French Madeleines are light, airy, cake-like cookies that are easy to whip up and will remind you of your favorite Parisian bakery. You can flavor them any way you like, and you don’t need any special equipment to make them!
These light-as-air tea cakes are delicate and unique, and so French. After falling in love with French Madeleines during a summer I spent in Paris, I was determined to perfect them in my own kitchen.
You’ll be thrilled to know that even though these cookies might seem fancy, they are actually quite easy to make. They require the most basic baking ingredients – flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, sugar, and butter – and you probably already have everything on hand.
Maybe the best part is the only piece of special equipment you’ll need is a Madeline pan. And I will let you in on a little secret that I discovered in Paris – you can use a mini muffin pan instead!
I share step-by-step photos to guide you through the process. Give these a try and have fun with it!
What Are Madeleines?
This beautiful, delicate treat originated in a town called Commercy in the Lorraine region of northeastern France.
Madeleines are pretty little shell-shaped treats made from génoise cake batter, which is a sponge cake batter with melted butter added. The batter is baked in a special pan, which has shell-shaped cavities that create the traditional Madeleines look.
You might be wondering, is a Madeleine a Cake or a Cookie? They are unique in the sense that they’re shaped like cookies, but taste like cake.
Classic French Madeleines Recipe
In this section I explain the ingredients in more detail. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Ingredients in French Madeleines
- Flour – we use regular all-purpose flour here, and sift or whisk it with the other dry ingredients to remove any lumps
- Baking powder – our leavening agent
- Salt – for flavor
- Eggs – use “large” size eggs and make sure they’re at room temperature
- Sugar – regular granulated white sugar
- Vanilla bean paste – or vanilla extract
- Almond extract – this is optional; it adds just a hint of almond flavor and aroma
- Unsalted butter – the butter should be melted and cooled, but not yet starting to re-harden
- More butter and flour – for the pan to help make sure the Madeleines don’t stick
How to Make French Madeleines
- Add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl.
- Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until the mixture thickens and is fluffy, pale yellow, and about double in volume. When it’s ready, the batter should fall off the beater in ribbons. Beat in the vanilla bean paste and almond extract.
- Beat in the flour mixture 1/3 at a time until combined, being careful not to over-mix. (Or use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour so you’re more likely not to over-mix.)
- This is how the sponge cake batter looks once all the flour is mixed in.
- Add the melted and cooled butter and beat just until incorporated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a Madeleine pan.
- Add a slightly scant 1.5 tablespoon scoop of batter to the buttered and floured wells of the pan. Don’t tap the tray to flatten the batter, we want it airy. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the Madeleines comes out clean, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the Madeleines to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the Madeleines are cooled, you can dust them with powdered sugar or decorate them with any toppings you like.
Storage
If you want the absolute best experience with this superb French confection, I recommend eating Madeleines while they’re still warm, paired with a cup of tea or espresso. I usually don’t even bother dusting them with powdered sugar because I think they’re sweet enough on their own, and I love the texture of the crisp, golden exterior.
But if you have to store them, you can pop them into an airtight container layered between pieces of parchment paper. Stored this way, you can keep Madeleines on the counter for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Pro Tips
- Don’t rush the ribboning process. This is what gives these French cookies their distinctive light and airy texture.
- Yes, you really do need to butter and flour the pan. Even if you use a good nonstick Madeleine pan, we need an extra layer of security to make sure our gorgeous, delicate treats don’t stick!
- Don’t skip the chill time. Letting the batter rest in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes gives it the time it needs to thicken, and helps us achieve the iconic Madeleine hump or bump.
- Don't tap the tray down to try to flatten the batter after scooping it into the pan. We want the batter as airy as possible for the lightest, most delicate Madeleines!
- Feel free to flavor these any way you like. Here we use vanilla with a hint of almond, but lemon is traditional. You can use 1/2 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest if you want lemon flavored Madeleines.
French Madeleines FAQs
What Do Madeleines Taste Like?
Madeleines taste like a buttery sweet sponge cake with a moist, cake-like crumb inside and a crisp, golden exterior. You can flavor them with anything you like, such as lemon zest, vanilla extract, almond extract, etc. Or go with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg.
What Are Madeleines Made Of?
French Madeleines are made of génoise cake batter, which is a type of sponge cake batter that has melted butter incorporated. Génoise cake is soft, fluffy, and airy, but with a small, tight crumb. These pretty little cookie-shaped cakes are lovely with a cup of tea.
What is Ribboning?
When you’re making French Madeleines (or any type of génoise batter), we use a method called ribboning to whip the eggs and sugar. Here’s how to do it:
- Let your eggs come to room temperature.
- Add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl.
- Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until the mixture thickens and is fluffy, pale yellow, and about double in volume. When it’s ready, the batter should fall off the beater in ribbons.
Note that this process will take about 8 to 10 minutes using a handheld electric mixer or about 4 to 5 minutes using an electric stand mixer.
What is a Madeleine Pan?
A Madeline pan is a special baking tray that has scallop shell shaped molds for making these pretty little treats. For the best results, look for a nonstick pan that heats evenly to ensure your Madeleines won’t stick and they all cook at the same rate.
It bears noting that in Paris, I found Madeleines that weren’t shaped like shells at quite a few different pastry shops and bakeries! If you don’t have a Madeleine pan, you can make these cookies without a mold. Simply use a nonstick mini muffin pan or even a regular nonstick muffin pan instead (but still butter and flour it).
What is the Hump on Madeleines?
The signature hump on Madeleines is characteristic of this type of baked good, and is thought to be a hallmark of well-baked Madeleines.
Because we chill the batter before baking, the extreme difference in temperature causes the batter to expand quickly and creates the hump.
What Are the Best Toppings for Madeleines?
When I was in Paris, I most frequently found Madeleines in pâtisseries without any toppings at all! The cookies are so delicately flavored with the perfect level of sweetness, they really don’t need a topping.
However, I also saw plenty of Madeleines in France topped with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar. Additionally, there were Madeleines either dipped in chocolate or with a chocolate drizzle on top.
With that being said, the sky is the limit in terms of toppings for Madeleines! If you dip or drizzle them with chocolate, you can also add sprinkles or sanding sugar before the chocolate sets.
More French Desserts to Make
- Drinking Chocolate (French Hot Chocolate) – this couldn’t be easier to make, and tastes like a melted chocolate bar
- Apple Pie French Macarons – a French classic with step-by-step photos to guide you through the process
Did You Make This?
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Xoxo, Faith
French Madeleines Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Classic Madeleines:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
Other:
- Butter for the pan
- All-purpose flour for the pan
Optional Topping Ideas:
Instructions
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk or sift to combine.
- Add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until the mixture thickens and is fluffy, pale yellow, and about double in volume. When it’s ready, the batter should fall off the beater in ribbons. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes using a handheld electric mixer or about 4 to 5 minutes using an electric stand mixer.
- Beat in the vanilla bean paste and almond extract.
- Beat in the flour mixture 1/3 at a time until combined, being careful not to over-mix. (Or use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour so you’re more likely not to over-mix.)
- Add the melted and cooled butter and beat just until incorporated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a Madeleine pan.
- Add a slightly scant 1.5 tablespoon scoop of batter to the buttered and floured wells in the pan. Don’t tap the tray to flatten the batter, we want it airy.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cookies comes out clean, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the Madeleines to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once they’re cooled, you can dust them with powdered sugar. Alternatively, you can drizzle melted chocolate on top or dip them in melted chocolate. If you want, top with sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
Faith's Tips
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 3 dozen cookies, or 18 servings (each serving is 2 cookies).
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the optional toppings.
- Madeline Pan: The wells in the Madeleine pan I used to make these are 3 inches tall by 2 inches wide.
- To Make Madeleines Without a Mold: In Paris, I found Madeleines that weren’t shaped like shells at quite a few different pastry shops and bakeries! If you don’t have a Madeleine pan, you can make these cookies without a mold. Simply use a nonstick mini muffin pan or even a regular nonstick muffin pan instead (but still butter and flour it).
- Storage: These are best enjoyed the first day. But if you have to store them, you can pop them into an airtight container layered between pieces of parchment paper. Stored this way, you can keep Madeleines on the counter for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
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