Nuts and Bolts:

Cinnamon Cocoa Palmiers is the world's easiest cookie. I must admit, I was intimidated by how complicated these cookies would be to make since they look so elegant in bakery windows. However, they are so simple and fun to make in my mess. This recipe is adapted from The Just a Little Bit of Bacon blog.

My Thoughts on Cinnamon Cocoa Palmiers:

1. You can use store-bought or homemade puff pastry. Here is the link to my rough puff pastry recipe.

2. I love to use this recipe to finish up any leftover puff pastry pieces.

3. This recipe can be easily doubled.

Method:

For this recipe, you will need one sheet of puff pastry, or 1 half recipe of rough puff pastry (or leftover puff pastry), 1/2 cup of granulated sugar; divided in half, 1 tsp of cinnamon, ¼ tsp of table salt, and 1 tbsp of cocoa powder.

Important tip: If using homemade puff pastry, it's difficult to tell how much pastry equals a sheet of store-bought puff pastry. My guess is a half recipe is about a sheet. For this recipe, that is not important, but it is a good rule of thumb.

 First, remove puff pastry from its packaging, and if it is frozen, let it thaw. Then mix a ¼ cup of sugar with cinnamon and the salt in a small bowl. Next, combine the cocoa and the rest of the sugar in another small bowl. 

Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 12 x 12. If you have less dough, you might not get that size. Then sprinkle the cinnamon mixture on the dough, and with the rolling pin, roll to press the sugar into the dough.

Then carefully flip the dough over and repeat with the cocoa mixture. Next, figure out the middle of the prepared dough. Then roll one end of the dough to the center. Roll the dough so it is a tight spiral. Next, roll the dough from the opposite end to the center to meet up with the other dough log. After that, place the rolled-up dough onto a ¼ sheet pan or cutting board for support, cover with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for a ½ hour. Next, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Once the dough has finished chilling, cut the dough into 1 to 2-inch slices and place them cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. After that, tighten the roll of the cookie into the perfect shape. Do not handle the cookie too much at this point, as you do not want the dough to warm up too much. Once all the cookies are cut and placed on the cookie sheets spaced about two inches apart. Then bake them for 12-15 minutes in a preheated 400°F oven. Turn the tray in the oven after about 6 minutes. You want to bake them until the sugar is caramelized and crunchy. These cookies need to be watched because they can burn very quickly. Once baked, move them to a cooling rack and cool completely. They can be stored in a sealed container for 4-5 days but become less crunchy.

Final Thoughts on Cinnamon Cocoa Palmiers Cookie:

This cookie and I are having a love affair since it's so simple, but they look exquisite. It would be a hit at an afternoon tea or as an elegant addition to a dessert at a dinner party. At the same time, it is excellent as an afternoon treat for the kids in your mess.