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Try making this Elephant Ear Pastry also sometimes known as French Palmiers for a quick and easy treat made with just three simple ingredients. Sweet, flaky, and elegant.
If you're craving another cookie recipe with cinnamon and sugar, then be sure to try making a batch of Snickerdoodle Cookies. Also for another easy dessert recipe using puff pastry, try making some Pineapple Tarts.
I began baking at an early age.
I honestly had no choice since my maternal grandmother always baked something in her kitchen every day. She was my babysitter before I entered grade school, so I remember spending countless hours with her in the kitchen.
So many hours in fact that I had my own set of small child-size baking pans and utensils. I would stand next to her on top of an empty turned-over milk crate to be able to reach the countertop. She would then hand me a small amount of her dough/batter to make my very own creations.
Baking cakes, pies, and cookies quickly became my jam. Speaking of cookies...are you familiar with palmier cookies or elephant ear pastry?
Jump to:
What Are Palmiers?
Palmiers also sometimes referred to as Elephant Ears or Elephant Ears Pastry is a French pastry made with puff pastry. They are flaky and delicate with buttery layers of pastry that melt in your mouth. The word palmier actually translates to palm in French and at first glance, these pastry cookies do look similar to the top of a palm tree or a palm leaf.
They can be made in many different ways and filled with sweet and savory options to enjoy for breakfast, dessert, or a snack. For today's version, we'll be keeping it simple and making it sweet with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
Let's get started!
How to Make Elephant Ears
- Puff Pastry - The base and most important ingredient when making palmiers. You will need a sheet of frozen puff pastry dough which can usually be found at the grocery store in the freezer section along with the pie crust and frozen pies. Be sure to grab a box of puff pastry that is made with butter and not any oil or shortening. Allow the puff pastry to thaw from frozen, but remain cool/chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Ground Cinnamon - Adds the flavor of spice to the pastry and pairs well with sugar to create a cinnamon-sugar combination.
- Sugar - Use granulated sugar or coarse cane sugar. You may also substitute brown sugar in the same unit of measure if you prefer.
Step By Step Instructions
Begin the elephant ear recipe by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the ground cinnamon and sugar until combined.
Next, gently unfold the puff pastry sheet all the way and sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
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Starting at the longest side, fold both sides of the puff pastry toward the center (closing the tri-fold into a bi-fold) and be sure to leave a space in the middle.
Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon and sugar mixture on the top and fold the left side over the right side to form a layered rectangle.
Cut the rectangle into about 10 to 12 even slices and place them cut side down onto the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet. Spacing 1 to 2 inches apart because they will rise while baking.
Bake until puffy and golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Storage
Place any leftover pastry cookies in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Feel free to enjoy them at room temperature or place them in the oven at 350 degrees F. for about 5 minutes to warm them up. They also can be reheated in the air fryer to give them a slight crisp.
More Recipes You'll Love:
- Pineapple Tarts
- Sticky Buns
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
- Baklava Recipe
- Blackberry Macarons
Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ways to use these Elephant Ears Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!
📖 Recipe
Elephant Ear Pastry
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still chilled
Instructions
- Begin the recipe by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the 4 tablespoons of ground cinnamon and ½ cup granulated sugar until combined. Set aside.
- Next, gently unfold the 1 sheet of puff pastry all the way and sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- Starting at the longest side, fold both sides of the puff pastry toward the center (closing the tri-fold into a bi-fold) and be sure to leave a space in the middle.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon and sugar mixture on the top and fold the left side over the right side to form a layered rectangle.
- Cut the rectangle into about 10 to 12 even slices and place them cut side down onto the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet. Spacing 2 inches apart because these will rise while baking.
- Bake until puffy and golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Original post date 05/25/2016. Updated 04/11/2022 & 5/4/2023.
Sonya says
These sound extremely simple to make 🙂 It's wonderful that you learned how to bake with your grandmother. I started baking in jr. high after taking Home Ec. But like you I didn't really start cooking until after I was living on my own. Which is when I got interested in cookbooks too.
admin says
They are so easy to make! That is so cool. I remember taking home ec. in High School and being bored...needless to say it was an easy class for me 😉