2018 baking goal = let’s step outside our comfort zone. Let’s start with 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!
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 the $12. Here’s the pan I own and highly recommend along with the 1000+ other people on Amazon!!
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 350°F (177°C). 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 heavy– no 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. 🙂
- 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 (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter (plus another 2 Tbsp 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* (spoon & 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 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.
- 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, 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; you no longer need the mixer.)
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Using a 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 to 350°F (177°C).
- Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the 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. 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): Stand Mixer | Zester | Pastry Brush | Madeleine Pan | Sifter
- Flour: Sift flour before measuring.
- Adapted from From Julia Child’s Kitchen (I reduced the sugar, oven temperature, sifted the flour, added baking powder, and did not flour the pan)
Keywords: Madeleines
I had to read through so much rubbish to get to the recipe and no where could i find what temp the oven should be, i certainly hope these will be worth all the effort of going up and down the page many, many times to try and figure this out!
Hi Anne, the oven temperature is given in step 7. You can use the Jump to Recipe button at the top of the page to get to the recipe, or you can use another website if you don’t like the way I present my free content. Thanks for your feedback, and I do hope you enjoy these. They are a favorite.
After all my complaining above the madelines were delicious, thank you!
These madeleines are ridiculously good. I’d dare say better than some I tried in Paris. Crispy on the outside, pillowy in the middle and not eggy at all. Perfection. How do i store them? Thanks for sharing this superb recipe.
★★★★★
can madeleines be frozen
Hi Maria, we don’t recommend it. They dry out very quickly, so you’ll lose a lot of texture that way.
I followed the recipe exactly , they were perfect! VICTORY!!!
Thank you
★★★★★
Thanks for the detailed recipe. I can’t wait to make them. Do you have a recipe for chocolate madeleines as I’d like to try that. Thanks
Hi Ange, Cocoa powder or real chocolate are both unique ingredients and adding either would require a little recipe testing. Unfortunately, it’s 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.
I made these today. I was apprehensive, but I’d just bought a Madeleine tin (6) and pushed on. They came out terrific! Humps and all! I put powdered sugar on some and dipped one side of the others in melted chocolate. I’m giving away most of them to my niece because 2 of us can’t eat 18 of them. I’m bummed that they won’t stay fresh longer, but I’m not buying the ones from Entenmann’s or the supermarket again. Great recipe….all the advice and information was spot on.
★★★★★
My first time making these and they were delicious! Great recipe to follow with step by step instructions. Are there any other variations besides a lemony butter flavor? Thinking of something that can have a chocolate dip to it, orange, or even a honey lavender flavor? Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Mary, we’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe! We’ve only tested this flavor, but those other variations sound delicious. Some readers have reported success using orange zest instead of lemon zest, and you can swap some of the vanilla for other flavors, too. Let us know what you try!
Bravo Sally! I’m an American living in France. I’m an experienced baker, but madelaines have always defeated me. Until now! This recipe, along with the comprehensive directions produced absolutely perfect madeleines. Even my French friends are impressed. I feel like Proust’s grandmother!
★★★★★
These were simply fabulous. Your directions and the techniques you shared made it super easy. Thank you for teaching me!
★★★★★
The way you explain Sally !!!!
We don’t need anything more !!!! You are a wonderful teacher
Thank you very much ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Great easy to follow recipe thank you. Question. If I use a butter substitute like Smart Balance will the results be the same? We have a family member who is allergic to all dairy products.
★★★★★
Hi Margie, we haven’t tested this recipe with any dairy-free alternatives, so we’re unsure how the results will be impacted. Let us know if you do any experimenting.
Searching for a Madeline recipe online and found this. Loved the step by step photos.
I have not made Madeleines for over 40 years. This recipe is foolproof and made the most delicious. Silly mistake on my part that I overfilled the tray. Next time I will know better – practice makes perfect
I will also experiment with extracts: almond, orange etc.
Thank you
★★★★★
Perfect!! Baked as part of my partner’s birthday celebrations and came out exactly as described. He loved them!
Flavor was good, but I followed the recipe to a T, and they came out spongy; the shell shape was riddled with holes, and the edges were scraggly. I beat for the 8 minutes; maybe it was too much?
Hi JanMo, these should come out crisp on the edges, soft and cake-like in the center. Madeleines are like little petite spongy cakes.
Best recipe ever.
Came out perfect after 2 tries, will recommend
★★★★★
I love this recipe. Just sweet enough. Light and delicious. Perfect! Thank you. I am looking for a savory Madeline recipe. Any thoughts?
Hi Jill! I bet there are some fun ways to add herbs and seasonings to this, and reduce the sugar. I have not personally tried it though. Let me know if you find a savory madeleine recipe you love!
Love this recipe, essentially my go to when making Madelines. Thanks Sally!
★★★★★
Hi. Any recommendations for baking these at a higher altitude? We are at 7500 ft. Thanks
Hi Glenda, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Hi Sally! Just wondering – if you do brown the butter do you need to use more than the recommended 1 stick/115grams? Or should I brown the butter ahead of time and then take 115 grams out of that?
Hi Sheryce! The second option – you’ll need to brown a bit extra butter so you can start with 115g for this recipe.
Hey Sally!
I dont have madeline pans, would mini bundt cake pans or mini cupcakes pans work alright?
Hi Christian, 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!
Can’t wait to try these! Have you tried/had any success with making just half the recipe?
Hi Nan, You should be able to cut the recipe in half with no problems. Enjoy!
This was an amazing recipe! Ive made it twice since discovering it and everyone loves it!
★★★★★
Great recipe. we love the results. They did not last a day.
★★★★★
Just made these and they worked out great. First time making madeleines. I’ve always used a metal spoon to fold in flour/for airy mixtures, and I’m curious why you use wooden spoon? As I’ve always been taught to never use a wooden spoon with airy mixes. (I used metal spoon when I made them – sticking to what I know!)
Hi Hari, that should read only a rubber spatula—and not the wooden spoon option. Metal spoon is great too.
Since madeleines dry out quickly and are not recommended to be frozen, how long can the batter stay in the fridge? There are just 2 of us and eating 20 madeleines in one day is extreme.
Hi Sonia, the batter should be baked right away. You could try halving the recipe instead!
I mixed some honey madeline batter 4 days ago and only baked half on the day. Just baked the rest of the mix and it was still delicious
This recipe is awesome tasty! Thousand thanks!
★★★★★
Just made these! Love love love thank you!
Hello! Love this recipe! Do you have any concerns about multiplying the recipe for larger quantities?
We recommend making separate batches instead of multiplying this recipe. Enjoy!
Thanks for this recipe, Sally! I’m new to baking so just blindly followed the recipe to the T. But my Madeleine has turned out more cake-y than Madeleine-y. Tastes delicious, but soft and wobbly. Only the edges are crisp. I was expecting the out part to be harder and the inner part to be soft. What are the common mistakes? Could you guide me please 🙂
Hi Shreya Sinha, what you are describing sounds exactly like the recipe should come out. Crisp on the edges, soft and cake-like in the center. Madeleines are like little petite cakes. Sounds like you did everything right, which is great because this can be a tricky recipe.
Would it be good Toto whisk the egg white first
Hi Zoe, we whisk the whole egg and sugar together. Enjoy!
Sounds like you can’t store these very long, is there any possibility of freezing before baking or once baked? Just trying to figure out how to prepare them ahead of time. Thank you!
Hi Vera, Madeleines are best enjoyed right after baking. We don’t recommend freezing them (the batter or the baked madeleines), you’ll lose a lot of texture.
I have kept them in an airtight box for four days and they taste great. Not the same texture as day 1 but still good.
★★★★★
Hi! My question: Aren”t the madeleines shell shape on both sides?
In your photo in the baking pan the tops are just rising without any
shell pattern. How do I get the shell pattern on both sides?
Thanks!
Madeleines traditionally are not shell shaped on both sides. For this effect, you need a special tool that looks like a waffle iron, but I don’t believe there is one. You can try and clamp together two trays, but I don’t see the point, they are perfect the way they are 🙂