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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cookies

    Madeleines (the Best, Easiest Recipe, with Video!)

    August 31, 2020 By Sam 599 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of madeleines, top plate full of madeleines dusted in powdered sugar, bottom picture of inside of cookie

    No resting, no tricky technique, just perfect, golden, light & airy Madeleines in under 30 minutes! I’m so proud to be sharing my recipe with you today, after weeks of testing I finally have a recipe for the best little butter cakes I’ve ever tasted and you won’t believe how easy they are!  Includes a how-to video in the recipe card!

    Madeleines arranged on marble board, pan in background

    These delicate cookies are shockingly easy to make considering how hard this recipe was for me to crack! Also known as French butter cakes, madeleines are well-known, easily-recognizable, sophisticated little cakes. They have a reputation for being fussy, and what they’re really known for is their scalloped shell-shape and their characteristic bump. It took weeks upon weeks to finally get this recipe perfected, but it was definitely worth it.

    If you’ve made madeleines before, you’ll notice that my recipe is fairly different from many traditional recipes. It also produces better results with simpler technique than traditional recipes. There’s no whipping our eggs to “ribbon” stage and there’s no long chilling period (or any chilling period at all). Just perfect madeleines that:

    • Are light and airy with a melt-in-your-mouth interior
    • Beautiful golden brown with just barely crisp exteriors.
    • Perfectly shell-shaped on one side with the classic madeleine “hump” on the other
    • Not at all fussy or difficult.

    Inside of Madeleine

    I’ve always been honest with you here. If fussy technique or extra time is needed for the best results, I’m going to encourage you to learn that technique or take that time. Despite my hatred of water baths, I teach you how to use one in my creme brûlée recipe, and I already have my fair share of fussier French recipes (cream puffs and petit fours, to name a few!) in which we’ve tackled different techniques. I was ready to spend paragraphs talking about how to ribbon and the importance of resting (I still talk about it a little below).

    But after weeks of testing, it turns out it isn’t necessary after all.

    Are They Cookies or Cakes?

    Technically, madeleines (or petite madeleines) are small butter cakes. However, because of their shape and size they’re often referred to as cookies. Truthfully they’re mostly like a cross between the two desserts (and who could ask for a better hybrid?). They’re a bit more dense than your average cake recipe, but much, much lighter and fluffier than any cookie.

    Whether you call them cookies or cakes, there are two absolutely key characteristics that all madeleines must have: A beautiful scalloped, shell-shaped exterior on one side and a pronounced hump on the other. Check and check ☑️ ☑️

    If you’re curious, here’s a brief history on the origins of madeleines.  

    Ingredients for Madeleines

    What You Need:

    • Butter. My madeleine recipe uses more butter than other recipes you might have tried or seen. It’s not a mistake, this creates more flavorful, more buttery, more delicious madeleines than you’ve seriously ever tasted before. For real. Melt the butter before you begin so that it has time to cool before you add it to your batter.
    • Eggs. You need just two eggs for this recipe. Large or extra large will work (and I’ve even used jumbo-sized with success).
    • Sugar. I use a blend of granulated and brown sugar. Many madeleine recipes strictly stick to granulated sugar, but adding brown sugar gives the madeleines a richer flavor, a more distinct golden-brown coloring, and it also encourages a little bit of extra caramelization where the batter makes contact with the shell indent in the pan. This adds so much flavor and an extra (slight) crispness to the exterior of the madeleine. It’s just so good! I use slightly more sugar than some traditional recipes, but I don’t recommend reducing the amount. It makes them delicious straight out of the oven, no dusting of powdered sugar or chocolate dip required.
    • Vanilla Extract and Salt. For flavor.
    • Flour. My recipe uses all-purpose (“plain”) flour. You’ll sift it into your batter (to remove any lumps in the flour) and gently fold in with a spatula. Madeleine batter is fairly thin, like cake batter.   
    • Citrus Zest (optional). Lemon or orange zest is a common addition, and if I have a fresh citrus fruit lying around I always add some (make sure to avoid the pith!). If you don’t, though, you can skip it and they’ll still be delicious.

    Please note that baking powder is not included on this list. Many madeleine recipes use baking powder to help encourage the madeleine hump/belly to form, but it is not necessary here. 

    Please also note that this is just an overview of the ingredients used. For the full recipe with amounts, please scroll down to the recipe card.

    Batter in Madeleine pan

    Another Key Ingredient: The Madeleine Pan

    Another key “ingredient” is the pan! You absolutely need a scalloped pan like the one seen above in order to make madeleines. It’s the only way to get that characteristic shape. This is the pan that I use. 

    I use a non-stick pan, but it’s still important to prep the pan before using to make sure that the madeleines don’t stick. Non-stick spray works, but my preference is to mix together melted butter and a pinch of flour and coat the pan with that. It gives the scalloped exterior shell of the madeleine a better, butterier flavor.

    freshly baked madeleines in pan with humps

    Ribboning and Resting (And Why I do Neither)

    Most madeleine recipes call for the batter to be both ribboned and rested before it is baked. My recipe calls for neither, though I tested many, many recipes where I tried both techniques before landing here.

    Ribboning (in this instance) is the process of whipping the eggs vigorously (usually with an electric mixer) until the batter is thickened and falls “like a ribbon” from the beater. This incorporates a lot of air into the batter and is typical of a genoise (or, “sponge cake”, which madeleines technically are). My recipe does require you to vigorously whisk the eggs/sugar/salt by hand for a few seconds, but it’s not necessary to go all the way to ribbon stage. With our higher ratio of butter and sugar here, we still end up with a light, delicately cakey interior without needing an electric mixer.

    Resting simply means chilling in this situation. Resting helps the batter to thicken and in many recipes it’s essential in order for the hallmark bump or hump of the madeleine to form. The idea is that the chilled batter expands quickly in a hot oven, causing the hump.

    Resting is critical with many recipes (even with my crepes I call for at least a half an hour of chilling to help the gluten relax). With some of the madeleine recipes I developed and tested, resting was critical or the madeleines ended up flat (or they spread with crackled edges out of the pan). But with this version, the madeleines still end up with a perfect, buttery-soft interior and that trademark bump, with or without resting.

    Two madeleines, both with rounded tops and finely crumbed centers
    Madeleine made with batter that has not been ribboned or rested (left) and Madeleine made with ribboned and rested batter (right)

    Your batter will thicken while the madeleines rest. If you have a single small pan like I do and need to wait for one batch to bake before using up the rest of the batter, you’ll notice it is much more stiff when you go to bake round two. This is fine and there’s no significant difference in the madeleines made with the thinner or thicker batter. That being said, if you want to make the batter a day or two in advance, you can store it tightly covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. 

    Toppings

    Many madeleine-makers top theirs off with a dusting of powdered sugar just before serving. This adds a nice extra sweetness to the cakes, but while I added some sugar for aesthetics in the photo below my recipe is perfectly sweetened so that no additional sugar is necessary.

    A chocolate coating (made of melting chocolate bars, melting wafers, or chocolate chips and then dipping the cakes) is another popular choice, but again it’s not necessary here. Never thought I’d say chocolate isn’t a necessity but somehow here we are.

    Madeleines dusted with powdered sugar on white plate

    More Recipes You Might Like:

    • Eclairs
    • Fruit Tart
    • Vanilla Cake
    • Boston Cream Cupcakes

    Storing

    Madeleines are truly best served fresh, shortly after they are made (even better if they’re still warm!). However, these will keep for up to three days in an airtight container at room temperature. They may also be frozen for at least a month if allowed to cool completely and then frozen in an airtight container. Again though, they’re better fresh! 

    Enjoy! I really can’t wait to hear how you like these, so please leave me a comment or tag me on Instagram when you try them!

    Madeleines arranged on marble board

    Madeleines (the Best, Easiest Recipe, with Video!)

    Learn how to make Madeleines like a pro! This foolproof recipe requires no fancy technique and no resting period, but makes flawless cookies (/butter cakes!) every time! Includes a how-to video!
    4.92 from 381 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 9 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 24 minutes minutes
    Servings: 20 Madeleines
    Calories: 119kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    For Coating the Pan:

    • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 ½ teaspoons all-purpose flour

    For Madeleines:

    • 10 Tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter cut into pieces
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
    • 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar firmly packed
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ¼ cup (155 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest optional

    Recommended Equipment

    • Madeleine pan
    • Sifter

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and whisk together 1 Tablespoon melted butter and 1 ½ teaspoons flour. Use a pastry brush to lightly but thoroughly grease every cavity of your madeleine pan. Set aside.
      1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 ½ teaspoons all-purpose flour
    • In a small heatproof bowl, melt remaining 10 Tablespoons of butter. Set aside to cool.
      10 Tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter
    • In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugars, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk vigorously until thoroughly combined (about 30 seconds).
      2 large eggs, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • Sift flour into the egg mixture, about ⅓ of the flour at a time, gently stirring into egg mixture after each addition.
      1 ¼ cup (155 g) all-purpose flour
    • Drizzle cooled melted butter around the edge of the batter and add zest, if using. Gently fold into batter using a spatula until ingredients are thoroughly combined (but do not over-mix).
      2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest
    • Drop batter by heaping Tablespoon into prepared pan.
    • Transfer to center rack of 375F (190C) preheated oven and bake for 9 minutes or madeleines are light golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. Remove to a cooling rack to cool immediately.
    • If your madeleine pan did not hold all of the batter, allow the pan to cool before re-brushing with butter/flour mixture and refilling with batter and baking your next batch.
    • If desired, sprinkle madeleines with additional powdered sugar or dip in melted chocolate before serving.

    Notes

    Storing

    Madeleines are best served fresh, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1madeleine | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laurie Wotus

      May 13, 2025 at 7:52 pm

      5 stars
      These are delicous! Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        May 14, 2025 at 10:51 am

        We are so happy you enjoyed them, Laurie! Thanks for the review ๐Ÿฉท

        Reply
    2. Kara

      May 05, 2025 at 12:05 pm

      5 stars
      Hi. Have you ever used lemon oil in your recipe here? I saw it in another madeleine recipe and Iโ€™m wondering how much you would use or which one to buy. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 06, 2025 at 9:51 pm

        Hi Kara! I have not tried lemon oil in this recipe.

        Reply
    3. Marisol

      May 04, 2025 at 1:12 am

      4 stars
      So my madeleines didnโ€™t come fluffy. I might have overmixed the batter as I used a whisk and not a spatula. The light brown sugar gave them a too brown color for my taste and even though I used lemon zest, the sweetness was overpowering. I will try again with less sugar.

      Reply
    4. Scottie

      April 30, 2025 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      I love, love, love this recipe. Thank You and this is my favorite cookie. โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        May 01, 2025 at 11:32 am

        We are so happy you love them, Scottie! Thanks for the review ๐Ÿฉท

        Reply
    5. Annemarie

      April 25, 2025 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe made 21 madeleines for me. Turned out very tasty. Next time I will definitely add lemon zest to brighten the flavor a bit!
      Great, easy and fast treat!

      Reply
    6. John minarik

      April 20, 2025 at 3:21 pm

      bottoms burned at 8 minutes in 375 degree oven. will probably turn to 350 for second tray.

      Reply
    7. Susie

      April 06, 2025 at 2:19 pm

      I make Madelines the regular way a lot and my friends and family love them. So I tried this recipe and you really canโ€™t taste the difference except for the regular ones might be a little more buttery tasting, but I definitely give them a thumbs up and they can be ready in 25 minutes from the time you start to the time you finish in the oven this girl knows what sheโ€™s doing

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 07, 2025 at 2:35 pm

        I’m glad you enjoyed them, Susie! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. L. Radlach

      April 05, 2025 at 3:00 pm

      5 stars
      Very good . Recipe was easy to follow.
      Made twenty.

      Reply
    9. Linda R

      April 05, 2025 at 2:56 pm

      I had no trouble making them . Got 21.
      They were very good.

      Reply
    10. Jacquie

      April 04, 2025 at 8:52 am

      Wondering if you think I could swap the vanilla extract for lemon extract. Or one teaspoon of each?

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 04, 2025 at 11:25 am

        Hi Jacquie! Lemon extract could be used, but it’s much more potent than vanilla extract so you will want to use less.

        Reply
    11. Grace

      April 02, 2025 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this recipe twice! The first time with brown sugar, the second without. I found that the baking time for me was longer than 9 min, more like 12-13 min in order for them to not be underdone. I also found that they were extremely delicious but a little dry, maybe because theyโ€™re so fluffy and airyโ€”even right out of the oven it felt not moist. The recipe does not make very many madeleines so you can use a small bowl for the batter.

      Reply
    12. Bonnie S

      March 23, 2025 at 2:18 am

      4 stars
      I had high hopes for this recipe. I followed the recipe using gm. measures. I got the “hump”. However, they are heavy in texture not light. Tasty, but dense. Suggestions?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 25, 2025 at 2:29 pm

        I’m so sorry to hear this happened, Bonnie! I would try whisking your egg and sugar mixture a little bit more to incorporate some more air in the madeleines next time. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Lorayne

        April 03, 2025 at 11:34 pm

        I love it!!! Just made madeleines for the first time ever and the recipe is perfect! Just a small note for people from other countries, especially Latin ones: the brown sugar we have here in Brazil (called mascavo) has a much more intense brown than the one she shows in the video, so my madeleines turned out a bit darker. I also used Persian lime zest and melted the butter in a pan, letting it “fry” a little to get brown butterโ€”separating the solids and straining it into the batterโ€”for that nutty scent and flavor.

        Reply
    13. Cheryl

      March 22, 2025 at 9:27 pm

      5 stars
      The recipe worked well, I followed it pretty exactly. So pleased to find such a quick recipe as I needed them that day.

      Reply
    14. Sam Cole

      March 16, 2025 at 10:29 am

      5 stars
      From on Sam to another! This recipe was so easy to follow and both my batches came out excellent! First time making them too, and they were a hit. I dipped on batch in dark chocolate w. Out the lemon zest. The second batch I added the lemon zest and dipped in white chocolate! Thank you!

      Reply
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