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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.
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.
Tools You’ll Need
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Pastry brush
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife
- Parchment paper
- Baking tray
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!
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.
The Bold Baking Network
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Cinnamon Roll Palmiers
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
- ⅛ 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.
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 !
Made these and they tuned out great. So buttery and light.
why not teach us how to make puff pastry?