Imen Ina Garten Elephant Ears are a classic French palmier pastry made with puff pastry, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt. This four-ingredient recipe serves about 20 and is ready in 25 minutes. The result is a crisp, golden, caramelized cookie that looks far more impressive than the effort required.
The recipe comes from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food series, featured in her “Easy French” episode. What sets her method apart is rolling the pastry directly onto a bed of sugar rather than simply sprinkling it on top. That step ensures both sides caramelize evenly in the oven.
Keep the puff pastry cold until the last possible moment before rolling. Warm dough loses its distinct layers and can turn sticky, which causes the sugar to clump rather than press in cleanly. Cold pastry holds its shape through folding and slicing.
Ina Garten Elephant Ears
Description
Elephant Ears are a classic French palmier pastry with flaky, buttery puff pastry and caramelised cinnamon sugar. Each bite delivers a satisfying golden crunch. Simple to make yet impressively elegant, these are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix ½ cup of the sugar with the kosher salt and spread it over a clean flat surface. Lay the puff pastry sheet on top of the sugar mixture.
- Mix the remaining ½ cup of sugar with the cinnamon and spread it evenly over the entire top surface of the pastry. Use a rolling pin to lightly roll the dough to a 13-inch square, pressing the sugar into both sides.
- Fold both long sides of the square toward the center until they reach the halfway point. Fold each side in again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle. Fold one half over the other half as though closing a book. You will have 6 layers. Slice into ⅜-inch slices.
- Place slices cut-side up on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 6 minutes, flip each cookie, then bake for another 3 to 5 minutes until deep golden and caramelized. Cool on a wire rack.
FAQs
How thin should I slice the log before baking?
Ina specifies ⅜ inch, and that thickness is the right call for this recipe. Slices any thinner will burn at the edges before the center sets, while thicker slices stay doughy inside even with the extra caramelized crust. Use a sharp knife and press straight down rather than sawing to keep the layers from shifting.
Does the type of puff pastry change the result?
All-butter puff pastry gives the most flavor here because the butter caramelizes along with the sugar as it bakes. Shortening-based pastry still works but produces a lighter, less rich result. If you’re using Pepperidge Farm, which is what Ina calls for in her Barefoot in Paris cookbook version, keep it in the fridge until the last second so it doesn’t soften before rolling.
Why does the sugar need to go on the work surface and not just on top?
Rolling the pastry onto a bed of sugar rather than sprinkling it on afterward ensures the bottom layer caramelizes at the same rate as the top. Sugar sitting loosely on a surface gets worked into the dough by the rolling pin and sticks to it properly. Without this step, the bottom of each cookie stays pale while the top browns.
Can I freeze these before baking?
Yes, and freezing is actually the better option over refrigerating if you’re prepping ahead. Lay the sliced cookies flat on a parchment-lined tray until frozen solid, then transfer them to a bag. Bake straight from frozen at 450°F and add two to three minutes to the bake time. Fully baked cookies do not freeze well since they lose their crunch on thawing.
What should I serve alongside these at a party?
Elephant ears are sweet and crisp, so they work well next to something fresh and light on a spread. An quinoa tabbouleh with herbs and lemon brings a bright contrast and rounds out a grazing table. Set both out at room temperature and the combination covers sweet and savory without overlap.
