Savory Recipe for Palmiers
Inside: My simple trick for turning dates into a smooth, spreadable layer that transforms basic puff pastry pinwheels into elegant, sweet-savory hors d’oeuvres—perfect for cocktails, parties, and holiday gatherings.
Unlike the sugary palmier cookies we love with coffee or tea, this recipe for palmiers leans savory. With a short list of easy ingredients—dried dates, toasted pecans, Manchego, and thinly sliced prosciutto—to make dazzling puff pastry pinwheels that look and taste far more “fancy” than the effort required. If you’re browsing for puff pastry appetizer ideas, this is a great place to start. These flaky pinwheel hors d’oeuvres look impressive but are practically effortless thanks to store-bought pastry.
They may look fancy, but it’s their simplicity that makes these flaky palmier hors d’oeuvres so popular. In this post, I’ll show you how to make savory puff pastry pinwheels with pre-made dough and simple ingredients.
Puff pastry is painstakingly made with copious amounts of butter laminated into 81 layers. The science behind this is that water in the butter turns to steam in a hot oven, forcing the dough up and creating the flaky layers this pastry is known for. It’s a lot.
This simple palmier recipe has got a lot going for it, starting with frozen puff pastry sheets, a convenience item that saves loads of time. Sure, you could make it from scratch, but unless you’re a contestant on The Great British Bake-Off, it’s not necessary.
I use frozen puff for both savory and sweet dishes, from this Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie to my Easy Apple Tart and this flavorful Apricot Tart.
Why this puff pastry appetizer idea works:
- Simple savory layers – This recipe for palmiers uses store-bought puff pastry plus a short list of ingredients to make flaky, savory puff pastry pinwheels with very little effort.
- Make ahead convenience – Assemble the pinwheel hors d’oeuvres a day ahead, slice and bake when you’re ready.
- Paper-thin prosciutto – Because the prosciutto is so thin, you can slice through the dough without snagging.
- Crispy crunch – Pecans add a crunchy texture while the puff pastry is crisp and light.
- Manchego for richness – This sheep’s-milk cheese brings a nutty, slightly tangy flavor that pairs well with the prosciutto and dates and I use the same flavor combo for my Manchego Stuffed Date Appetizers.
- Foolproof puff pastry appetizer – Rolled, chilled, sliced, and baked. This method delivers evenly baked, crisp, golden palmiers every time.
Ingredients:
- Puff Pastry Sheets–If you’re wondering what the best store-bought puff pastry brands for making pinwheels are, most are interchangeable and provide solid results. DuFour is considered the best-quality frozen puff pastry on the market, but you can use Pepperidge Farm or other varieties. I found some at Trader Joe’s, which worked quite well.
- Dried Medjool Dates–adds a slightly sweet contrast to the pinwheel hors d’oeuvres. Sometimes you can find them already pitted; otherwise, you’ll need to remove the pits yourself.
- Water–you don’t need a lot, just enough to help break down the dates and make them spreadable.
- Pecans–gives the palmiers a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
- Prosciutto–I used Prosciutto di Parma, but thinly sliced Serrano works beautifully too.
- Manchego Cheese–a Spanish sheep’s milk cheese with a nutty, buttery, slightly tangy flavor. (I buy it at Trader Joe’s).
Step-by-step instructions:
- Add pitted dates to a mini food processor along with a few tablespoons of water and pulse, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula every so often until they’re blended.
2. Add additional water if necessary and process until the dates are spreadable and the consistency of peanut butter. Don’t worry if they’re not entirely smooth.
3. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and spread with puréed dates.
4. Sprinkle the toasted, chopped pecans over the dates and use the palm of your hand to press them into the paste lightly.
5. Add slices of prosciutto in a single layer over the nuts.
6. Top evenly with grated Manchego cheese.
7. Carefully fold the edge of the long end of the pastry over and continue to roll it into a moderately tight log. Cover with cellophane and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
8. Preheat the oven to 400°F when you’re ready to bake. Use a very sharp knife to trim the ends of extra pastry, then slice the log into ½” wide puff pastry pinwheels.
9. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until they’re crispy-edged, puffed and lightly browned.
10. Allow the pinwheel hors d’ouevres to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they can set before transferring to a serving platter.
Pro-Tips:
- The force of the knife slicing the dough into rounds can compress them; use your fingers and the edges of your hands to reform them into a circular shape before baking.
- Thanks to the prosciutto and Manchego cheese, there’s no need to add salt; in fact, extra salt would easily oversalt them.
Swaps and Variations
- Swap walnuts or almonds for the pecans.
- Try serrano ham instead of prosciutto.
- Roll the opposite sides of the puff pastry dough toward the center until they meet, then slice for a more traditional palmier appearance (also known as elephant ears).
FAQs
Palmiers are classic French cookies, made from puff pastry and sugar rolled into elephant ears or pinwheels and baked until they’re flaky, crispy and golden. Sometimes other spices are added to the sugar, such as cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg. They’re baked at a high temperature to encourage the pastry to puff. Homemade palmiers make delicious snacks, and thanks to frozen puff pastry, you don’t need a stint in culinary school to make them.
Puff pastry needs a hot oven to create flaky layers, and depending on the brand you use, some may recommend 400°, others 425°. Baking times will vary based on the oven temperature, but you’ll get the best results from a preheated oven and cold (not room temperature) dough for the pinwheels, which is why we chill it after forming.
More puff pastry filling ideas:
- Spread puff pastry with Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard and top with thin sliced deli ham and grated cheddar cheese. Roll into ham and cheese pinwheels.
- Use a pizza cutter to slice puff pastry into ½” strips. Wrap asparagus with thinly sliced parma or serrano ham, then wrap the puff pastry around the asparagus like a corkscrew. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Divide puff pastry into 2″ squares and transfer to mini muffin tins. Fill with a small wedge of brie or camembert topped with cranberry sauce. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the pastry is browned.
- Instead of dates, spread the pastry with olive tapenade and top with a layer of Gruyere cheese. Roll into pinwheels or elephant ears. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Make ahead:
- You can assemble this recipe for palmiers a day ahead and keep the rolled dough covered with saran wrap in the refrigerator.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven, slice the pinwheel rounds and bake as directed.
Storage:
- Store leftovers (do you really think you’re going to have any?) in foil or an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- They may get a bit soft in the fridge, but a brief reheat in the oven will help.
Reheating:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and arrange the pinwheels on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Heat for 5-7 minutes until warmed through and crisp.
Freezing:
- You can freeze both unbaked and baked palmiers carefully stacked in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
- Unbaked palmiers should go directly from the freezer to the oven and may require a few extra minutes to cook, about 20-25 minutes
- Baked and frozen palmiers need to be reheated to regain their crisp edges, about 10-12 minutes.
More appetizers from pre-made dough:
Savory Recipe For Palmiers
INGREDIENTS:
- ¾ cup pecans
- 1 cup dried dates pitted and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup water
- 1 sheet of puff pastry thawed
- 4-6 thin slices proscuitto
- ¾ cup shredded manchego cheese
DIRECTIONS:
FOR THE PECANS:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread ¾ cup pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until crunchy and fragrant. Roughly chop the nuts and set aside.
FOR THE DATE PURÉE:
- Slice 1 cup dried dates in half and remove the pit. Transfer the fruit to a mini food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of the water and process several times, scraping down the sides occasionally. If the puree is dry or not coming together, add additional water and process until it has the spreading consistency of peanut butter. Set aside.
- Flour your work surface, then unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry on it. Sprinkle the pastry lightly with flour to avoid sticking. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a little less than a quarter inch thick.
- Spread date paste evenly over the dough, leaving a half-inch edge for rolling and sealing.
- Sprinkle dates evenly with the chopped pecans and gently press down on them with your hands to ensure they stick to the dates..
- Arrange 4-6 thin slices proscuitto in a single layer over the nuts.
- Sprinkle ¾ cup shredded manchego cheese in an even layer over the proscuitto.
- Starting with the longer side of the dough, roll up into a pinwheel. Press slightly to seal the edge. Wrap in saran wrap and chill for at least an hour or overnight.
TO BAKE PUFF PASTRY PINWHEELS:
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using a very sharp chef's knife, cut puff pastry pinwheels into ½"rounds and place them 1-inch apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until slightly puffed and golden brown. Serve.
RECIPE VIDEO:
NOTES:
- You can assemble this recipe for palmiers a day ahead and keep the rolled dough covered with Saran Wrap in the refrigerator.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven, slice the pinwheel rounds and bake as directed.
- Store leftovers (do you really think you’re going to have any?) in foil or an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- They may get a bit soft in the fridge, but a brief reheat in the oven will help.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and arrange the pinwheels on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Heat for 5-7 minutes until warmed through and crisp.
- You can freeze both unbaked and baked palmiers carefully stacked in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
- Unbaked palmiers should go directly from the freezer to the oven and may require a few extra minutes to cook, about 20-25 minutes
- Baked and frozen palmiers need to be reheated to regain their crisp edges, about 10-12 minutes.
NUTRITION:
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy. Values are calculated automatically based on the ingredients and quantities in each recipe and may vary depending on specific brands, exact measurements, and substitutions made. For precise nutritional guidance, especially if you have a medical condition or dietary restriction, please consult a registered dietitian or run the ingredients through your own nutrition calculator.Don’t Forget To “Pin It” For Later!
I always have a palmier roll in the freezer. So easy and delicious and impresses the guests every time!
I want to make these for a work Valentine potluck. Must this recipe be served warm, or could they be made day ahead and once cooled, stored in fridge and served next day cool??
You can serve them at room temperature, but they’re MUCH better when warm. I wouldn’t serve them straight from the refrigerator.
These look amazing – making them for a thanksgiving appetizer… can everything be assembled the day before and then sliced and baked the day of?
I would think so. Conversely, you could also bake them off ahead of time and freeze them until the day you serve them. Just warm them up for about 10 minutes in a low oven ~300°.
Such a great combo of flavors. Would never have thought about putting in a palmier! Genius!
OMG.. I’m drooling looking at the pictures.This is definitely one of my favorite appetizers.. My waist would be screaming for mercy.
How elegant!
These look so amazing! I need to try them!
Dates are the best and add manchego?? I’m in. Manchego is the number one best cheese on the planet and I can’t wait to try these. They actually look pretty simple!