Classic Madeleines are soft and spongy mini cakes with a signature shell shape and a dusting of sugar on top. These delicious French butter cakes look complicated to make but are a lot easier than you think!
Enjoy delicate Madeleines dipped in hot cocoa or coffee, alongside tea, or eat them on their own as a special snack throughout your day. They are perfect to serve on holidays and special occasions or whenever you are craving a sweet treat.
What are Madeleines?
Madeleines are little, individual cakes that are often referred to as cookies because of their size — you can pick one up and eat like a cookie.
They are baked in a madeleine pan which helps to mold them into their classic shell shape on one side with a bump on the other side.
Why You'll Love these Madeleines
- Light and soft texture. The texture of these little cookie cakes are unlike any other — soft, light, and spongy.
- Buttery and lemony. These madeleines have a delicate balance of buttery richness, vanilla flavor, and a hint of citrus thanks to the addition of lemon zest.
- Only 15 minutes to prep. It only takes a few minutes to get these French butter cakes ready to chill — just beat the eggs and sugar together, add the lemon zest and vanilla, fold in the dry ingredients and then add the butter. That’s it! Standard cookie procedures.
- Classic shell shape. Classic madeleines are known for their signature scalloped surface — a beautiful, classy cookie that makes any occasion a little more special. You will need a madeleine pan to get that classic shape and pattern.
Ingredient Notes
To make these classic Madeleines, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- all-purpose flour - measure the flour properly. Do not use the measuring cup to scoop the flour, instead fluff the flour first then spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off. For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale.
- baking powder
- salt
- eggs - eggs should be room temperature for baking madeleines.
- granulated sugar - you can use whatever version of granulated sugar you like, including coconut sugar or cane sugar. Just beware that other alternatives like stevia will alter the overall taste of the cookies.
- vanilla extract - an equal amount of vanilla bean paste can be substituted for the vanilla extract.
- lemon zest - this adds a hint of citrus that balances out the other flavors so well. You can also use orange zest or leave it out completely if you prefer.
- unsalted butter - use unsalted butter in baking to control the flavor. If you need to use salted, omit the additional salt in the recipe.
- confectioners’ sugar - this is optional, for dusting on top. You can also use powdered Swerve for the most similar flavor.
Baking Equipment
You will also need the following baking tools and equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowl
- stand mixer (or hand mixer)
- madeleine pan
- wire cooling rack
How to Make the Best Madeleines
- Combine dry ingredients. Add flour, baking powder and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Whip eggs and sugar. Add eggs to stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer). Turn the stand mixer on low and mix the eggs for about 1 minute to break the eggs up. Once the eggs look foamy, turn the mixer to medium and begin sprinkling in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, every 30 seconds or so.
- Add flavors. When all of the sugar has been added, add in the vanilla and lemon zest and turn the stand mixer to high and beat for 2-3 more minutes, or until it looks about triple in volume. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients. Use a silicone spatula to fold the dry ingredients delicately into the batter until combined.
- Prep butter. Scoop some batter into the melted butter and fold together.
- Add butter. Then pour that into the rest of the batter, and delicately fold until combined again, making sure that the batter isn’t deflated.
- Rest. Place plastic cling wrap over the bowl and let the batter rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours (up to 12 hours). The longer you let it rest, the taller the humps on the back with be.
- Prep for baking. When you’re almost ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a madeleine pan by brushing with very soft butter or spray with cooking oil spray. Place the prepared pan into the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Scoop batter. While the pan is in the freezer, remove the rested batter from the fridge and give the batter 2 or 3 stirs. Scoop the batter into a large piping bag, then cut the tip off the piping bag. Remove the pan from the freezer and fill each cavity ⅔ full with batter. Place the pan back into the freezer for 5 more minutes.
- Bake. Remove the pan from the freezer and bake for 9 minutes, until bouncy. Allow the madeleines to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then carefully pop each madeleine out and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with sugar. Once completely cooled, dust each madeleine with confectioners sugar (optional).
Recipe Variations
- Dip them in chocolate. A popular and widely-loved variation of madeleines includes a quick dunk in the melted chocolate of your choice, like white, milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate.
- Add nuts. Once dipped in chocolate, immediately add some crushed nuts to stick to the chocolate. Try pistachios, pecans, or almonds.
- Add sprinkles. Similarly, add sprinkles on top of the melted chocolate. This way, you can also customize these madeleines based on the particular holiday or theme you are celebrating.
- Make chocolate madeleines. For chocolate madeleines, simply substitute 2 tablespoons of the flour with ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
How to Serve
These delicious Madeleines are a classic tea time treat. Serve them with a warm drink like:
- Tea
- Coffee
- Apple Cider
- Golden Milk Turmeric Latte
- White Hot Chocolate
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use a kitchen scale. If you have a kitchen scale, use it. It’s especially important to measure the flour properly. Too much flour will cause the madeleines to be dense and dry rather than light.
- Allow the batter to rest. It is important to allow the batter to rest for the full 4 hours. This may seem long but it helps the batter to thicken and and is crucial for getting the classic bump or hump that madeleines are known for.
- Wait for them to cool before adding sugar. Patience is key! Wait for them to cool before dusting them with confectioners’ sugar or the sugar will melt into them.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you need a madeleine pan in order to make these mini cakes with the iconic shell grooves.
Gently poke one madeleine with your finger. If it bounces back, it's done. You can also check with a toothpick. If a toothpick inserted into one comes out clean, it's done baking.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover madeleines in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to five days, though you may want to eat or freeze them immediately as they’re prone to drying out quickly.
How to Freeze
Wrap each madeleine individually in plastic cling wrap, then place all of the wrapped cookies in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.
More Dessert Recipes
- Lemon Drop Cookies
- Italian Rainbow Cookies
- Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Lemon Curd Cookies
- Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze
- Moist Vanilla Cupcakes
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