Description
Delightfully light and buttery, these classic French Madeleines are tender shell-shaped sponge cakes with a subtle almond flavor. Perfectly crisp on the edges and soft inside, they are excellent as a teatime treat or elegant dessert, dusted with confectioners’ sugar or brightened up with fresh lemon zest for a citrus twist.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup super-fine almond flour (or replace with more all-purpose flour)
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
Wet Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
- Madeleine pan(s) or mini muffin pan
- Baking spray with flour (such as Pam Baking or Baker’s Joy)
Instructions
- Prepare pans: Spray the madeleine or mini muffin pans thoroughly with baking spray that contains flour to ensure the cakes release easily after baking. Set aside the pans for batter filling.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, salt, and confectioners’ sugar until well combined, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Combine wet and dry: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. Gradually add the flour and sugar mixture to the eggs, whisking until the batter becomes evenly combined. Then add the melted butter, honey, and vanilla extract and continue whisking until the batter is smooth and has thickened slightly.
- Fill pans and chill: Transfer the batter into a large liquid measuring cup for easy pouring. Carefully fill each mold in the madeleine pan almost to the top with batter. Refrigerate the filled pans for at least 1 hour or overnight to allow the batter to firm up, which helps achieve the characteristic madeleine hump when baked.
- Preheat oven: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and position a rack in the center of the oven. Prepare a cooling rack by covering it with parchment paper to avoid indentation marks on the madeleines after baking.
- Bake the madeleines: Bake one pan at a time for 11 to 13 minutes. They are done when pale and firm to the touch on top with golden edges. Keep an eye to ensure the tops remain light in color since the bottoms brown faster. After baking, cool the madeleines in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Cool and serve: Use a butter knife to gently lift the edges and transfer the madeleines to the prepared cooling rack, shell-side up. Let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges are crisp. Serve warm and dust with additional confectioners’ sugar if desired.
- Storage: Store leftover madeleines at room temperature on a plate in a single layer, loosely covered with foil. They stay fresh and crisp for up to 1 day.
- Optional lemon variation: For lemon madeleines, add 2 packed teaspoons of lemon zest to the batter when you add the melted butter, honey, and vanilla for a bright citrus flavor.
- Pan choice note: Use a light-colored metal baking pan, as madeleines brown quickly in dark pans. If only dark pans are available, start checking doneness earlier between 8 to 10 minutes to prevent over-browning.
Notes
- Using baking spray with flour prevents sticking and is preferable to just greasing pans with butter or oil.
- Chilling the batter before baking is essential for developing the signature hump of traditional madeleines.
- The recipe works with mini muffin pans as an alternative to madeleine pans but the traditional shell shape is unique to madeleine molds.
- Almond flour adds a subtle nutty flavor and delicate texture, but can be replaced with more all-purpose flour if unavailable.
- For best results, serve madeleines the same day they are baked as they are crispest then.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes per pan
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
