Easy Vegan Palmier Pastry Cookies 💚 Treat yourself to a little something sweet with these petite bite-sized crispy & caramelized French pastries.
Palmiers are popular cookie-like confections made of puff pastry dough. The dough is folded or rolled into tight scroll shapes and coated with coarse sugar before baking. The sugar melts and browns while baking giving them a buttery, crispy caramelized glaze.
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.
FAQ's
Vegan palmier pastry cookies are a type of sweet pastry made from vegan puff pastry dough, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. They are also known as elephant ear cookies.
Freshly baked palmier cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
You can use regular granulated sugar, organic cane sugar, or any other vegan-friendly sugar of your choice.
Palm oil is a widely used ingredient in many packaged puff pastry products. It is favored for its versatile properties, contributing to the flakiness and texture of the pastry. However, the production of palm oil has been a subject of environmental concern due to deforestation, habitat destruction, and its impact on biodiversity in regions where it is predominantly cultivated. Sustainable practices in palm oil production are essential to mitigate these issues. When purchasing packaged puff pastry, it is advisable to look for certifications such as RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) to ensure that the palm oil used in the product is sourced responsibly and with consideration for environmental conservation. Additionally, exploring alternative pastry options made with alternative fats or oils can be a more eco-conscious choice for those seeking to reduce their environmental footprint.
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Recipe
Easy Vegan Palmier Pastry Cookies
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper (optional)
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 package puff pastry dough
- 1 C sugar granulated or raw
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450º
- Spread sugar, salt, and cinnamon on silicone mat or cutting board.
- Open up puff pastry and place on top of sugar on board.
- 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 dough is about 14" x 14". Repeat with other half of dough.
- Make sure both sides of dough are evenly coated with sugar.
- Take dough squares and fold sides to center.
- Fold again to create long narrow rectangles.
- Cut the long rectangles crosswise into approx ½" pieces.
- Slightly unfold or open up each piece to form heart shapes.
- Cover surface of baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
- Place palmiers on baking sheet.
- Bake at 450º for about 3 minutes, turn over with a flat metal spatula, and continue baking for an additional 2 minutes, or until palmiers begin to caramelize and look golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking rack.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Connie Edwards McGaughy
Want a sweet treat in a pinch? This easy vegan recipe for creating your own classic, crispy palmier pastries is super quick and simple to prepare.