This French palmier cookie recipe is made in the Air Fryer!
These palmiers are lightly sweet, crisp, and surprisingly simple to make. You can use store-bought puff pastry or homemade dough — either works well. Below you’ll find clear ingredients, step-by-step Air Fryer instructions, storage tips, and a savory variation if you want to try a cheese version. Ready to make Air Fryer French palmiers? Let’s begin.
What You Need For This Recipe
French palmiers are made from very few ingredients. For these Air Fryer palmiers have the following ready:
- 230 grams puff pastry dough (store-bought sheets or homemade)
- 2–4 tablespoons fine granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
The quantities above make about 25–30 thin palmiers depending on how thin you slice them. Exact measurements and step-by-step directions are included below.
How To Make Air Fryer French Palmier Cookies
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well so the sugar is evenly spiced.
- On a clean work surface or cutting board, unfold the puff pastry sheet.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top of the pastry. For extra sweetness you can flip the sheet and dust the back as well.
- Fold about 1–1½ inches from the left edge inward and do the same from the right edge. Fold each side in again, sprinkling those layers with a little more cinnamon sugar, then fold the dough in half so you end up with six layers.
- Wrap the folded pastry tightly in plastic wrap or foil.
- Chill the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 minutes. Puff pastry works best when it is cold before baking.
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 375°F (190°C) for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and slice it into thin slices about 1/3 inch (≈1 cm) thick.
- Stand the slices upright on a parchment-lined Air Fryer grill pan so they don’t stick. If using parchment, place a light trivet or weight on the paper to keep it flat; otherwise the paper can move and press the palmiers together. You can bake directly on the pan, but sticking is more likely without parchment.
- Air Fry the palmiers for 7 minutes, then carefully flip each cookie and cook for another 3–4 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Remove the palmiers and let them cool slightly before serving. Repeat the process for any remaining slices depending on your Air Fryer capacity.
Thin Puff Pastry Palmiers
To get flaky, crisp palmiers, slice the rolled pastry thinly. Thin slices yield delicate, crisp layers; slices that are too thick will stay doughy in the center. Aim for slices about 1/3 inch (1 cm) thick. From one sheet of pastry you can typically make 25–30 palmiers when cut this thin.
The name “palmier” comes from the cookie’s resemblance to a palm leaf. These little pastries have many regional names around the world, reflecting different cultures’ impressions of their shape:
- Elegant ears (India)
- Orejas (Latin America)
- Pig’s ears (Scotland and Germany)
- Palmeras (Spain)
- Vlinderkoekje or “butterfly cookie” (The Netherlands)
- Butterfly pastries (China)
- Sweethearts or little hearts (England)
- French hearts (Pakistan)
How To Store Air Fryer French Palmiers
Store palmiers after they have cooled completely to avoid condensation, which can make them soggy. Storage options:
- Room temperature: Place cooled palmiers in an airtight container or cookie jar. They’ll keep well for at least a week, though they often get eaten sooner.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the fully cooled palmiers in a resealable bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw only the portion you plan to eat.
Can You Make Savory Air Fryer Palmiers?
Yes. Swap the cinnamon sugar for savory fillings like grated cheese, herbs, or pesto for a delicious snack. A popular Dutch variation uses shredded hard cheese (for example Parmesan) folded into the pastry in the same way as the sweet version — these are often called “cheese butterflies.”
When making cheese palmiers in the Air Fryer, bake at a slightly lower temperature so the cheese melts and browns evenly. Try 360°F (180°C) for 20–25 minutes, then reduce to 300°F (150°C) for an extra 5–10 minutes if needed to dry them out and reach a crisp texture. Let them cool before serving to firm up.
More Cookie Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed these palmiers, consider trying other simple Air Fryer cookie recipes such as:
- Air Fryer butter cookies
- Air Fryer peanut butter cookies
- Air Fryer NYC-style cookies
- Classic chocolate chip cookies
- Oatmeal digestive cookies
- Butter swirl cookies
Recipe Summary
Yield: about 25–30 palmiers | Prep time: 15 minutes + chilling | Cook time: 10–12 minutes per batch
Ingredients
- 230 grams puff pastry dough
- 2–4 tablespoons fine granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions (brief)
- Mix sugar and cinnamon. Unfold puff pastry and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Fold left and right edges inward twice to make six layers, wrap and chill until cold.
- Slice into 1/3-inch (1 cm) rounds, place upright on a lined Air Fryer pan, and Air Fry at 375°F (190°C) for 7 minutes, flip and cook 3–4 more minutes.
- Cool completely before storing.