These sweet, crisp Cinnamon Palmiers are the perfect companion to your morning coffee.
Good Monday morning, friends! With snow on the ground and a blustery chill in the air, a warm, cozy treat sounds just right. Cinnamon Palmiers—also called elephant ears—are buttery, flaky, and coated in caramelized cinnamon sugar. They’re ideal with a hot cup of coffee or tea. If you haven’t tried palmiers yet, this simple version is a great place to start.
These elegant little pastries look impressive but are surprisingly easy to make. You can prepare puff pastry from scratch, but using store-bought frozen pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm) saves time and delivers reliable results. The method is straightforward: spread cinnamon sugar on your work surface, place a thawed sheet of puff pastry on top, add more sugar, roll, fold, slice, and bake. The result is crisp, sweet, and irresistibly cinnamony—try not to eat them all at once!
Cinnamon Palmiers
Mary Ann Dwyer
24
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
30 minutes
19 minutes
49 minutes
Ingredients
-
1/2
cup
granulated sugar -
1/2
tsp.
ground cinnamon -
pinch
kosher salt -
1
sheet
puff pastry, defrosted (store-bought works well)
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and position a rack in the center.
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt.
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Pour about 1/4 cup of the cinnamon-sugar onto your work surface and spread it evenly. Place the defrosted sheet of puff pastry on top of the sugar.
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Roll the pastry into a roughly 10 by 14 inch rectangle, then sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cinnamon-sugar over the top.
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Use the rolling pin to press the sugar into the dough, then trim the edges so the rectangle is even.
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Fold each long side of the dough toward the center, then fold again so both sides meet. Fold one side over the other to form a long, thin rectangle.
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Place the folded pastry on the prepared baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes to firm up—this makes slicing cleaner.
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Return the pastry to the sugared surface and, using a sharp knife, slice it into 1/4-inch pieces.
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Arrange the slices on the prepared sheet with the cut side up, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle any remaining sugar from the work surface over the tops.
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Bake for 12 minutes until lightly browned. Flip each pastry and bake another 5–7 minutes until the sugar caramelizes. Watch closely in the final minutes to prevent burning.
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Transfer the palmiers to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days for best freshness.