Easy Vegan Palmier Pastry Cookies

Often found in French, Spanish, and Mexican bakeries, these sweet treats are known by a few different names including palm leaves and elephant ears, which explains their common name in Mexico - 'Orejas' or ears. I think these mini palmier pastries look like little heart shaped cookies, which makes them a perfect match paired with a dish of this luscious easy vegan berry mousse and fresh berries, served with breakfast or brunch, or all on their own with a cup of coffee or tea.

What is puff pastry?

Puff pastry is a buttery, flaky, dough that is used to make many of the classic sweet pastries you find in bake shops, such as: Tarts, Danishes, strudel, turnovers, and palmiers. It's also used in savory dishes, like our 5-star mushroom seitan Wellington, and one of my favorite vegan holiday appetizers, cranberry cheese bites.

Are palmier pastry cookies vegan?

Traditionally, puff pastry dough is made by sandwiching multiple layers of dairy butter between folds of dough, which results in a light flaky pastry. Unfortunately, it is not vegan. The good news is, you can purchase packaged puff pastry made without dairy butter or, if you are up to the task, you can make your own vegan puff pastry dough using plant-based butter. For these vegan palmier pastry cookies, I went the easy route and used packaged puff pastry. It's important to note that many packaged brands contain animal fats or palm oil (learn more in the FAQ's below). Be sure to read the labels before purchasing. I look for brands that contain the fewest number of ingredients, if possible.

Ingredients

This simple recipe is made with just a few ingredients:

Puff pastry

Sugar - granulated or raw

Salt

Cinnamon (optional)

See the printable recipe card below for quantities & details

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450ºF

Combine sugar and salt (& cinnamon). Spread onto a large silicone rolling mat or cutting board. Open up puff pastry and place pastry on sugar. Cut dough in half.

Using a rolling pin, roll out pastry dough on top of sugar, rolling up/down and side/side.

Turn dough over. Continue rolling in both directions, until about 14"x14". Repeat with other half of dough.

Make sure both sides of dough are evenly coated with sugar.

Take a rolled dough square and fold each side toward center.

Fold again into long narrow rectangle. Repeat with the second square.

Cut each rectangle (crosswise) into ½" pieces.

Slightly unfold pieces into heart shapes and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or Silpat.

Bake at 450ºF for 3-4 minutes, turn over, and continue baking palmiers for 2 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy these crispy cookies with a scoop of vegan ice cream, berry mousse, or any light dessert, or as a coffee break snack.