Last Updated February 19th, 2021 at 09:28 am by Lisa
Palmiers are flaky crisp French cookies with only 3 ingredients, are easy to bake, and these heart cookies are perfect for Valentine's Day!
Are Palmiers hard to make? Well, once you know the secret, they might become your go-to "fast" cookie baking recipe...
Why This Recipe Works
- Only 2 ingredients! (4 if you use colorful sprinkles and chocolate...)
- So easy, kids can help you, and no cookie dough to mix.
- Heart-shaped cookies and NO cookie-cutter needed.
- Sweet, crisp, and tasty, both kids and adults love these.
- You can make these anytime and they pair perfectly with coffee or tea, as a sweet treat any time of day.
- Try to eat just one, impossible!
How to Make Palmiers
You Need...
By the way, the rolling-pin belonged to my Mother Corinne. The sound of how it rolls reminds me of the countless times I heard her baking with it in our kitchen growing up.
She was a passionate home cook as well as a professional cooking instructor and had a definite influence on my culinary passion. Thanks, Mom!
Puff Pastry Tips
- You can thaw the puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator, or take it out of the box and paper wrapper and rest for 40 minutes on the kitchen counter.
- The truth is, you can make your own puff pastry at home. I made it in professional cooking school once (with a French Chef's help) but it is a difficult and lengthy process. So why would you make it when it's so easy to buy and tastes just as good?
- Puff pastry is great to keep in the freezer for last-minute dessert baking or party appetizers. Try my Brie and Bacon Palmiers, they are always a huge hit at parties, with just 3 ingredients.
- The brand I use is Pepperidge Farm, but any brand will do just fine.
Puff pastry is made by layering of dough and butter, rolled and folded over and over to create hundreds of flaky layers that "puff" in the hot oven.
When you look at puff pastry dough, it looks similar to pie dough, but it’s actually many thin layers of butter and dough.
Since puff pastry doesn't have yeast, baking soda, or baking powder, how does it rise and get flaky layers?
Puff pastry is made from flour, butter, and water. The water in the puff pastry dough recipe combined with the water in the melting fat (butter or other solid fat) turns into steam in the hot oven. The pastry is pushed and lifted into airy flaky layers by that steam during the baking process and evaporates into the oven.
Valentine's Decorating Tips
Have fun and play around with different sugars and mix different colors. Each palmier cookie will be a special treat for your Valentine that they will...
L-O-V-E!!!
- Use pink and red colors for Valentine's Day.
- After you roll the puff pastry with sugar, add your color sprinkles or sugars.
- These I made with colored sparkling sugar sprinkles. I mixed pink and red, and white and red.
- Roll from the outside edge of puff pastry into the center from both sides and chill. This is a roll technique for these not a fold like traditional palmiers.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge, this helps the puff pastry "puff" then slice into ½" slices, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Slightly pinch the bottom of each palmier into a point on the baking sheet to get the HEART shape.
Palmier baking tips
- It is best to rechill the sliced dough before baking, this helps it puff as the butter resets.
- Palmiers will get crunchier as they cool, and are the best to eat the same day.
- Store them in an airtight container, but they will go soft in a couple of days.
- For a fun, Valentine's Day idea, melt chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. To decorate, dip in half the palmier and sprinkle with color sugars, sprinkles, or candies.
Melt white chocolate chips in a bowl over simmering water, dip ½ of the palmiers in melted chocolate. Press small heart shaped candies or sprinkles on palmiers!
More Valentine's Day Recipes
Valentine's Day recipes including romantic dinners, drinks, and desserts. These heart-shaped recipes will wow your family and sweetheart!
Sweet Cherry Chocolate Chunk Heart Hand Pies with a sugar crust.
Low carb, low sugar, low-calorie Strawberry Smash Cocktails are a healthy drink for date night, Valentine’s Day, or on a hot summer day for your sweetheart!
A romantic delicious dinner for Valentine's Day is Baked Lobster Ravioli with Lemon Butter Cream Sauce. People ADORE this wildly popular recipe because it can be made ahead for date night, is heart-shaped, uses wonton wrappers (no pasta), plus no boiling pots of water or fuss.
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Valentine's Day Palmier Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box puff pastry Pepperidge Farm
- 2 cups sugar
- 10 oz white chocolate melting wafers
- Valentine's cookie decorating sprinkles candies, red and pink sprinkles, and color sugars
Instructions
Palmier Prep
- Thaw puff pastry sheet at room temperature 40 minutes or until it unfolds easily.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll Out Puff Pastry
- Sprinkle ½ cup of white granulated sugar evenly on the counter or wooden board.
- Open puff pastry sheet and lay flat on work surface. Evenly sprinkle ½ cup of sugar on top puff pastry.
- Use rolling-pin, roll the puff pastry sheet until it's about 13 x 13 inches square. The sugar will press into the puff pastry on top and bottom.
Heart Shape Palmiers
- At this point, you can sprinkle colored sugar on one or both sides and gently roll the rolling pin to set it, before rolling up.
- After sprinkling color sugar, tightly roll the dough from each side until it meets in the middle. Slice the dough into ½ inch slices, slightly pinch together the bottom of the heart shaped dough point to create a heart
- It is best to rechill the sliced dough before baking about 30 minutes, this helps it puff as the butter resets.
Bake Palmiers
- Place the slices, cut side up, on baking sheets lined with Silpat mats or parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies 400 for 20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.
- Optional: Dip ½ cookie into melted white chocolate and sprinkle with sugar sprinkles or candies.
Notes
palmier baking tips:
- It is best to rechill the sliced dough before baking, this helps it puff as the butter resets.
- Palmiers will get crunchier as they cool, and are the best to eat the same day.
- To get the classic folded Palmier shape, chill the puff pastry after rolling up, and slicing. This helps it keep its shape during baking. I use a small baking sheet and pop in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes just before baking.
- Press a lot of sugar into the puff pastry dough. The more sugar, the more crunchy and caramelized your palmier will bake.
decorating tips:
- For a fun Valentine's Day idea, melt white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over simmering water.
- Dip in half the palmier and sprinkle with color sugars, sprinkles, or candies.
Lisa, these are so cute and so fun to make!! I made them for my sweetie on Valentine's Day and he loved them. (Okay, WE loved them!)
Lisa! This is my first time working with puff pastry and I am feeling pretty good about the results. These were actually kind of Zen to make and I think the reason is because you provided all those helpful, reassuring photos. What a treat these were to make. We had zero problem eating these within a day, so no problems with them getting soft! LOL