as though it belongs in a French patisserie window, not on your kitchen counter. Happily, palmiers are actually incredibly simple to prepare at home, and they only require two ingredients.
Read on to learn how to make palmiers, with step-by-step photos to guide you.
How to make traditional sweet palmiers
You’ll need:
1 cup sugar, divided. (You can use plain white sugar, raw sugar for an added crunch, brown sugar for a molasses flavor, or a mix.)
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, preferably made with butter, thawed (thaw in the fridge the night before you’re going to bake)
Step 1: Prepare the first sugar layer
You’ll need a relatively large surface to make palmiers, so set up on a cleared countertop or table. Sprinkle the surface with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Unfold your pastry sheet across this. Sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Step 2: Roll and sprinkle again
Roll the dough into a 14×10-in. rectangle. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar. You want the sugar to cover the sheet as evenly as possible, but leave a 1/2 in. perimeter around the edges. Lightly press the sugar into the pastry.
Test Kitchen tip: When working with the dough, it should feel cool to the touch, not room temperature. If it becomes limp or warm, refrigerate it for 30 minutes until it’s cool. You can do this at any step in the process, up to baking. Why? If the dough becomes too warm, the butter may melt, ruining the flaky layers that distinguish puff pastry.
Step 3: Roll it up
With a knife, very lightly score a line across the middle of the pastry, widthwise. Starting at one end, roll the dough up into a log (like a jelly roll, if you’ve made one). Stop at the score mark in the middle. You’ve made one half of the palmier; stop to admire the pretty swirl of your rolled dough.
Then roll the other end up, stopping when you reach the middle.
Step 4: Slice and bake
Heat the oven to 425°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper to keep the dough from sticking.
Test Kitchen tip: We needed two sheets to hold all the palmiers. You can also bake one batch at a time. Keep the unbaked palmiers cool until baking time. If you only have one baking sheet, wait for it to cool off before loading on another batch. You don’t want the hot pan to melt the butter.
Cut the log of dough in slices about 3/8-in. thick. As you cut, you’ll see your pretty palmier shape. Set the slices out on your baking sheets, cut side up. Space them about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle lightly with 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Turn pastries over and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake 5 minutes longer, or until golden brown and glazed.
Step 5: Cool and enjoy
When the palmiers are done, remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store them in airtight containers until you plan to eat them. Note that palmiers taste the best the day they’re baked. (Oh darn, you’ll have to finish them off.)
You should have about two dozen tasty palmiers.
More Flavor Ideas for Palmiers
Sweet
Incorporate these sweet ideas into the directions above.
Add spices like cinnamon or cardamom
Add dried fruits like raisins or chopped apricots
Spread a bit of jam onto the dough
Add chopped nuts, like walnuts or almonds
Savory
Savory palmiers make fantastic snacks with drinks and appetizers! (Please note: Omit the sugar for all of these.)
Spread the pastry with pesto
Sprinkle the pastry with cheese
Add chopped olives or capers (drain well so you don’t add too much liquid to the dough)
Add chopped nuts, like walnuts or almonds
Now that you’ve had the chance to use puff pastry, give one of these great recipes a try!
When my wife is craving comfort food, I whip up this chicken pot pie with puff pastry. It's easy to make, sticks to your ribs and delivers soul-satisfying flavor. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado
Local veggies and herbs have a magical knack for inspiring me to cook. After my CSA box arrived, I used the fresh ingredients to create this adorable appetizer. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York
When my wonderful friend Kelly brought me a pint of strawberries, I didn’t want to just eat them straight (tempting as it was). I decided to make strawberry shortcake with my own pretty, elegant spin. These light and airy puff pastry stacks let the fruit shine. —Jenny Dubinsky, Inwood, West Virginia
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-Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio
My friend Mary served these lovely appetizers at a summer gathering several years ago, and I adapted it a bit to my taste. It's a great August recipe when tomatoes and herbs are at their freshest! —Susan Wilson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
My family just about jumps out of bed when the smell of eggs, sausage and buttery pastry hits their noses. This recipe is morning magic. —Misty Michelle Leddick, Chester, South Carolina
My father, who was born and raised in Vienna, Austria, would tell us stories about how his mother covered all the kitchen counters with dough whenever she made apple strudel. This recipe is a modern, delicious way to carry on part of my family's heritage. —Sarah Haengel, Bowie, Maryland
This recipe is one I created, substituting chicken for beef and omitting the frying, when our son grew fond of a fast-food restaurant's "junior burritos." They've been a big hit with our whole family ever since! —Nancy Coates, Oro Valley, Arizona
Banana and chocolate are such an irresistible combo that I make this quick dessert often. You can also top them with the butter and brown sugar mixture left over from coating the bananas, or sprinkle on a dash of sea salt. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey
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This chocolaty, flaky dessert is one of my favorite show-off recipes because
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As a holiday kickoff, my family gets together in early December for a hearty brunch before going out to cut our Christmas trees. This flavorful breakfast pie, assembled in layers, was a big hit at last year's gathering. —Shelly Rynearson, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Three of my favorite foods—chocolate, hazelnuts and puff pastry—come together for an impressive dessert. Dress them up with a drizzle of melted chocolate and sprinkling of chopped nuts. —Roxanne Chan, Albany, California
We love finger foods in the South. For parties, I make mini burgers in advance and then wrap them in pastry, bake them and serve them with assorted sauces. —Monica Flatford, Knoxville, Tennessee
Savory, creamy potpies are a great way to make those old leftovers new again. These are not your grandma's pot pies...they are made with fresh herbs, a silky homemade Dijon sauce and a puff pastry top.—Victoria Bond, Tempe, Arizona
I wanted to surprise my grown daughter with a different dessert for her birthday. The puff pasty tarts I dressed up have a chocolaty center with a splash of amaretto.—Jennifer Zuk, Burnaby, British Columbia
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These delicate almond pastries make lovely light-as-air accompaniments for coffee, tea or cocoa. Your guests will never guess the recipe calls for packaged frozen dough. When I give them as a fresh-baked gift, I tuck in a note saying that they're best served warmed—and right away! —Gloria Devendittis, Waterford, Connecticut
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Nicole is a writer, editor and lover of Italian food. In her spare time, you’ll find her thumbing through vintage cookbooks or testing out recipes in her tiny kitchen.
Peggy is a Senior Food Editor for Taste of Home. In addition to curating recipes, she writes articles, develops recipes and is our in-house nutrition expert. She studied dietetics at the University of Illinois and completed post-graduate studies at the Medical University of South Carolina to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. Peggy has nearly 20 years of experience in the industry. She’s a mom, a foodie and enjoys being active in her rural Wisconsin community.