Palmiers a K a Elephant Ears Recipe with Cinnamon Sugar

Palmiers a k a Elephant Ears Recipe with Cinnamon Sugar

I remember sitting in my grandma's kitchen in Tennessee, the air thick with the smell of woodsmoke and warming spices. She would pull a tray of these golden treats from the oven, and the sound of that first bite was like glass breaking - but in the most delicious way possible.

This Palmiers a k a Elephant Ears Recipe with Cinnamon Sugar delivers perfectly crisp, sweet, and simple homemade pastries.

You don't need a fancy French degree to get these right, just a bit of patience and a cold counter. We always called them elephant ears because of that iconic double scroll shape, but whether you're being posh or practical, the result is the same.

It's a budget smart way to look like you spent hours in a bakery when you really just mastered the art of the fold.

Why These Pastries Shatter Beautifully

Mechanism: The high water content in the butter layers turns into steam instantly in a hot oven, forcing the dough to puff. Since the sugar on the outside melts into a glaze, it traps that air and creates a structural "shatter" once it cools.

When you are planning a big get together, it's much easier to double the batch than to make two separate desserts. The key is keeping the dough cold between batches, or those layers will merge into a heavy lump instead of light flakes.

The Physics of the Rise The secret is the rapid expansion of water vapor between the fat coated layers of flour. This process, called steam leavening, happens so quickly that the dough sets in its "puffed" state before the butter can simply melt away.

Chef Tip: Throw your rolling pin in the freezer for 10 minutes before you start. A cold pin keeps the butter in the pastry from melting while you're pressing the cinnamon sugar into the layers.

Component Analysis for Flaky Success

Every pantry staple has a job to do here, especially the sugar which acts as a literal glue for the layers. If you find yourself with extra spices, you might find they work just as well in a Christmas Coconut Balls recipe later in the season.

Ingredients and Clever Substitutes

• 490g (17.3 oz) high-quality all-butter puff pastry: Thawed but very cold. Why this? Butter yields a better "shatter" than shortening based pastries.
  • Substitute: Homemade rough puff pastry.
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar: For the coating. Why this? It melts into a hard, glass like caramel shell.
  • Substitute: Brown sugar (creates a chewier, toffee like texture).
• 1.5 tablespoons ground Ceylon cinnamon: high-quality is best. Why this? Ceylon is sweeter and less "spicy" than Cassia.
  • Substitute: Apple pie spice or pumpkin spice blend.
• 1 pinch fine sea salt: To balance the sweetness. Why this? Salt enhances the butter's natural richness.
  • Substitute: Kosher salt.
• All purpose flour: Just for the work surface.

Tools for Your Kitchen Counter

You really only need a few basics for this one, though a heavy rolling pin makes life easier. I prefer a marble pin because it stays cold, which is a lifesaver in a warm kitchen. You will also want a very sharp knife; a dull blade will squish the layers together and ruin the "ears" before they even hit the heat.

Make sure your baking sheets are heavy duty to prevent the sugar from burning on the bottom. If you have leftovers from this bake, they make a wonderful crumb topping for something like a Cranberry Bread Recipe the next morning.

Folding Your Way to Sweetness

1. Prep the surface. Dust your counter lightly with flour and a generous handful of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
2. Unfold the pastry. Lay the 490g of cold puff pastry onto the sugared surface.
3. Press the spice. Sprinkle more cinnamon sugar on top and roll the pastry out slightly until it's 3mm thick. Note: This pushes the sugar deep into the dough.
4. Mark the center. Fold the left and right sides of the pastry inward so they meet exactly in the middle.
5. Fold again. Fold those sides in once more toward the center.
6. Final closure. Fold one half over the other like closing a book, creating a long, narrow log.
7. Chill the log. Wrap it in plastic and freeze for 15 minutes. Note: This ensures clean cuts without squishing.
8. Slice the ears. Use a sharp knife to cut 1cm thick slices.
9. Space them out. Place on a parchment lined tray, leaving 5cm between them until they have room to expand.
10. Bake to gold. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until the sugar is bubbling and mahogany brown.

Using store-bought pastry is a classic budget move that saves hours of labor without sacrificing the fun. It lets you focus on the folding technique, which is where the real magic happens.

Fixing Common Pastry Mistakes Quickly

Why Your Ears Unraveled

If the cookies look more like long ribbons than scrolls, you didn't press the final fold firmly enough. The sugar acts as a glue, but it needs a little physical pressure to hold the shape during the initial stage of baking.

Solving the Burnt Bottom

Sugar burns quickly once it reaches caramelization. If your oven has hot spots, you might see the bottoms turning black while the tops are pale.

Common Mistakes Checklist ✓ Keep the pastry cold at every single step to maintain lamination. ✓ Don't skimp on the sugar; it’s the structural support of the cookie. ✓ Use parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent sticking.

✓ Slice with a sawing motion rather than pressing straight down. ✓ Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack for maximum crunch.

Spicing Up Your Sweet Treats

If you want a different flavor profile, try swapping the cinnamon for cardamom and orange zest. It gives a sophisticated, floral note that feels very high end for just a few extra pennies. You can also do a savory version with parmesan cheese and black pepper, which is a total crowd pleaser for cocktail hour.

For extra shine

Brush the tops with a tiny bit of water before sprinkling the final layer of sugar.

For a nuttier taste

Add 2 tablespoons of very finely ground pecans to the sugar mix.

For a chocolate kick

Sift a teaspoon of cocoa powder into the cinnamon.

Practical Scaling Guidelines

Scaling Down (½ batch): If you are only baking for two, use one sheet of pastry. Reduce the sugar and cinnamon by half. You don't need to change the oven temperature, but check them 3 minutes earlier as a smaller batch can sometimes cook faster in a large oven.

Scaling Up (2x-4x): When making a mountain of these for a party, work in batches. Keep the unbaked logs in the fridge while the first tray is in the oven. Do not try to crowd two trays on one rack; the air needs to circulate freely for the steam to do its job.

Debunking Pastry Myths

"You must make puff pastry from scratch for it to be authentic." Honestly, even professional pastry chefs often use high-quality pre made blocks for home use. The result is so similar that the time saved is worth the small trade off in pride.

"The more you fold, the better the pastry." There is a limit! If you fold too many times, the layers become so thin they actually fuse together, resulting in a tough cracker rather than a light, airy pastry.

Keeping Every Bite Crisp Later

Storage: Store these in a strictly airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Do not put them in the fridge! The humidity in a refrigerator will turn your beautiful "shatter" into a soggy, chewy mess within hours.

Zero Waste Tip: If you end up with broken pieces or "crumbs" at the bottom of the jar, don't throw them out. They are essentially caramelized cinnamon croutons. Toss them over vanilla ice cream or stir them into your morning oatmeal for a crunch that’s out of this world.

Best Drinks to Serve Alongside

These cookies are quite sweet, so I love pairing them with a very strong, dark roast coffee or a bitter Earl Grey tea. The tannins in the tea cut right through the butter and sugar, refreshing your palate for the next bite.

If it's later in the evening, a glass of cold milk is the old-fashioned way to go. It reminds me of those nights in Tennessee when the kitchen was finally clean and we’d sit on the porch with a small plate of ears and a tall glass of milk, watching the fireflies.