2018 baking goal = let’s step outside our comfort zone. Let’s start with a favorite baking bucket list recipe of mine: madeleines.
Equipped with determination, I studied and tested and retested and retested some more until I figured out the big question that is madeleines. While their fancy appearance and classy name can be intimidating, these airy teacakes require the most basic ingredients. They aren’t difficult, but they do demand your attention, patience, and precision. And a solid (very detailed) recipe to produce the light texture doesn’t hurt either!
One reader, Debbie, commented: “I love the detailed instructions. That made a huge difference in the outcome. They are delicious and perfect! โ โ โ โ โ “
Another reader, Gayle, commented: “Superb! This pastry turned out wellโlight, delicious, and melts in the mouth. Directions and hints are outstanding. โ โ โ โ โ “
Another reader, Madeleine, commented: “This recipe is glorious! And even though it’s definitely a plus that the recipe and I have the same name, these cookies are amazing and very elegant for brunches and teatime… These cookies have been on my bucket list forever and I will definitely be making them again. Thanks, Sally!! โ โ โ โ โ “
Let’s figure this out first: are madeleines cookies or itsy bitsy cakes? A big debate! They’re a delicate little butter cake that most people refer to as cookies. However you categorize them, madeleines are known for their beautiful and distinct scalloped shell shape and need nothing more than a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar on top. Though a dunk in dark chocolate is nice too!!
Let’s dive in. This is a lengthy post, but I think it’s important to discuss what works and what doesn’t work so you can truly understand what you’re doing in the kitchen. We’re going to walk through the process together with step-by-step photos, detailed instructions, and then the madeleine recipe is at the bottom of this post. Break out your madeleine pan. We’re doing this!
Basic Process
In this great big world, there are MANY ways to make madeleines. This is how we’re doing it today, a recipe based off of Julia Child’s. Madeleines start with a sponge-like batter, called a genoise in European baking, and get most of their lift and volume from beaten eggs. The base of our desserts is usually creamed butter and sugar. With madeleines, however, beating the eggs and sugar together is the most crucial and particular step. We’ll beat them for 8 minutes to really whip in enough air. We’ll add a little flavoring to the madeleine batter: lemon zest and a little vanilla extract, both optional. Then in a separate bowl, we’ll toss a little flour, baking powder, and salt together. We will delicately fold the flour mixture into the beaten egg mixture. Why emphasis on the delicate? We don’t want to deflate the eggs we just beat, do we?? Finally, we’ll mix in some melted butter. So as not to deflate the airy batter with a whole mess of heavy melted butter, mix *some* of the madeleine batter into the melted butter, then add it all into the madeleine batter for final mixing. If that confused you, step pictures are coming. The melted butter gives mads their classic taste, as well as a lovely shiny appearance when they finish up in the oven. If you’re feeling confident, go ahead and brown the butter. Yum!
We’ll spoon the batter into a madeleine pan. And that’s the catch! You need a specific pan. I know what you’re thinking. Is it really worth buying a new pan for just 1 type of recipe? Yes. If you’re into mads, it’s worth it.
Can I bake madeleines in another pan? Sure! A mini muffin pan works, but the texture of the little cakes will be different, they will be similar to brown butter berry tea cakes. I found that you really need the scallop pan to produce the iconic crisp edges.
The Batter
You see the photo above? It shows that there are 3 components to the recipe. The flour mixture, beaten egg mixture, and melted butter. Tip: when you’re ready to begin, melt the butter first so it has at least 8 minutes to slightly cool before using. Remember, we are whipping the eggs for 8 minutes.
Like I mentioned, the most particular step in madeleine baking is whipping the eggs long enough. You’ll need room temperature eggs. Cold eggs won’t reach the volume we need for madeleines. You’ll know you whipped the eggs long enough when the mixture is thick and pale. And this might be the most helpful clue– when the beater is raised, a ribbon of batter will fall back into the bowl. Aka the ribbon stage!
So now that the eggs (+ sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla) are beaten… let’s continue.
In the photo above, we are (1) folding the dry ingredients into the beaten egg mixture, making sure we aren’t deflating the eggs. When we’re all done, our batter will look like photo (2). Then (3) we’ll take some of that batter and mix it into the melted butter. Then (4) we’ll mix that into the rest of the batter.
We’re doing everything slowly and delicately.
Chilling the Batter
Just like most of the cookie doughs in our repertoires, madeleine batter needs to chill out before baking. Letting the batter rest in the refrigerator ultimately helps the mads rise up taller in the oven. Taller usually means fluffier, which is exactly what we’re shooting for. But don’t chill the batter for too long and here’s why: the butter will solidify again. And when baked, the madeleines won’t rise up as tall which negates the whole point of chilling the batter! Good thing madeleines are delicious because they sure do have lots of rules.
I find 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator is the sweet spot.
Preparing the Pan
Many madeleine recipes call for greasing the madeleine pan regardless if you’re using a nonstick madeleine pan or not. I tested a few ways: nonstick spray, buttering and flouring, and just buttering. Honestly, nonstick spray worked absolutely fine but brushing the pan with melted butter gave the mads a lovely crisp and buttery crust. I wasn’t fond of the butter + flour preparation because the flour either burned or left a residue on the baked cookies. Just my opinion.
A pastry brush comes in handy!
How much batter per cookie? I found 1 heaping Tbsp was plenty. Use a basic spoon and just plop it right into the center of the scallop shell, just like this:
I tested madeleines at varying oven temperatures and settled on 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Anything higher than that burned the edges without properly cooking the centers.
Look at that rise! This is called the belly, hump, or bump of a madeleine.
Madeleines are best right out of the oven. They’ll lose a lot of moisture overtime, so I suggest baking and enjoying them fresh. I had lots of madeleine rocks on my hands after a day or 2. (Dunk them in coffee… still good!)
So Are They Worth the Fuss?
Yes, I definitely think so! Laced with fresh lemon zest and finished with confectioners’ sugar, their texture is undoubtedly unique. Delightfully crisp edges, buttery scallops, and a subtly sweet airy teacake inside. To say they’re delicious is an understatement. They’re remarkable. A French pastry I never thought I could recreate in my own kitchen. They always on my list of Mother’s Day recipes and great for any type of shower, celebration or event. Invite some friends over, brew some coffee, pour some tea, and bake them together. It’s a fun baking experience!
If you read the recipe and use these pictures as your guide, you’ll be gifted with these fancy treats too. If, somewhere along the way, your batter gets a little too heavyโno fret. Your mads will taste more like poundcake, but they’ll still be worth it.
Do you have a favorite madeleine recipe? Or any other tips and tricks? I’m pretty happy with these, but would love learning from any madeleine experts!
By the way, I can’t finish this post without two more things:
- The history of madeleines. ๐
- Ross: Oh really? Did she tell you he plays the recorder, recites poetry, and bakes madeleines? Monica: Ohhhh how are they? Ross: Lighter than air… but that’s not the point!
Madeleines
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 18-20 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Description
Light & airy homemade madeleines with delicious buttery lemon flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter (plus another 2 Tbsp (28g) for the pan)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (115g) sifted all-purpose flour* (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional: confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Read the post above for explanations and step-by-step pictures. It will help you!
- Melt the butter in a large bowl and set aside to slightly cool as you prepare the rest of the batter. You can melt it in the microwave or melt it/brown it on the stovetop then transfer to a large bowl.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (didn’t notice a difference using either one), beat the eggs and sugar together on high speed for at least 8 minutes. The mixture will be thick,ย pale, and form ribbons when you lift the beater(s). Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla extract until combined. (The remaining ingredients are mixed together by hand; ย you no longer need the mixer.)
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold into egg mixture. I suggest carefully folding in half of the flour mixture, then folding in the other half. (Instead of dumping it all in at once.) Make sure you’re handling this batter with care. It’s very delicate.
- Stir 1/4 cup of the batter into the melted butter. It will take a minute to fully incorporate. Then stir it all into the rest of the batter. The batter will be thick, silky, and shiny.
- Cover the batter and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. Try not to chill any longer than this as the butter in the batter will begin to solidify.
- During the last few minutes of chilling, preheat the oven toย 350ยฐF (177ยฐC).
- Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the madeleine pan with melted butter. I find that greasing the pan is necessary even if you’re using a nonstick pan. We want to avoid any chance of sticking.
- The batter will be quite airy and spongey after resting. This is good! Do not try to deflate it.ย Spoon 1 generous Tablespoon of batter into the center of each scalloped well. No need to spread it to the edges. Just plop it in the center. (Cover and refrigerate remaining batter if you do not have 2 madeleine pans to bake the batter all at once.)
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. The madeleines are done when the tops spring back after lightly pressed with your finger. Invert the pan onto the counter. Transfer the warm madeleines to a wire rack to lightly cool.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, before serving. Madeleines are best enjoyed right after baking, so I don’t have any make-ahead tips. They dry out very quickly; I find baked and covered madeleines lose their texture even after 1 day! For this reason, I don’t recommend freezing them either. You’ll lose a lot of texture.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Citrus Zester |ย Glass Mixing Bowl | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Pastry Brush | Madeleine Pan | Cooling Rack | Fine Mesh Sieve
- Flour: Sift flour before measuring.
- Adapted fromย From Julia Child’s Kitchen (I reduced the sugar, oven temperature, sifted the flour, added baking powder, and did not flour the pan)
Reader Comments and Reviews
Great recipe. I look forward to baking these babies up!
Ever try injecting them with pastry cream or jam?
I tried this recipe today and didn’t get the results I wanted. While the flavor was delicious, they came out flat and didn’t have that distinctive hump. I also banged them longer than called for and they were still pale. The second smaller batch I baked at 375 and the color/texture was great but still no bump.
Hi Allison, we’re so sorry to hear you were disappointed in this recipe. Make sure that you chill the dough for at least 30-60 minutes, but not much longer. Colder, thicker dough will help guarantee that scalloped appearance and a nice rise (bump). However, too long can cause the butter to solidify again. Thanks so much for giving the madeleines a try!
I have had a madeleine pan since 2018 and only made these twice because of the “eat them all fresh” recommendation. However, this last time, I stored them in an airtight container, covered in wax paper and then with a damp paper towel–the same storage recommendation for making tea sandwiches a day ahead. They are still delicious late on day three with that storage method. I’m quite confident I’ll get the last of them eaten up tomorrow and am now looking forward to making them much more often!
Great tip, Laura! So glad you enjoy these.
Can you used fruit powder to give these a flavor punch? A raspberry sounds exquisite- but I feel using fresh berries would add too much moisture and offset the delicate balance.
Also, how long would you suggest for mini-madeleines?
Hi Sam, we haven’t tested a version with fruit powderโwe’re sure you could, but it would take some tweaking of the other dry ingredients to ensure the batter isn’t overly dry. We’re unsure of the exact bake time for mini madeleines, as it will depend on the exact size of your mini pan. Let us know if you do any experimenting!
Brilliant although didn’t rise as much as I hope. I covered them in chocolate on one half.
I made the madeleines earlier today, but after leaving the batter in the fridge for only 30 minutes, i saw that it was almost solid. I let it sit out for five minutes before putting it in the tray but the rise on them was minimal and they looked quite… sad. lol. for the remaining batter, I let it sit out at room temp while the first batch baked, and then did an additional temperature shock by preheating the oven to 400 degrees for two minutes and then lowering the temp to 350 for a shorter time. the second batch looks slightly better, but i definitely would make some changes to this recipe/my technique for next time.
Can I still make this if I donโt have a specific Madeline pan? What would I use?
Hi A, a mini muffin pan works, but the texture of the little cakes will be different, they will be similar to brown butter berry tea cakes. You really need the scallop pan to produce the iconic crisp edges, though!
We love madeleines and this is a very good recipe! Can I make it with cake flour?
Hi Rebecca, for best results, we recommend sticking with all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Tried this recipe earlier today and it was absolutely delicious! I used a mix of orange and lemon zest, added a pinch of dried thyme, and browned the butter โ highly recommend it. The nutty, caramelized flavor from the browned butter is seriously addictive.
I also dipped half the batch in chocolateโฆ so good!
Canโt wait to make it again.
Hi sally! Everything worked super well with the recipe, except that my madeleines baked lopsided. I do use a silicone tray to bake then and i bake then with the oven fan on. Would u know what went wrong?
Hi Munira, I’m sorry to hear this! Happy to help troubleshoot. All our recipes are tested with and for conventional oven bake settings, not fan-assisted. That could possibly be the cause here, because fan ovens can cause baked goods to bake unevenly.
Is it possible to double the ingredients if I want ti make 40 madeleines?
We recommend making multiple batches instead of doubling for best results!
These quantities yield 18-20 cookies – what size? My tray’s madeleines are 2.7″ (6.8cm) long.
Hi Claudio, It sounds like you have a standard size pan so the recipe should still yield 18-20 cookies for you. Enjoy!
My madeleine pan makes 12, and it works well for me to use half the batter each time for two batches and 24 madeleines total.
Hi Dear Sally,
Can I use self raising flour for my madeleines, rather than all purpose flour?
Cheers,
Noelle
Hi Noelle, we donโt recommend using self rising flour in this recipe. It would take additional recipe testing to ensure accurate results.
Hi Sally!!
My previous baking failed whenever the recipe ask for me to put the batter/ckie dough/etc into the refridgerator as mine is way colder compared to others. Is it possible to reduce the time in the fridge or any alternatives to this?
Hi Uri, yes, if your refrigerator runs especially cold, you can reduce the chill time as needed. Hope this helps!
Made at least four times, wonderful recipe. It’s true they are best day-of. Twice I used two tablespoons of orange zest, then dipped in white chocolate with more orange zest (and a little orange food coloring). Once added hazelnut crumbs, but the nuts overpowered the delicate orange. Won’t do that again. Thanks, Sally, for another great recipe. My pastry-loving friend proclaimed, “This is the best madeleine I’ve ever eaten.”
Sally’s recipes are fantastic! I’ve made eight different times , all perfectly following the instructions (no overmixing!). My kids and I love them; they’re now a family favorite.
Hi, I’ve tried baking madeleines before but they just taste like normal butter cake just in a different shape. I remember Madeleines usually have a unique taste to it. Is there a reason for that or did I do something wrong?
Hi Naomi, madeleines have a signature buttery taste, but did they taste a bit heavy, like pound cake? It could be that your batter was overmixed. An easy fix for next time!
An amazing recipeโฆas usual! I have made madeleines many times but first time for this recipe. I did brown the butter but otherwise followed the instructions carefully. They are beautifully rich and fluffy.
love mads, love this recipe–perfect taste and texture–I have 4 Wilton non-stick mad pans and even brushing them with butter generously as you suggest, about half of mine stuck in places. The ones on the lower part of the oven did better but even those pans had a few “stick”…..
What else can I do to prevent this??? thanks!
Hi Geoffrey, how was the texture of the madeleines? It could be that they were slightly over baked if some of them stuck, even with generous greasing. You could try decreasing the bake time ever so slightly next time. And again, just making sure those pans are generously brushed with melted butter is key! We’re glad you still enjoyed them!
I have found that mixing flour into melted butter makes a very good release for my madeleine pan. Just a suggestion… 2 tablespoons unsalted butter + 1 1/2 tsp all purpose flour.
Hi Sally,
Can you make them in a Vitamix blender?
Hi Diane, because of the gentle folding and stirring needed in steps 4 & 5, we don’t recommend a blender as it could overwork the batter.
Love the recipe! I was thinking of making different flavors, maybe chocolate or matcha. Is it possible to simply add the cacao/matcha powder in the step with the flour or is it more complicated than that?
Thank you!
Hi Nicole, it would take some testing to adjust this recipe for different flavors. Let us know if you try anything!
I always love your recipes, Sally, and impress lots of friends and relatives with them!
I am now attempting these madelines, per my husbandโs request. Have you ever tried preserving the batter for a few days, to make a second batch fresh? If it is then left to rest at room temp for a half hour, would it be the same result as the refrigerator step that is there, anyway? I really donโt want to eat 24 madelines in 24 hours โฆ though Iโm sure it is possible!
Hi Khristen, the batter is best baked right away. Sorry we can’t help more!
Do you know how much cocoa powder I would have to add to make them chocolate?
Hi Farhana, cocoa powder or melted chocolate are both unique ingredients and adding either would require a little recipe testing. Unfortunately, itโs not an easy swap with all-purpose flour. Let us know if you find a chocolate madeleine recipe you love or play around with this recipe.
Hi, this is the second time Iโve made madelineโs and the other was a different recipe. I felt like both times the madelineโs didnโt get the shape I wanted – the grooves of the shell werenโt defined and you couldnโt really tell what it was. My pan is from Sur la Table, could that be the issue, or could it be something else? They tasted very good though!
I just made these and they are delicious! And very easy to make. One question I have is if I want to take these to a potluck supper is it ok to transport them in Tupperware? Or is there a better way to make sure they still taste good when I get there?
Hi Cindy, Madeleines are best enjoyed right after baking, but if you’re transporting them shortly thereafter, a Tupperware container should work well. So glad you enjoyed them!
I make a special dessert with 2 madeleines put together with whipped cream, have you tried something like this with this recipe?
Hi Cathy, we haven’t tried it, but it sounds delicious!
I want to try making Madelines dipped in chocolate. Do I still need to add the lemon zest if I’m dipping them in chocolate or should I just maybe double up on the vanilla? Can’t wait to try making these! Thank you….
Hi Debbie, you can leave out the lemon if you’re planning to dip them in chocolate. Enjoy!