Chocolate-dipped orange palmiers are a delicious treat

By CHRISTINE HAINES
For the MVI

Not everything that is homemade needs to be made from scratch.

Christine Haines

I’m starting this new year with a recipe that is sweet, easy and looks like you spent hours on it while taking very little time.

As a child I thought the foil-wrapped chocolate oranges were the most amazing thing I’d ever eaten. I also thought that the sugar-crusted flaky palmier cookies were for old ladies. Well, I’m an old lady now and learned that I can combine flavors to make something totally awesome and better than both of them, in this case, the chocolate-dipped orange palmier cookie.

I had never worked with puff pastry before. I’m not sure why. It’s really extremely easy to work with and I’m already exploring new recipes using it. I might even try making my own, but seriously, not everything needs to be totally from scratch.

These palmier cookies come out crisp and flaky, but not as dry and crumbly as the ones that come prepackaged. And of course, they are flavored with orange rind and dipped in dark chocolate, nothing at all like the nightmare cookies of childhood. The longest part of the preparation is waiting for the cookies to cool and the chocolate to set once the cookies are dipped.

You do need to be careful that the cookies don’t burn. With sugar inside and out, they caramelize quickly. I flipped mine a minute earlier than the original recipe suggested. The more lightly baked cookies were preferred by all who tried them. I will also try making a miniature version next time, as these make quite a large cookie, getting a dozen per sheet of puff pastry. I haven’t done that yet, so I can’t give you baking times. If you try making them smaller, be sure to keep a close eye on them as they bake to prevent burning.

I also found that my melted chocolate chips were a little too thick for good dipping. My friend Veryl, who once had an amazing candy store with hand-dipped chocolates, suggested thinning it with shortening to prevent any change to the finished flavor or texture. That worked like a charm.

That said, here’s the recipe. May it be the start of a sweet and stress-free 2026.

Chocolate-Dipped Orange Palmiers

1 box (2 sheets) of frozen puff pastry 1/2 cup sugar, for rolling the dough 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of orange zest for inside the cookies 6-8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate 1-2 teaspoons of shortening, as needed to thin the chocolate *** Thaw the puff pastry according to the package directions, usually about 40 minutes. Once the dough is pliable but still cold, unfold one sheet onto a large pastry or cutting board that has been dusted with plain sugar. Roll the pastry dough into an 11 to 12 inch square.

Pulse the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and orange zest in a small food processor to blend the flavors. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the orange-flavored sugar over the top of the dough. Roll the dough tightly from opposite ends toward the center, with two rolls meeting in the middle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about half an hour to firm the dough. Repeat the rolling process with the remaining sheet of pastry dough and sugars.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Once the dough is chilled, unwrap it and place it rolled side down on a cutting board covered with parchment paper. Slice the logs (shaped sort of like a figure 8) into 1/2 inch slices. Place the cookies sliced side down about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. You’ll get about 12 cookies from each sheet of dough which should fit on one pan.

Bake for 10-11 minutes, then flip each cookie over and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes to caramelize both sides. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn.

Move the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies are cooled, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe container wide enough and deep enough to accommodate dipping each cookie about 1/2 way. A glass measuring cup or ceramic ramekin should work well. Microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring between each session to aid the melting process. If the chocolate doesn’t seem smooth enough to easily dip the cookies, add a small amount of shortening to reach the desired consistency.

Cover a cool baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip each cookie 1/2 way into the chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to drip off before placing on the parchment-covered pan to set. If you are impatient, you can cool the covered cookies in the refrigerator.

Store in an airtight container with waxed paper between any layers of cookies until ready to serve.

Christine Haines is a retired reporter and a culinary enthusiast who collects recipes from around the world and throughout historic time periods, often adding her own twist to an old tradition. She encourages her readers to cook adventurously.