These 3-ingredient, chocolate-covered Palmiers are a French pastry shop staple you can make in your own kitchen.
When I was in pastry school, we made our own puff pastry dough and then turned it into deliciously flaky dishes like Cheese Straws, Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls, and these Palmiers.
Imagine my surprise and delight when my home testing revealed that these Palmiers were just as tasty using store-bought puff pastry dough. I’ll share my pastry chef tricks for folding and chilling your dough here, so that you can make these cookies perfectly the first time you try!
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Why Make French Palmier Cookies
- Only 2 ingredients for the cookies, and 3 if you want to dip them in chocolate!
- Classic French dessert that is absolutely stunning
- Caramelized sugar and buttery pastry layers make the most delicious combination
Palmiers Recipe Ingredients
- Puff Pastry Dough: You’ll get the most delicious version of these cookies using a very high-quality brand of store-bought puff pastry dough, like Dufour. But the ease of using the pre-rolled Pepperidge Farm sheets can’t be beat.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar works best for this recipe, as it caramelizes very well.
- Dark Chocolate: I prefer dark chocolate melts—either Wilton brand or Ghirardelli brand. They are made to melt easily, which makes them easy to work with. But you can replace with chopped dark chocolate, or combine dark chocolate chips with a little bit of coconut oil and melt.
How to Make Palmiers
- Reserve about a tablespoon from ⅓ cup of sugar. Sprinkle around half of the remaining sugar evenly onto a large cutting board or marble work surface in a rectangle the same size as a puff pastry sheet. Place the puff pastry sheet on top, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining sugar.
2. Use a rolling pin to gently roll out the puff pastry dough to an 11x11-inch square, pressing in the sugar as you roll. Use the sugar to make sure the dough isn’t sticking to the cutting board, and try to make sure it is covering both sides of the dough evenly.
3. Fold down the top quarter of the dough and fold up the bottom quarter of the dough so that they meet horizontally in the middle. Sprinkle the reserved tablespoon of sugar over any spots that don’t seem well covered with sugar.
4. Now fold the left-hand side of the dough over to meet the right, like you are closing a book. The raw edges should be all stacked on the right-hand side.
5. Using a round chopstick, press down through the dough layers in a horizontal line directly in the middle, but do not cut through the dough. (By making this indentation, you will be able to fold the dough again and have the edges line up.) Fold dough in half horizontally using the indentation you have created. Carefully move the folded dough to the refrigerator and chill for 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 415° Fahrenheit while dough is chilling, for at least 30 minutes. When dough is firm, place on cutting board and cut into slices about ¼-inch thick using a sharp knife. You should get about 12 slices.
7. Place the slices carefully on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. They spread out to about three times as wide as they are, so I recommend baking only 6 at a time.
8. Bake palmiers for 10-12 minutes, until sugar begins to caramelize and brown on the bottom. Use a spatula to flip them over.
9. Bake another 4-6 minutes, until they are fully browned. Remove pan from oven.
10. After 2 minutes, use a spatula to transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
If you’d like to dip them partly in chocolate, melt 8 ounces dark chocolate melts in a candy melter, double boiler, or microwave (stir every 30 seconds). Then dip half of the palmiers into the chocolate and set on a sheet of wax paper to cool and harden.
Tips for Palmiers
- Try to get as much sugar as you can pressed into the dough when rolling it out. It helps the cookies keep their shape and also gives you more caramelization.
- Oven temperature is critical for this recipe. Your oven needs to be preheated for at least 30 minutes before baking, and if you have an oven thermometer, it’s good to check to make sure the oven temperature hasn’t dropped. If your oven is too hot, the sugar will burn before the pastry is cooked. If it is not hot enough, you won’t get that shiny caramelization on the sugar on your palmiers.
- Watch the timing closely—you want to be able to see that the edges of your palmiers are browning but not totally browned before you flip them. On some ovens this may happen sooner than others. They will continue to cook after you flip them, so you want them to be not quite at the final caramelization level you are looking for. Also, the amount of caramelization is up to you. Wait a little longer to flip them if you like that deep dark, almost bitter caramelization. Or flip them early if you just want them lightly golden brown.
- You can see the difference here in these palmiers. The final caramelization is a combination of your oven temperature and how long you bake the cookies.
Note that the shape of these palmiers is different than the most popular version, which look like hearts, or like two scrolls rolled together. My recipe is based on what I learned in pastry school. Personally, I love that these expand out when baked into what look like leaves.
Puff pastry is notoriously hard to work with, and becomes too soft if you let it sit out at room temperature. Rolling out on a cold marble surface helps it stay cold. You can also always put it back in the refrigerator if it is getting too warm to work with.
Storing Palmiers Cookies
Cookies will last for several days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Palmier FAQs
These French cookies are called Palmiers, which is the French word for the palm tree. The cookies are named for their traditional shape, which resemble palm leaves. They are also sometimes referred to as elephant ears.
Want to try more palmier recipes? Try making savory palmiers by replacing sugar with parmesan cheese—you can add in herbs as well! Or make cinnamon palmiers by making a cinnamon-sugar mixture to roll into the dough.
Want extra credit? Make your own quick puff pastry dough! Quick puff, also known as rough puff pastry, uses a technique that is MUCH easier than traditional puff pastry dough. I highly recommend this Quick Puff Pastry Dough recipe from pie queen Cathy Barrow.
Other Delicious French Desserts
Love French desserts and pastries as much as I do? Try your hand at this Chocolate Mousse next. Or check out some of these favorite French desserts:
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
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Palmiers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough (8.65 ounces)
- 2 ¼ ounces sugar (about ⅓ cup)
- 8 ounces dark chocolate candy melts optional
Instructions
- Reserve about a tablespoon of sugar.
- Sprinkle around half of the remaining sugar evenly onto a large cutting board or marble work surface in a rectangle the same size as your puff pastry sheet.
- Place the puff pastry sheet on top, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining sugar. Use a rolling pin to gently roll out the puff pastry dough to an 11x11-inch square, pressing in the sugar as you roll. Use the sugar to make sure the dough isn’t sticking to the cutting board, and try to make sure it is covering both sides of the dough evenly.
- Fold down the top quarter of the dough and fold up the bottom quarter of the dough so that they meet horizontally in the middle. Sprinkle the reserved tablespoon of sugar over any spots that don’t seem well covered with sugar.
- Fold the left-hand side of the dough over to meet the right, like you are closing a book. The raw edges should be all stacked on the right-hand side.
- Using a round chopstick, press down through the dough layers in a horizontal line directly in the middle, but do not cut through the dough. (By making this indentation, you will be able to fold the dough again and have the edges line up.)
- Fold dough in half horizontally using the indentation you have created. Carefully move the folded dough to the refrigerator and chill for 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 415° Fahrenheit while dough is chilling, for at least 30 minutes.
- When dough is firm, place on cutting board and cut into slices about ¼-inch thick. You should get about 12 slices.
- Place the slices carefully on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. They spread out to about three times as wide as they are, so I recommend baking only 6 at a time.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until sugar begins to caramelize and brown on the bottom. Use a spatula to flip them over, then bake another 4-6 minutes, until they are fully browned.
- Remove pan from oven.
- After 2 minutes, use a spatula to transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- If you’d like to dip them partly in chocolate, melt dark chocolate melts in a candy melter, double boiler, or microwave (stir every 30 seconds).
- Then dip half of the palmiers into the chocolate and set on a sheet of wax paper to cool and harden.
Notes
Cookies will last for several days in an airtight container at room temperature. Expert Tips:
Try to get as much sugar as you can pressed into the dough when rolling it out. It helps the cookies keep their shape and also gives you more caramelization. Oven temperature is critical for this recipe. Your oven needs to be preheated for at least 30 minutes before baking, and if you have an oven thermometer, it’s good to check to make sure the oven temperature hasn’t dropped. If your oven is too hot, the sugar will burn before the pastry is cooked. If it is not hot enough, you won’t get that shiny caramelization on the sugar on your palmiers. Watch the timing closely—you want to be able to see that the edges of your palmiers are browning but not totally browned before you flip them. On some ovens this may happen sooner than others. They will continue to cook after you flip them, so you want them to be not quite at the final caramelization level you are looking for. Also, the amount of caramelization is up to you. Wait a little longer to flip them if you like that deep dark, almost bitter caramelization. Or flip them early if you just want them lightly golden brown. Puff pastry is notoriously hard to work with, and becomes too soft if you let it sit out at room temperature. Rolling out on a cold marble surface helps it stay cold. You can also always put it back in the refrigerator if it is getting too warm to work with. If you don't have candy melts, try melting dark chocolate with a little bit of coconut oil.
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Maple says
Great recipe, followed each step of it. I'd never expected that palmier could be so delicious. Thank you!
Molly Pisula says
I'm so glad you loved this. Thanks so much for letting me know!