Flaky, caramelised brown sugar palmiers made with just four ingredients. An easy bakery-style cookie you can make at home in minutes.

These 4-ingredient Brown Sugar Palmiers are incredibly addictive. Our household fought shamelessly over them! My husband ate three, and my sister and I had two each.

‘Remember how you used to tease me for always choosing palmiers at high-end bakeries?‘ my sister laughed. Guilty as charged. I never understood why she’d pick something so basic over gâteau or macarons.

It wasn’t until years later that I realised simplicity is sometimes best, and palmiers are the perfect example. Puff pastry rolled in sugar, a dash of salt, and that’s it! Gorgeously crunchy, buttery and flaky. The French knew exactly what they were doing.

It’s that time of year when I think about edible gifts, and this homemade palmiers recipe is one I do often. Thankfully, we don’t own a high-end bakery, so there’s no need to make puff pastry from scratch.

Perfect idea for Christmas and holiday gifting! With good-quality frozen puff pastry, these come together effortlessly. I use a mix of dark brown sugar and white sugar to give them that beautiful golden colour.

Now the real question is… should I apologise to my sister? Nah 😆

Why you’ll love these Brown Sugar Palmiers

Only four simple ingredients

That’s right! You’ll only need four ingredients, and that’s if you count sugar and salt! Most of us will only need to grab some puff pastry and dark brown sugar from the store to make these Brown Sugar Palmiers. Another big bonus? They’re easy and affordable to make.

If you love easy and tasty puff pastry recipes, you’ll also enjoy this Smoked Salmon Tart and Pork and Fennel Sausage Rolls

Crisp, caramelised texture

These simple four ingredients come together to create flaky, buttery pastry coated in a toffee-like caramel. What’s not to love about that?

Perfect for entertaining or gifting

These palmier cookies are wonderful for Christmas and holiday gifting. They look so pretty wrapped in clear gift wrap with a simple ribbon. They’re also perfect for entertaining, as they pair beautifully with tea or coffee.

What are Brown Sugar Palmiers?

What are Palmiers?

Palmiers, sometimes called elephant ears, are classic French puff pastry cookies. Their irresistible texture comes from the buttery pastry and the beautifully caramelised sugar, baked until crisp, golden and flaky.

Why use dark brown sugar instead of white?

I use a mix of white sugar and dark brown sugar to give the pastries a deeper, richer caramelisation. Dark brown sugar is simply white sugar with molasses added, which gives the palmiers a more appealing golden-brown colour and a slightly more intense, complex toffee-like flavour.

Ingredients for Brown Sugar Palmiers

Puff pastry

You can use any pre-rolled frozen puff pastry to make these Brown Sugar Palmiers, but if possible, choose a higher-quality one. A good puff pastry should be made with butter, which gives the palmiers that rich, buttery flavour.

For this recipe, you’ll need one sheet roughly 35 × 30 cm (14 × 12 in).

Caster sugar

Caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar) is a type of white sugar with a finer texture – not to be confused with powdered sugar.

If you can’t find caster sugar, you can easily make your own by placing regular white sugar in a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times until it looks finer, but be careful not to over-blend it into a powder. Alternatively, you can simply use equal amounts of regular white granulated sugar.

Dark brown sugar

I use a mix of dark brown sugar and white sugar, but if you prefer, you can use caster sugar only. Replace the dark brown sugar with equal amounts of caster sugar.

You can also use regular brown sugar in place of dark brown sugar – again, just swap it in equal amounts. Dark brown sugar adds a deeper colour and a slightly more intense toffee-like flavour, but all options work well.

How to make Brown Sugar Palmiers

Here’s how to make these irresistible Brown Sugar Palmiers

1. Important: Thaw the puff pastry at room temperature just until it becomes tacky. Don’t leave it out for too long, or it will become elastic and difficult to work with. Keep the paper or plastic on the pastry, as you’ll use this to help flip it later.

2. Mix the sugars and salt together in a bowl until well combined. Sprinkle half of the sugar evenly over one side of the pastry, making sure it’s fully covered. Use a rolling pin to gently press the sugar into the pastry. Using the paper or plastic, flip the pastry over, then peel it off and repeat the process with the remaining sugar.

3. Fold the long sides of the pastry inwards so they meet in the centre, then fold them in again. Fold one half over the other like a book to form a compact log with a heart-shaped centre. See my video in the recipe card below for guidance. Chill the pastry in the fridge, uncovered, for 30 minutes until firm.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line 1–2 baking trays with non-stick baking (parchment) paper. Slice the chilled pastry into 1 cm (0.4 in) pieces — you should get around 15 slices. Arrange the slices on the prepared trays, leaving a space between each to allow for spreading.

5. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the palmiers are firm enough to flip. Using a spatula, carefully turn each pastry over and bake for a further 5–8 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Transfer the palmiers to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before serving.

How to Fold Palmiers

Palmiers may look fancy, but the folding techniques is simple once you see it step-by-step.

Fold the long sides of the pastry inwards to meet in the centre, then fold them in again. Fold one half over the other like a book to form a compact log with a heart-shaped centre. Alternatively, you can roll each side inwards to the centre, but the shape will be slightly different.

👉 Refer to my video or step photos

Baking Tips for Perfect Palmiers

Chill before slicing for clean edges

Handling puff pastry for a period of time can cause it to become soft and elastic. Once the pastry has been folded into a log, chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. This makes slicing much easier and gives you cleaner, more even cuts.

Leave space on trays

These palmier cookies will spread slightly as they bake, so be sure to leave about 1 inch of space between each cookie to prevent them from touching.

Bake at a high temperature to prevent soggy palmier

Baking at a high temperature ensures the puff pastry sets quickly and the sugar caramelises before it has time to melt and soak into the pastry. This allows the palmiers to puff properly and stay crisp rather than soggy.

Flip during baking for even caramelisation

For a beautifully even, caramelised colour, flip the palmiers after 13–15 minutes in the oven. Skipping this step can leave one side pale with little caramelisation.

Cool completely for maximum crispness

This is the hardest part! Transfer the palmiers to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before serving. Trust me, biting into one too early is a guaranteed burnt tongue!

Brown Sugar Palmiers Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Best eaten the day they’re made

You won’t get a better-tasting palmier than one that has freshly cooled from the oven. This is when you get the full buttery, flaky and crispy experience. If you’re planning to gift them, make sure your recipients know they’re best enjoyed on the day.

How to Store Brown Sugar Palmiers

Store the palmiers in an airtight container at room temperature, in a cool area of your house. They will keep well for up to 2 days

How to freeze Palmiers

Freeze the sliced palmiers in a single layer on a tray. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. There’s no need to thaw before baking, simply add about 5 minutes to the overall baking time.

More puff pastry recipes you’ll love

Nutrition Information

I use a third-party calculator to estimate the nutrition and calorie details. These numbers are only an approximate guide.

Australian Measurements

All measurements on this website use Australian standard cups and spoons. For conversion details see my Australian Cooking Measurements page.

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Cheers – Cat T