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Buttery, flaky orejas (aka Mexican palmiers) rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked until crispy and caramelized. The perfect easy pan dulce to make at home!
A Note from Isabel
I grew up eating orejas from my local panadería, and they’ve always been one of my favorites. On Sundays when my family gets together for a late lunch, my brother-in-law is always assigned to bring pan dulce as our little after-lunch dessert to have with coffee. Orejas would always be one of the pastries in that panadería bag, and I’d get so excited every time I saw them.
What I love most about this pan is the crispness and how it practically melts in your mouth. The ones from the panadería are always huge (about the size of my hand!), and they’re practically calling out to be eaten the second you open that bag.
I finally decided to learn how to make them at home so I didn’t have to wait until Sundays to enjoy them. I keep things super easy by using store-bought puff pastry, so there are really only three ingredients in this recipe – sugar, cinnamon, and puff pastry. Truly couldn’t be easier.
The homemade version is just as buttery and flaky as the ones from the panadería, with those beautiful caramelized edges from all that cinnamon sugar. Your kitchen will smell like a Mexican bakery while they bake, and honestly, they disappear just as fast.
What Are Orejas?
Orejas are a classic Mexican pan dulce made by rolling puff pastry in cinnamon sugar and baking until crispy and caramelized. The name orejas literally translates to “ears” because of their unique shape – two spirals that meet in the middle.
Similar to French palmiers, orejas have that perfect balance of buttery, flaky, and sweet. They’re the kind of treat that disappears fast, so don’t be surprised if you end up with zero leftovers.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen puff pastry sheets: I used store-bought puff pastry to keep things super simple. Just make sure it’s thawed before you’re ready to work with it. You’ll need 4 sheets (2 boxes).
- Granulated sugar: This sweetens the pastry and creates that caramelized, crispy crust.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a warm, cozy flavor to the sugar coating.
- All-purpose flour: For dusting your work surface so the dough doesn’t stick.
How to Make Orejas
Roll and stack the pastry. Roll each puff pastry sheet into a rectangle, sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar on your counter, and stack all 4 sheets on top of each other. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar on top and roll it all out into one large rectangle. Stacking the pastry layers traps extra sugar between them, so when they bake, the sugar melts and caramelizes into those glossy, crisp edges.
Fold the dough. Mark the center with your rolling pin, then fold each long side toward the middle twice. Fold them together like a book. This folding pattern is what creates the classic “ear” shape. The layers meet in the center and puff up into those beautiful spirals when baked.
Slice and arrange. Cut into ½-inch slices, place them on a lined baking sheet, and sprinkle with the reserved cinnamon sugar. Even spacing helps them expand properly without sticking together, and that last sugar dusting gives extra crunch and shine.
Bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes until golden on the bottom, flip, then bake another 10 minutes until crispy and caramelized. Let them cool for a bit before serving. They’ll crisp up even more.
Recipe Tips
- Flip them halfway through. This helps both sides get that perfect golden, caramelized finish.
- Don’t skip the cinnamon sugar on top. That final sprinkle before baking is what makes them extra crispy and sweet.
- Use a sharp knife. Clean slices make prettier orejas and help them bake evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. You can shape them and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking, or freeze them for up to a month. Bake straight from the freezer, just add a couple extra minutes.
Yes! If you want to make your own puff pastry from scratch, go for it. Just follow the same folding and shaping steps once your dough is rolled out. Here’s a great homemade puff pastry recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
This usually happens if the dough got too warm before baking. Make sure your puff pastry stays cold, and press the folds gently to help them hold their shape.
Make sure you flip them halfway through and let them cool completely on a wire rack. They’ll crisp up even more as they cool.
What to Serve With Orejas
Orejas are lightly sweet and super buttery, so they pair perfectly with something warm to drink. I love them with champurrado, café de olla, or atole for an authentic Mexican bakery experience.
They’re also great with plain coffee or hot chocolate. Basically any cozy drink.
More Mexican Bakery Treats
Orejas (Mexican Palmiers)
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 4 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the mixture and set it aside to use for topping at the end.
- On a well-floured surface, roll each sheet of puff pastry to a 13×17-inch rectangle.
- Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar onto the work surface and stack the 4 sheets of rolled-out dough on top of each other to create one large sheet.
- Sprinkle the remaining half of the cinnamon sugar on top and roll it out into a large rectangle, approximately 17×22 inches.
- Make an indentation in the dough with the rolling pin all the way down the middle the long way to mark the center of the puff pastry.
- Starting at one of the long ends, fold the dough halfway to the center, then fold once more. Repeat on the other side.
- Fold both sides together like a book, then slice off any scraggly ends and discard.
- Cut into ½-inch slices and arrange them open-faced in an even layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the bottom side is golden brown and caramelized. Then, flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Allow to cool slightly and serve.
Notes
- Yield. Makes 32-36 orejas.
- Storage. Store leftover orejas in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate them as they will get soft and lose their crispness.
- Make ahead. You can shape and refrigerate the orejas for up to 24 hours before baking, or freeze them for up to a month. Bake straight from the freezer, just add a couple extra minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
