Best Madeleines (French Butter Cakes)

  4.6 – 257 reviews  • France

Very quick and simple pie. This pie is perfect if you or someone you know likes strawberries.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Servings: 12
Yield: 1 dozen

Ingredients

  1. ¼ cup butter
  2. 2 large eggs
  3. ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  4. ⅛ teaspoon salt
  5. ⅓ cup white sugar
  6. ½ cup all-purpose flour
  7. 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  8. ⅓ cup granulated sugar for decoration

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter and flour 12 (3-inch) madeleine molds; set aside.
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  3. Melt butter and let cool to room temperature.
  4. Beat eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small mixing bowl at high speed until light. Gradually add sugar and continue beating at high speed until mixture is thick and pale and ribbons form in bowl when beaters are lifted, 5 to 10 minutes.
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  6. Sift flour into the egg mixture, a third at a time, gently folding after each addition.
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  8. Add lemon zest and pour melted butter around the edge of the batter. Quickly but gently fold butter into the batter.
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  10. Spoon batter into molds; it will mound slightly above tops.
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  12. Bake until cakes are golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertip, 14 to 17 minutes.
  13. Use the tip of the knife to loosen madeleines from the pan; invert onto a rack. Immediately sprinkle warm cookies with granulated sugar.
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  15. Enjoy!
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  17. Madeleines are best eaten the day they’re baked. Leftover madeleines are wonderful when dunked into coffee or tea.
  18. Omit lemon zest. Increase sugar to 1/2 cup. Substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons of the flour; sift into the batter with flour.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 109 kcal
Carbohydrate 15 g
Cholesterol 41 mg
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Protein 2 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Sodium 63 mg
Sugars 11 g
Fat 5 g
Unsaturated Fat 0 g

Reviews

Dr. Roger Tucker DDS
They were a hit. Devoured immediately.
Christopher Hill
Tastes great! I substituted almond extract for vanilla cause I think it goes in madeleines better. The only complaint I have is that it only made 8, not 12, and when I checked them at 12 minutes, they were past done (unusual for my oven to cook faster than the suggested time). I also don’t see much of a shell pattern, and am curious if that’s cause I butter/sugared the mold instead of butter/floured. Perhaps the mold isn’t great.
Hunter Padilla DDS
Very simple and great receipe to make, taste great.
Harry Mcclure
I think my pans are darker and more shallow so I turned down my temp to 350 degrees and did for 7-9 minutes. They are perfect.
Tammy Moore
Perfect recipe.
Douglas Green
The batter was just like the video until I added the flour and the butter. Then it became very stiff and no longer smooth looking. It had to be pushed into the mold. I thought they were supposed to be more cookie like, but they were like a cake. My oven cooks everything so hot even though the temp was regulated. Perhaps I cooked them a bit long. Did 14 minutes.
James Burgess
Madeleines have become my new favorite treat recently but this was the first time I made them. I achieved the characteristic bump so I’m proud of that. I overfilled some of the molds but got better with the latter ones. I should have gone with a shorter baking time but will know next time. These are good but I too prefer the denser version I buy in the store. Maybe that’s not how they’re supposed to be but it’s what I like.
Christopher Singh
I made two separate batches of cookies with this recipe. While they taste very good, I had difficulty getting them the yellow golden appearance. First mistake was mine, I followed directions and foolishly sprayed the WS Gold touch non stick pan with baking Pam. The cookies taste a little overdone and are brown in appearance. (My fault) The second batch I wised up and didn’t spray the non stick pan, followed directions perfectly and cooked them 14 mins and again, light brown (not as dark as the first though). I have a thermometer inside the oven so it’s spot on. Not sure what is happening though. Also, the ingredients made 16 cookies which is what my pan offers. They stuck slightly to the pan as well. I would recommend trying this recipe as many had great success. I’m sure there is user error somewhere along the line.
Elizabeth Smith
This is a super easy recipe to follow, and it produces a light airy madeleine. Really tasty. But if you’re baking directly after making the batter, it will not have the little mound that madeleines should have. I suggest chilling it in the fridge for an hour or more. Ensure your pan is properly greased and floured before spooning batter onto pan. This recipe got me 25pcs of madeleines, I’m not sure how it only rendered a dozen for others who have tried this recipe?
Kyle Mata
This recipe makes a fantastic product. I have successfully veganized it as well (using Earth Balance ‘butter’ in lieu of butter and Ener-G egg replacer in lieu of egg) and the recipe still turns out fabulously. I’ve also successfully doubled it and the product is just as consistent. My only comment is that I have NEVER gotten 12 cakes out of the recipe. Even with careful measuring, scraping, and not stealing a single taste, I have, at most, gotten 10 cakes out of a recipe (this includes following the recipe as written).
Shawn Jacobs
Turned out great! I cooked mine for 15 but they came out a little over cooked, still delicious though! I would add a little less lemon zest next time just because of personal preference. Also for new bakers like me, the eggs and vanilla and salt need to be beat for a while to get them the proper amount of fluffy- I had to watch the video to find this out! Not the recipes fault, just thought I’d clarify 🙂
Angela White
Don’t fill the molds too full! These turned out perfectly, except for the ones where I overfilled the molds (and even those were delicious, just not as even in color). A definite keeper!
Carrie Cross
Great recipe! True Madeleines are light and airy like sponge cake and a little crisp on the outside. (Not like Starbucks)
Karen Lopez
I have tried 3 different recipes and this is the official winner. Followed directions. Madeleine Dish: I tried 2 different ways. I couldn’t see or taste a difference. 1) Butter and flour – Most of them came out easy. 2 were a bit more difficult. 2) Avocado Oil Spray and Flour – Popped right out. No issue. Baking: – My oven runs hot. 9 – 10 minutes was perfect. Anything more than 10 minutes bake time it would burn them.
David Garcia
This is an amazing recipe. I have used this so many times whether it’s for friends or just for fun.
Joel Lewis
For quick, easy and GREAT tasting madeleines this recipe is the best I have come across. Unlike the batter into the fridge and wait recipe, this goes directly to the pan and into the oven. This is now my go to recipe. And yes, Starbucks is a Madeleine shaped sponge cake. Cheers.
Meghan Benitez
Fantastic, easy recipe – used 1/2 cup of sugar.
Elizabeth Wilcox MD
Overall, good! Good taste and my family enjoyed them. A little too mild for my taste buds… if that makes sense? A little too much lemon and not enough of that delicious buttery favour. However, this one is very light and bakes well! Great place to start, nothing wrong, just not great.
Shawn Booker
This recipe was yummy! We made it in the morning and buy lunch time they were all eaten up. I did chill them for 30 minutes before baking. After baking We sprinkled it with sugar, the lemon zest is really good. I had planned on dipping them in chocolate but it was wonderful without. We will be making them again.
Virginia Holden
Very happy with the result, delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and baked for 14 minutes.
Gwendolyn Rhodes
Recipe says to bake @375 for 14-17 minutes. I have a convention oven so I cooked for about 12 minutes at 375 and these cookies burned.

 

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