French Madeleines

Name: French Madeleines
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 3 large eggs (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Soft, buttery French madeleines. You don't need to make a trip to France to get perfectly baked madeleines.

Ingredients

There are only a few basic ingredients you need to make madeleines which makes them such a great treat to bake last-minute!

Butter - The best part about these little cakes is how delightfully buttery they are. We use unsalted butter so we can control how much salt is in them
Sugar - Granulated sugar is required for this recipe. I do not recommend trying other types of sugar unless you want to try a different flavor profile.
Salt - Sea salt is the best in this recipe. I don't recommend kosher or table salt.
Flour - We use all-purpose flour here, but I've also had luck using cake flour which gives an even lighter and more tender crumb.
Baking powder - I recommend aluminum-free baking powder. For the best results, ensure your baking powder is fresh.
Egg - Use large eggs, at room temperature for the best results.
Vanilla extract - I recommend a pure vanilla extract, but this recipe is also amazing using vanilla beans, if you have them.
Lemon zest (optional) - A light sprinkling of lemon zest brightens the treats and gives them their signature flavor, but you do not need to include it if you don't have any available.

How to make

There are a lot of different methods for making madeleines. This particular recipe is a simplified recipe that is great for someone just learning how to make madeleines.

We use a creaming method that is the same we use for making a cake or cupcake. This makes the process very simple and easy for first time madeleine bakers.

Are madeleines hard to make?

No, they aren't any harder to make than any cake or cookie. I would say the hardest part is understanding the amount of batter to put inside each of the wells in the pan. It is easy to overflow them.

My trick for crisp edges and a clear shell pattern

The best thing to do to get the signature crisp, buttery edges and a distinct shell pattern is to freeze your prepped pan before you fill them to bake. Give the pan a thin coating of melted butter and a light dusting of flour. Keep the pan in the freezer until you are ready to bake.

Madeleine F.A.Q

Are madeleines a cookie or a cake?

This is one of the great debates about this dainty and delicious little treat. They're small and often dunked in tea or coffee like cookies sometimes are, but they have the tender airiness of a cake. The truth is, they are indeed little cakes. If you want to refer to them as cookies though, that's okay.

Do they really need to be freshly made every time?

No. These buttery bites are best fresh and warm from the oven, but they are still delicious even days after you make them.

Why do you need to use a special pan to make them?

No one really knows exactly why madeleines have its distinct shell pattern, but it is believed it has to do with its origin in Commercy in Lorraine, France. Without the pan, you don't get the buttery and crisp edges, and the overall texture just won't be right.

Do I really need to buy a special pan just for one recipe?

If you love madeleines, then yes, it is totally worth it. You just don't get the same textures and flavors using anything else. This pan is the one I use and recommend. It isn't huge, so it's easy to store away.

How to serve

If you're planning to serve madeleines for a special occasion, or just want to create a fun experience with them, you can get as creative as you want with your madeleines.

Serve them with different coffees and teas. It would be so much fun to dip a freshly made madeleine in whipped coffee.

You can also top them with a glaze or melted chocolate. From there you can also top them with candied citrus peels, chopped nuts, freeze-dried fruits, and more.

Get adventurous and try something new!

Recipes you may also enjoy

If you're a fan of madeleines, you may want to try these chocolate madeleines, chocolate grapefruit madeleines, brown butter pecan madeleines, brown butter lavender madeleines, and rose vanilla bean madeleines.

Recipe Card