Lemon Madeleine Cakes are delightful, shell-shaped, easy to make, light, lemony, cookie-like cakes made famous by the legendary Julia Child. Incredibly delicious, with a crisp exterior, madeleines are also known as tea cakes or French butter cakes.
Madeleines get their shape from a special pan called a madeleine pan. It’s similar to a mini-muffin pan but has shell-like shallow depressions, which is what gives madeleines their distinctive shape.
According to the Website Grate Madeleine, madeleines first appeared in France in 1758 and started being sold commercially in the 1760s.
This madeleine recipe is very easy and doesn’t take much time. The ingredients are pretty standard and my guess is you probably already have everything you need to make them in your fridge and pantry. The only problem I had was my taste tester husband, who loves cookie and cake batter almost better than the finished product, kept trying to eat the batter before I could get it in the pan.
Special thanks to my sister, Chula over at the Pudge Factor blog, for sharing this delicious sweet treat recipe with me.
More delicious sweet treats:
Speaking of delicious sweet treat recipes, if you like this recipe, I know you will also want to try these delicious treats from my blog: Georgia Cornbread Cake, Homemade Copycat Kit Kat Bars, Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Orange Icing, Old-Fashioned Crunchy Gingersnap Cookies, and Easy Butter Pecan Cookies.
How to brown butter:
The only thing remotely difficult in making this recipe is browning the butter. And, it isn’t really difficult; you just have to watch it carefully. Browned butter is what gives these madeleines their rich nutty taste.
To begin, add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to come to a boil and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Swirl the pan every minute to ensure it cooks evenly. When the butter is golden brown and smells nutty, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
Don’t worry if you see darker brown bits on the bottom of the pan. This is just the milk solids in the butter which cook faster. They will settle to the bottom of the pan. When you add the butter to the batter, try to leave these darker brown bits in the pan.
How to make madeleines:
While the butter is cooling, whisk the eggs in a bowl and measure out 1/4 cup. Reserve the rest.
Place the 1/4 cup of eggs in a medium-size mixing bowl along with the sugar and flour. Use an electric mixer and mix on low speed. The mixture will be dry and crumbly. Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes.
Once the butter has cooled add it and the remaining egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt to the batter which has been resting. Mix thoroughly with your electric mixer until blended and smooth.
Spray the madeleine pan with nonstick baking spray or grease with butter.
Place a generous tablespoon of batter into each of the madeleine cups. I used a 1-1/2 inch ice cream scoop to keep the amount of batter consistent.
Bake the madeleines at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until cakes are lightly browned around the edges and slightly puffed in the center.
Remove the madeleines and place on a wire rack to cool.
Sharon’s Expert Tips:
- Feel free to dust the tops of your madeleines with a little confectioners sugar if you like. My husband likes them this way, but I like them plain. Either way, they are delicious, so it’s up to you.
- No madeleine pan, no worries! You can always use a mini-muffin pan. The madeleines won’t look like madeleines, but will taste exactly the same! Just be sure to thoroughly grease the cups so they will come out easily. You might also want to add 2-3 minutes to the baking time because they will be thicker.
- Madeleines are best the day they are made but will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two in an airtight container. They also freeze well.
- If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
**This recipe was originally published on October 3, 2015. Republished on May 11, 2019, with new photos and revised directions. No changes to the list of ingredients.
Easy Lemon Madeleine Cakes a la Julia Child
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs lightly whisked
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 oz unsalted butter 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Confectioners sugar for sprinkling Optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to come to a boil and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Swirl the pan every minute to ensure it cooks evenly. When the butter is golden brown and smells nutty, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
- While the butter is cooling, whisk the eggs in a bowl and measure out 1/4 cup. Reserve the rest.
- Place the 1/4 cup of eggs in a medium-size mixing bowl along with the sugar and flour. Use an electric mixer and mix on low speed. The mixture will be dry and crumbly. Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- Once the butter has cooled add it and the remaining egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt to the batter which has been resting. Mix thoroughly with your electric mixer until blended and smooth.
- Spray madeleine pan with nonstick baking spray. Place a generous tablespoon of batter into each of the madeleine cups. I used a 1-1/2 inch ice cream scoop to keep the amount of batter consistent.
- Bake the madeleines at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until cakes are lightly browned around the edges and slightly puffed in the center.
- Unmold onto a wire rack to cool.
- Optional, when cool, turn madeleines shell side up and dust with confectioners sugar.
Notes
- Feel free to dust the tops of your madeleines with a little confectioners sugar if you like. My husband likes them this way, but I like them plain. Either way, they are delicious, so it's up to you.
- No madeleine pan, no worries! You can always use a mini-muffin pan. The madeleines won't look like madeleines, but will taste exactly the same! Just be sure to thoroughly grease the cups so they will come out easily. You might also want to add 2-3 minutes to the baking time because they will be thicker.
- Madeleines are best the day they are made but will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two in an airtight container. They also freeze well.
- If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
Nutrition
I am so excited to try this recipe. Before my Mother passed she decided I needed a Madeleine pan and I ‘ve never know quite what to do with it. This sounds delicious….LOVE Lemon….will try them soon. Thanks Sharon!
Hey Jan,
You will love these little cookies and it’s so sweet your Mom gave you the pan! Hope you and Bennet are doing well and I hope we can get together soon!