Classic French Madeleines Recipe

This post is a part of my Madeleine series in tribute to this iconic French pastry and all that it means - from its fascinating history, choosing the right ingredients and madeleine pan, all the secrets of authentic madeleine hump, and storage suggestions - you name it!

Here is the best madeleine recipe for homemade French madeleines. They are perfect in shape, density, and texture, with a delicious taste that can't be matched!

It is pretty funny that I did not even know what a French madeleine was many years ago.

I did not realize that madeleines are cakes and not cookies, and I could not imagine the mysterious stories behind the madeleines' origin.

Today, I can tell that my madeleine baking skills have been entirely perfected, and I have started to experiment with their flavors.

From time to time, you will find me playing different recipes for these butter cakes to get a higher bump!

The highest madeleine I have ever made was 1.57 inches or 4 cm tall.

If you have ever wondered how to make the best French madeleines and make a success in making them, you are in the right place.

I am putting together all the tips and advice to guide you. So take notes of essential steps before you get started and enjoy.

I will show what ingredients go into the recipe and how to prepare a madeleine mold to get the hump on top, which is a signature of the authentic madeleine pastry.

I would highly recommend downloading the FAQ Guide, where I answer all the questions regarding madeleine baking.

Why you should try this recipe

1. This a foolproof madeleine recipe tested and re-tested by numerous readers and me.
2. The recipe guarantees perfectly shaped and authentic French butter cakes with a signature hump on top.
3. It is customizable in any way you desire.

Ingredients

Here is a comprehensive overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full madeleine recipe below for detailed amounts and instructions.

Also, read Madeleine Ingredients.

Eggs: the recipe calls for large eggs at room temperature.

Sugar: use granulated sugar to make the recipe or replace it with caster sugar.

Butter: it is crucial to use top-quality butter such as European or European-style butter with higher fat content. This recipe calls for unsalted butter.

Flour: use all-purpose flour or French T55 flour.

Honey: the recipe calls for chestnut honey but please, feel free to replace it with your favorite honey, golden syrup, or maple syrup. You can use liquid or crystallized honey; its consistency doesn't matter.

Baking powder: it is an ingredient responsible for forming the madeleine's hump. Make sure it is fresh and aluminum-free.

Vanilla bean: add scraped seeds of the vanilla bean to bring vanilla flavor to your madeleines. You can replace it with ½ to 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.

Lemon zest: make sure to use organic lemon to make fresh zest with a zester grater. You can replace it with orange zest or omit this ingredient if you are not a fan of citrus flavor.

How to make madeleines

To make the batter, place large eggs, granulated sugar, honey, and scraped seeds of half of the vanilla bean in a large bowl (photo 1) and beat with a hand whisk (photo 2).

Sift flour and baking powder with a flour sifter in a separate bowl.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture (photo 3), and combine with a whisk or rubber spatula (photo 4).

Add melted butter (it has to be cooled till 120 °F/50 °C) and whisk again (photo 5).

Zest half of a lemon with a zester grater, add to the butter mixture, and gently mix (photo 6). 

Cover the sponge-like batter with a piece of plastic wrap in contact and refrigerate overnight, or even better, for 24 hours.

The plastic film must touch the surface of the batter and not only cover the bowl.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F/220 degrees C. Using a pastry brush, butter the cavities of the metal madeleine pan. Then dust it with flour, and tap any excess flour; there is no need to grease a silicone mold.

Using a piping bag, fill the cavities up to ¾ (photo 7).

Bake at 425 °F/220 °C for 3 minutes. Then switch off the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The madeleines will get that famous bump on top.

Next, turn the oven to 320 °F/160 °C for the other 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove golden brown cakes from the oven and cool in the mold for 5 minutes.

Take them out one by one, simply pushing each cavity from the bottom.

Place cakes on the side, still in the mold (photo 8), so that they completely cool (do not use a wire rack to avoid its traces on the surface of madeleines).

Dust cooled madeleines with confectioners' sugar if desired.

Recipe variations

Classic French madeleines are lemon madeleines flavored with lemon zest. But they can be customized endlessly.

Add some poppy seeds that beautifully pair with lemon in Lemon Poppy Seed Madeleines.

Don't you like a hint of lemon? Then add orange blossom water or vanilla extract.

Spice up your madeleines with spices blend and make Gingerbread Madeleines. If you are in love with matcha, make matcha madeleines then.

Dip them in melted dark or white chocolate and enjoy the most delicious French pastry.

Finally, if you want to test the basic madeleine recipe and create your own perfect madeleines, have a look at flavor twists on a classic.

Also, think outside the box when it comes to making your favorite tea cakes: make large (aka regular-sized) madeleines or mini madeleines.

Experimenting with different molds can lead you down a fascinating path.

Try experimentally shaped cakes by making them in a spherical scallop madeleine mold or heart-shaped pan from CHEFMADE.

You can also try making your own madeleines without mold. Just follow the recipe designed for muffin cups, and you will end up with perfectly round cakes.

Or make a sharing version of madeleines - Madeleine cake - that will change your mind: this easy cake skips all of those pesky steps so it can be ready in no time at all.

Although madeleines are eaten for breakfast or dessert, it is quite possible to modify the recipe to make savory madeleines. 

They make perfect appetizers with added parmesan, bacon, pesto, or even tomatoes.

How to serve madeleines

Serve madeleines immediately (straight from the oven) for an exceptional taste.

There is etiquette, a French ritual to eating these golden little tea cakes. Warm madeleines are best enjoyed with a cup of tea. 

Take Earl Gray tea, a black tea flavored with bergamot. It will harmonize well with the lemon note of classic madeleines.

To appreciate their taste and release their flavor, madeleines have to be dipped in tea, the same way Marcel Proust enjoyed little cakes. But, unfortunately, coffee isn't the same.

French chefs serve madeleines as an elegant way to finish dinner in top French restaurants.

Owner of Restaurant Daniel, Daniel Boulud serves his iconic cakes with Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. 

Indeed, you can adapt this concept when the simplest pairs well with the most sophisticated.

Storage instructions

Store madeleines in an airtight container (preferably in glass) for a couple of days, four days maximum.

Can you freeze madeleines? Yes, you can freeze madeleines for up to three months, but they may lose their taste a bit.

Bring the cakes to room temperature for one to two hours to thaw them.

Expert tips

1. Do not overheat butter while melting. To avoid this, turn off the heat when half of the butter is melted and mix butter off the heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F/220 degrees C and even let it heat for 10 minutes. A well-prepared hot oven is essential to get the bump of madeleines.
3. Leave the filled mold in the fridge while preheating/heating the oven.
4. Respect the temperature regimen while baking. The ideal temperature formula is 3 + 8 + 4, where 3 is 3 minutes of baking at 425 degrees F/220 degrees C, "8" is 8 minutes with the oven switched off, and "4" is 4 minutes of baking at 320 °F/160 °C. You might need to test your oven and adjust this formula, for example, as 3 + 7 + 3 or something different. Adjusting the last baking minutes is essential to prevent madeleines from burning.
5. Bake cakes on a baking rack in the middle of the oven and not on a baking sheet.
6. Bake one batch of madeleines (one mold) at a time. After each batch, clean the mold, then bake the rest. Keep the rest of the batter in the fridge between batches.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from http://www.niksya.ru. It was originally published in February 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.