Pistachio Palmiers are the perfect little pastry to pair with coffee or tea. These classic French puff pastry cookies are sweet, buttery, and flakey with flavors of cardamom and pistachio. This easy recipe uses few ingredients but delivers big on taste!
Who doesn't love a flaky, sugary pastry? If you haven't heard of palmiers, they are delicate little pastry-like cookies made from puff pastry dough and sugar. These delicate cookies are buttery, flakey, and crunchy.
Puff pastry palmiers are simple and easily customizable. Typically these little pastries are made with only two ingredients, this recipe uses four. Made with store-bought puff pastry, these palmiers are easy to make and bake in just fifteen minutes.
Pistachio palmiers are delicious with afternoon tea or coffee. Enjoy them around the holiday season or all year round. Pistachio and cardamom transform these sweet, crunchy cookies into a flavorful treat - you will love them!
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What are palmiers made of?
Classic palmiers only require two ingredients - puff pastry and sugar. The pastry is coated in sugar before it is rolled into the classic shape and sliced into cookies. Sugar is crucial for caramelization and flavor.
What do palmiers taste like? These sugary pastries are sweet and buttery. Texturally, palmiers are flakey (from the puff pastry) and crunchy (from the caramelized sugar). This easy palmier recipe has the special addition of crushed pistachios and ground cardamom.
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry
- Granulated Sugar
- Pistachios (shelled)
- Ground Cardamom
See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.
Instructions
Thaw the puff pastry according to the package instructions before proceeding with this recipe.
STEP 1 - Pulse the pistachios into a fine meal in a food processor. Transfer them to a small bowl and stir in ¼ cup of the granulated sugar and the cardamom.
STEP 2 - Spread a ½ cup of granulated sugar onto a clean work surface. Carefully unfold the sheet of thawed puff pastry onto the sugared surface. Flip the puff pastry over, so both sides are coated in the sugar.
HINT - You will have extra sugar.
STEP 3 - Using a rolling pin, roll out the sheet of puff pastry into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle and cut it in half. Divide the pistachio cardamom sugar mixture between the two rolled puff pastries.
STEP 4 - One by one, roll one side of the pastry inward to the center. Then roll the opposite side of the pastry towards the center to meet it. Repeat with the other rectangle of pastry. Transfer both rolls to the refrigerator and chill for about 20 minutes.
STEP 5 - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Trim and slice ½-inch thick pieces. Arrange cut side down, about 2-inches apart, onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown on one side. Remove from oven. Using a spatula, carefully flip over each palmier. Place back into the oven and bake for 5 minutes or until golden.
Substitutions
- Pistachios - Almonds, Walnuts
- Ground Cardamom - Ground Cinnamon
Storage
Store the cooled palmiers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Can palmiers be frozen? I advise against freezing baked palmiers. Once thawed, the texture will be tough and chewy.
Suggested Equipment
- Breville Sous Chef 12 Cup Food Processor
- French Rolling Pin
- Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet
- Parchment Paper Baking Sheets
Other Puff Pastry Recipes
Expert Tips
- Thaw the puff pastry before unrolling the sheet to avoid cracking or breakage.
- Avoid opening the oven as the palmiers cook. Puff pastry relies on steam to cook correctly; opening the oven too early releases the steam in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, store-bought or homemade puff pastry works for this recipe.
If you make the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #sugarylogic, and share them with me on Instagram or Facebook.
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Palmiers with Cardamom
Ingredients
- 1 sheet prepared puff pastry thawed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup shelled whole pistachios
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse your pistachios into a fine meal. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir ¼ cup of the sugar and the cardamom into the ground pistachios, and whisk together until well incorporated.
- Once the puff pastry has thawed, spread the ½ cup of sugar onto a clean work surface. Carefully unfold the sheet of puff pastry onto the sugared surface. Flip the puff pastry over, so both sides are coated in the sugar.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the sheet of puff pastry into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut in half so that you have two 10-by-6-inch rectangles. Divide the pistachio cardamom sugar mixture between the two rolled pastries. Spread and gently press into the puff, ensuring the top surface is covered.
- Starting with one of the rectangles of pastry. Using your fingers, carefully roll one side of the pastry inward to the center. Then roll the opposite side of the pastry towards the center to meet it. Repeat with the other rectangle of pastry. Place both onto a sheet tray and in the refrigerator to firm back up for about 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat your oven to 375° F. Once the pastry has firmed, place it onto a cutting board. Trim the edges of both pastries. Slice into ½-inch thick pieces. Arrange cut side down, about 2-inches apart, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. (You will need two sheet trays total.)
- Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on one side. Remove from oven. Using a spatula, carefully flip over each palmier. Place back into the oven and bake for 3-5 minutes more or until golden.
- Let cool before removing the palmiers from the trays. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
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