Classic French Madeleines

5 from 14 votes

Classic French Madeleines are one of the easiest, most delicious little tea cakes you can make. Their iconic shell shape makes them look as elegant as they taste, and it's clear why this French snack is so popular!

Prep Time22

Cook Time13

Waiting Time12

Total Time12 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings:

Calories: 82kcal

Author: Katalin Nagy

Equipment

Ingredients

110 g Brown butter Start with approx. 140g unsalted butter, brown it, then measure.
100 g Granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
15 g Whole milk
½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 Eggs room temp
125 g All purpose flour
3 g Baking powder

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Start by making brown butter: melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, cooking it until it turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
Finely zest the lemons into a small mixing bowl using a microplane grater then massage the lemon zest into the granulated sugar for a minute.
With the help of a hand whisk, mix the eggs and sugar until lightened and slightly thickened for about 3 minutes. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract.
Sift in flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture in 2-3 additions, mixing with a spatula to avoid overmixing.
Lastly, slowly fold in the cooled brown butter.
Cover the batter with parchment or cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours (or at least overnight).
When it´s time to bake, grease the madeleine pan cavities well first with melted butter and then dust with flour. Freeze the tin for 5 minutes and start pre-heating the oven to 200°C (390°F).
Fill each cavity with about a tablespoon of batter (or use a piping bag). The cavities should be filled about 75%. Freeze the pan again with the batter in for 5 minutes.
Bake the madeleines for 6 min at 200°C (390°F) and then for another 7 min at 180°C (355°F). The high temperature will help to achieve the classic "dome" style then the temperature need to be reduced for an even golden colour. Feel free to experiment with your own oven for the best results.
Once baked, immediately remove the madeleines from the tin and let them come to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar and serve them right after.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. However, the texture of the madeleines is best freshly baked, and they tend to dry out in a few hours.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES:

Measure your ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy.
The recipe can be made with melted butter as well. However, I recommend that you do not skip making brown butter.
Do not add more baking powder to achieve a higher bump. The classic madeleine bump is a complex matter, and you need to get several things right in your baking technique to achieve it. More baking powder won´t help.
You can use other flavorings such as fresh rosemary, tea leaves, orange zest, etc.

TECHNIQUE NOTES:

Make sure you read my Expert tips section above to maximize your success. A short recipe alone is not able to cover all the necessary details, and science behind baking.
While making the brown butter, cook the butter on medium heat and watch carefully so the butter doesn´t burn.
You should use the brown butter after it is not hot but before it solidifies.
You absolutely cannot skip the chilling time in the recipe. No chilling time, no signature bump on the madeleines.
Regarding how much you should fill the cavities, feel free to experiment. I find about 75% is the best. If you put in too much batter, the madeleines may overflow during baking, and the edges will brown too much. If you put in too little batter, the madeleines may turn out too small and not have the signature hump.
Feel free to experiment with different oven temperature settings and bake times. I find starting on higher oven temperature helps to achieve the bump, however, lowering the temperature later makes them baked more even colored without too brown spots.
If you want to double the recipe, follow these steps: First, double each ingredient. After baking the first batch of madeleines, wash the pan properly and dry it thoroughly. Grease the pan again, and follow each step as per the recipe card. Do not skip the freezing and chilling times.

Nutrition