Madeleines are small, shell-shaped French cakes, somewhere between a cake and a cookie. They are buttery, soft in the middle, and a little crisp at the edges. These are my best 12 madeleine recipes, from classic lemon to chocolate, matcha pistachio, and gingerbread.
Pick the flavor you are craving and head to the full recipe. Many of them are vegan or eggless too! Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, these madeleines are wonderful for picnics, tea tables, and great for holiday gifting too.
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12 Madeleine Flavors To Try
Lemon Madeleines
The classic! Bright lemon flavor in a soft, buttery little cake.
An Indian twist on French tea cakes! These eggless madeleines are full of cardamom and pistachios - perfect for the festive season. Easy to make and big on flavor.
Carrot cake madeleines are full of crunchy carrots, and walnuts. These vegan madeleines are what you want to make when you’re craving carrot cake but don’t want to bake one!
They are little sponge cakes or butter cakes that originate from France, considered a cross between cake and cookie. Madeleines are traditionally baked in a shell-shaped mold and have a light, spongy texture, making them the perfect light sweet treat.
What do madeleines taste like?▾
Madeleines are traditionally buttery, light, and flavored with vanilla and lemon. However, these tiny cakes are incredibly versatile, and as you can see from the recipes listed above, you can flavor them in many ways.
How do you make madeleines?▾
Madeleines use standard ingredients for most cakes and cookies - flour, baking powder, butter, eggs, sugar, and salt. Putting them together is quite simple (detailed recipes above). I also have plenty of vegan or eggless recipes in this collection. If you want the scalloped look, madeleine pans are easily available online.
How do you get the madeleine hump?▾
Chill the batter. The temperature difference between the cold batter and hot oven creates the signature hump, and the longer it chills, the bigger the hump. You can refrigerate the batter from 30 minutes up to 2 days.
How long do madeleines keep?▾
They keep well for 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
