Classic French Madeleines

Quintessentially French, Madeleines are dainty bite-sized cakes that yields a soft middle, crispy edges, and a distinctive buttery taste. Easy and fun to make at home, they are best known for their shell-like shape and their signature bump at the top. I am sharing my tips (and the bump secret!) to master madeleines at home.

What are Madeleines?

French Madeleines are bite-sized sponge cakes made with a generous amount of butter and baked in a shell-shaped mold. Halfway between a cake and a cookie, madeleines bear a signature bump. They have a taste and texture close to a light pound cake, with crisp golden edges all around.

Madeleines are incredibly popular all throughout France, often enjoyed with tea, coffee and during the “goûter” – the 4 o’clock snack time. They are a favorite among home bakers as they’re simple to make with just the baking essentials: sugar, flour, butter and eggs – and very easy to please kids and kids alike.

Madeleines belong to the list of French “gâteaux de voyage” (travel cakes) : simple, rustic French cakes that are easy to carry around.

The origin of Madeleines

Madeleines originate from the Town of Commercy, in the Lorraine region of northeastern France.

It is said that these small shell-like shaped sponge cakes have been named “madeleines” after their creator, Madeleine Paulmier. Madeleine was a chef in the mid-18th century for King of Poland Stanisław Leszczyński, who was in exile in Commercy at the time – and whose son-in-law was King of France Louis XV. 

Louis XV loved the tiny pastries so much that he named them in honor of their creator, Madeleine Paulmier. Soon enough, Queen Marie, Louis’ wife, introduced them to the royal court in Versailles and spread their fame all throughout France.

It was French writer Marcel Proust (1871 – 1922) who contributed to the international fame of the Madeleines. In his most famous novel, A La Recherche du Temps Perdu (In Search Of Lost Time), the narrator dunks a small Madeleine in a cup of tea and becomes instantly thrown back to tender childhood memories.

This so-called “episode of the Madeleine” has become a reference in French literature when speaking about involuntary reminiscence of the past.

Proust was so infatuated with the small treat that he described them as “a little shell of cake, so generously sensual beneath the piety of its stern pleating…” Have you ever heard a more poetic description of a cake?

The recipe

Although simple to make, madeleines do require a discussion of key points before diving in, including which pan to use and how to achieve the signature bumps.  

The traditional Madeleine pan

For this recipe, you need a traditional metal madeleine pan like this one. It is a little investment worth making if you are learning French baking.

The scalloped mold gives madeleines their unique shape, while creating a delightfully crisp bottom. Once you master this recipe, you’ll soon see that madeleines come in many variations – and truly never fail to please.

How to give madeleines a perfect bump?

The bump is the signature feature of a classic madeleine. And the secret to getting this perfect bump is to jolt the madeleines with a temperature shock. The batter needs to be very cold and the oven needs to be very hot. 

To do so, you first need to chill your madeleine batter until very cold, at least 2 hours. You then fill the madeleine molds and make sure the batter remains cold, by transferring the pan back into the fridge up until it goes into the oven if needed.

Meanwhile, you need to pre-heat your oven to a somewhat high temperature of 390°F(200°C), with a baking sheet in it. When your oven is fully pre-heated, only then can you now take the filled madeleine tray out of the fridge and stick it immediately in the oven, onto the pre-heated baking sheet.

When the filled, chilled madeleine tray touches the hot baking sheet, the heat contact shocks the batter. This temperature shock causes the batter to “jump”, resulting in a high, well-formed bump.

Use high-quality butter.

Aside from their crisp edges and unique bump, what sets French madeleines apart is their deliciously buttery taste – yet they don’t taste nor feel “greasy”.

This is achieved by folding the melted butter into the batter right at the very end – and not at the beginning like in most cake recipe. This ensures the batter has a nice shiny finish and it gives an incomparable buttery taste to the madeleines.

With such a generous amount of butter used for a madeleine recipe, make sure you use a high-quality European butter (unsalted).

Recommended equipment:

• A madeleine pan
• A whisk or electric beater
• A spatula
• A baking sheet, large enough for the madeleine pan to fit in
• A wire rack

Common Questions about Madeleines

Can I bake madeleines in another pan?

Yes, you can. I find that a mini muffin pan works well. Do note the texture will be different, the bump won’t be as prominent, and the edges won’t be as crisp. The shell-shaped molds are key to create the signature crisp edges.

My madeleines didn’t get bumps, why?

If the madeleines didn’t get bumps, it is likely that the batter wasn’t cold enough. It is the heat shock of baking a cold batter on a very hot pan that creates the bumps.

To ensure the batter is cold enough, make sure to rest it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. If you fill the madeleine pan with batter but don’t bake it right away, also place the pan in the fridge.

Can I prepare these madeleines ahead of time?

We find madeleine are best enjoyed warm from the oven, or within 2 hours as they tend to dry out quickly. You can prepare them in the morning to enjoy throughout the day or for an afternoon tea-time; but we wouldn’t wait any longer to eat them.

Does it matter if I use a silicone or traditional metal madeleine mold?

Yes, it does! We highly recommend you use only a traditional metal mold. This will ensure you’ll get golden, crisp edges and a nice bump, as the metal retains heat. A silicone mold won’t deliver the same crispness nor bump, and the signature ridged design won’t be as prominent either.

Can I let the batter rest in the fridge for longer than 2-3 hours, ie. overnight?

We do not recommend you rest the batter overnight in the fridge. After 2 to 3 hours, the butter starts to solidify, and the batter turns too thick.

Help! My madeleines are stuck to the pan.

If the madeleines are stuck to the pan, it is likely that the pan wasn’t greased enough.  Madeleines should normally be very easy to unmold by simply inverting the pan onto a countertop.

You can however use a little butter knife to lightly lift the edges and help un-pop the madeleines from their shell. 

How long can you keep madeleines?

Madeleines are best enjoyed right after baking. Their delicate texture is fleeting, and they can dry out fast. At most, enjoy them within 12 hours. We do not recommend freezing madeleines as you lose their texture.

I hope you’ll love this Classic French Madeleines recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French baking recipes you may like:

• French Almond Croissants (Bakery-style)
• Chouquettes (French Sugar Puffs)
• Classic French Butter Brioche (Brioche Pur Beurre)
• Classic French Toasts (Pain Perdu)
• Overnight No-Knead Bread
• French Bakery Beignets
• Roasted Hazelnut Financiers
• Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel

Classic French Madeleines

Print Recipe

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

Ingredients

½ cup (115g/1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 medium eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
Confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

Step 1 – Start by melting the butter in a saucepan or in the microwave. Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the batter.

Step 2 – In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Whisk together for at least 4-5 minutes, until the mixture becomes thicker, paler and a ribbon forms when you lift the whisk.

Step 3 – In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Sprinkle the dry ingredients atop the wet ingredients and whisk slowly, starting from the center, until just incorporated.

Step 4 – Switch to a spatula. Pour the melted butter onto the batter and fold until just incorporated. First, it will feel like the butter just glides onto the batter and it will take about a minute until it starts to incorporate. The batter should look thick and shiny.

Cover the bowl with a plastic film and chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator. After two hours, the batter will look thicker and airy, almost sponge-like. This is normal. Do not try to knock the air out, or you will end up with flat madeleines.

Pre-heat your oven to 390°F(200°C), with a rack in the middle and a baking sheet set on it.

Step 5 – Using a pastry brush, lightly grease the pan and dust with flour. Even if using a non-stick pan, greasing is recommended.

Step 6 - Spoon one generous tablespoon of batter into each well. The madeleine shells should be filled ¾ of the way. If baking one pan at a time, refrigerate your second pan as the first one bakes. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the madeleines are golden brown on the edges and have a well-defined bump on top. Immediately invert the pan onto the counter and transfer madeleine to a cooling rack.

Step 7 – Wait for the madeleines to cool completely before dusting with confectioners’ sugar.