Classic French Madeleines Recipe

These soft sea shell shaped cookie cakes are so good with a cup of tea and are one of the most classic desserts, so sweet, buttery, and so DELICIOUS! Although many think that madeleines are French shell shaped cookies, they are actually CAKE. The batter is typically baked in a shell-shaped mold and the finished product is often decorated with confectioners’ sugar or some type of glaze.

Madeleines are truly best served warm, and definitely best served within an hour of baking them. They lose moisture quite quickly, so they’re not a cake I suggest making ahead of time. Here is the original recipe and we promise, they taste just like they are bought in a french pastry !

Firstly you will need a Madeleine mold. To brown butter you’ll need a saute pan, butter, and a little patience. You’ll melt the butter as normal, then continue cooking it over medium heat – stirring occasionally – until it reaches a golden brown color. Once it’s nice and golden brown, remove it from the heat and pour it into a heatproof bowl . Easy, right?

One of the most important steps in this recipe is beating the eggs and sugar together. You’re going to want to gradually add the sugar into the eggs, and beat the mixture for a long time; about 3 to 4 minutes.

When it’s time to bake the madeleines, you’ll want to grease your mold generously with softened butter and a dusting of flour. Otherwise they’ll stick!

Finally, be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake. They’re ready when their “bellies” have risen and they’re golden brown