Pistachio Palmiers

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch

Makes

about 5 dozen

Updated: Jun. 27, 2023
My family loves palmiers from the bakery, so I created my own recipe. These have a Middle Eastern twist with the addition of rosewater, honey and a touch of cardamom. They are light and crisp—a special treat for the holidays. —Deborah Hinojosa, Saratoga, California
Pistachio Palmiers Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cake flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/4 cups cold butter, cubed
  • 1/3 cup ice water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • FILLING:
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon rosewater or water
  • 1 cup chopped pistachios

Directions

  1. Place flours and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. While pulsing, add ice water and lemon juice to form crumbs. Turn onto a floured surface; knead gently 8-10 times.
  2. Roll dough into a 12x8-in. rectangle. Starting with a shorter side, fold dough in half. Repeat rolling and folding. Place folded dough in an airtight container and freeze 20 minutes.
  3. Roll dough into a 12x8-in. rectangle. Starting with a shorter side, fold dough into thirds, forming a 4x8-in. rectangle. Place folded dough with longer side facing you; repeat rolling and folding twice, always ending with a 4x8-in. rectangle. (If at any point the butter softens, chill after folding.) Cover folded dough and refrigerate overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. In another bowl, mix butter, honey and rosewater. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; cut in half. Roll 1 half dough into a 12x10-in. rectangle. Brush with half the butter mixture; sprinkle with half each of the following: sugar mixture and pistachios.
  5. Starting with a long side, roll up the left and right sides toward the center, jelly-roll style, until rolls meet in the middle. Repeat with remaining dough, butter mixture, sugar mixture and pistachios. Refrigerate rolls 20 minutes or until firm enough to slice.
  6. Cut rolls crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Nutrition Facts

1 pastry: 72 calories, 5g fat (3g saturated fat), 11mg cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.