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Cinnamon Roll Palmiers

4.67 from 3 votes
Inspired by a classic French cookie and a beloved breakfast, these Cinnamon Roll Palmiers are flakey, buttery, cinnamony, and gooey!
A festive tub of baked cinnamon roll palmiers with a few individual palmiers laid out and lights in the background.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

Welcome back, Vedika — she’s here today with a lovely cinnamon roll-inspired cookie, her Cinnamon Roll Palmiers! Check out a few of the other fantastic recipes she’s shared with our Bigger Bolder Baking community, like her Salted Caramel Fudge, Dirty Chai Brownies, and Cinnamon Roll Muffins too! 

WHO WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE: These crisp, buttery cookies, which are reminiscent of a cinnamon roll (minus the fuss), is perfect for anyone looking for that extra special holiday cookie to add to their table.

The holiday season is the perfect time to update your cookie repertoire, and if you’re looking to stray away from your traditional spread, these Cinnamon Roll Palmiers, or elephant ears as they are sometimes called, are fit for the occasion. These buttery cookies are flavored with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with a sweet vanilla glaze. Like a cinnamon roll, you’ll have beautiful, luxurious swirls to glance at once they are ready.

What Are Palmiers?

Palmiers are French, and short for feuille de palmier, or “palm tree leaf.” They are made using puff pastry which is rolled in sugar before baking. These beautiful cookies are surprisingly very easy to prepare. Texture-wise, they are crisp, not overly sweet, and melt in your mouth. 

The traditional palmier is made using only granulated sugar. But to shake things up a little, I decided to spice up the filling by adding a touch of cinnamon and walnuts, ingredients I typically add to a cinnamon roll filling. The result yielded more complexity and texture than the classic variety. You get a similar flavor to a cinnamon roll without the hassle of needing to let yeasted dough rise.

I also drizzled a simple vanilla glaze on top, making the cookies’ interior sticky and gooey, just like a cinnamon roll.

A plat of cinnamon roll palmiers on a ceramic plate.

Ingredients You Need To Make Cinnamon Roll Palmiers

You’ll only need a handful of ingredients to make these cookies. 

  • Puff pastry: This is the foundation for this recipe. Puff pastry is easily available at the supermarket. Make sure to use one made with real butter. It’s tastier that way.
  • Unsalted butter: The butter acts like the glue in this recipe, holding the cinnamon sugar and nuts to the pastry.
  • Ground cinnamon: A key component if you want these to taste like cinnamon rolls! You can also throw in some cardamom and nutmeg if you’re feeling a little extra.
  • Dark brown sugar: I usually make cinnamon rolls with dark brown sugar—the caramel undertone pairs beautifully with the cinnamon and nuts.
  • Walnuts: Or pecans! These add a nice texture and crunch to the cookies. Feel free to omit them if you prefer.
  • Confectioners’ sugar: For the glaze. Make sure it is sifted so that your glaze is lump-free. 
  • Whole milk: You can also use water, or any milk, really. This thins out the glaze a bit.
  • Vanilla: A touch to enhance the flavor of the glaze.

The ingredients for these palmiers in individual bowls: dough, butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, chopped nuts, vanilla.

Tools You’ll Need

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Palmiers

Once you’ve rolled out the puff pastry, brush it with butter, then top it with a mixture of nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Roll both ends of the pastry together until they meet in the middle. Then slice the double log using a sharp knife. Place on a baking tray, then bake. When they come out of the oven, drizzle the cookies with the glaze. The only thing left to do is to enjoy!

Cinnamon roll palmier dough rolled into a double roll, with a few palmiers cut off of the end of the roll.

How To Store Cinnamon Roll Palmiers

Homemade Cinnamon Roll Palmiers keep up to 5 days if stored tightly in an airtight container, at room temperature. Putting them in the fridge may make them a little less crisp. 

Pro Chef Tips

  • Make sure the puff pastry is still cold. If it gets too warm, it will be hard to work with.
  • Ensure that the dough is rolled tightly. If it is too loose, it might fall apart easily.
  • Use a sharp knife when slicing the dough. If the knife is not sharp, you might have a hard time keeping the dough together.

A tub of finished cinnamon roll palmiers with festive decorations.

The Bold Baking Network

Bigger Bolder Baking is thrilled to introduce you to the Bold Baking Network, a team of talented chefs, creators, and experts looking to teach, entertain and help you on your baking journey. Here are more articles from our amazing collaborators.

Cinnamon Roll Palmiers

4.67 from 3 votes
Inspired by a classic French cookie and a beloved breakfast, these Cinnamon Roll Palmiers are flakey, buttery, cinnamony, and gooey!
Author: Vedika Luthra
Servings: 30 cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Inspired by a classic French cookie and a beloved breakfast, these Cinnamon Roll Palmiers are flakey, buttery, cinnamony, and gooey!
Author: Vedika Luthra
Servings: 30 cookies

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • ¼ cup (1 ½/43 g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup (0.9 oz/25 g) walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon salt
  • 10.6oz/300 g puff pastry, thawed
  • 2 tablespoons (1oz/28g) unsalted butter, softened

For the Glaze

  • ¾ cup (6 oz/170 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • ½ tablespoon whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To Make the Dough

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine the dark brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt until combined, then set aside.
  • Next, roll the puff pastry untill it is approximately 14x10 inches in length (35.5 x 25cm).
  • Brush the pastry with the softened butter, getting all the way to the ends.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top of the buttered pastry.
  • Next, starting on both long edges, tightly roll the pastry till both rolls meet in the middle.
  • Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the logs into ¼-inch (0.5 cm) cookies. They will look a bit like bicycle wheels. It’s okay if the first few are not perfect (the ends never are). You can mold them slightly once they are on the tray.
  • Gently place the cookies onto the parchment-lined sheets, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, being careful not to break them (they are quite fragile).
  • Bake on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is lightly golden and the filling is bubbly.

To Make the Glaze

  • Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. You should have a mixture that is thick but thin enough to be drizzled. You can adjust the consistency by adding more milk if necessary.
  • Drizzle the warm cookies with the glaze, and let them cool completely before serving. Store palmers in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

 

4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)
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Lauren
Lauren
1 year ago

Hi! I just made these and although they taste amazing I need to know the secret on how to roll these tightly! Mine came apart in the oven !

grashppr
1 year ago

Made these and they tuned out great. So buttery and light.

fay
fay
1 year ago

why not teach us how to make puff pastry?

About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

Weeknight Family Favorites Chapter from the Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook