Easy Madeleine Cookies Recipe With Cream: Buttery Shell Cakes

Few bakes look as charming as a tray of golden, shell-shaped madeleines, and few are as quick to make. These easy madeleine cookies with cream are buttery, soft in the middle, and lightly crisp at the edges, with the classic little hump on the back. Strictly speaking, a madeleine is a small sponge cake rather than a cookie, but nobody argues once there is a plate of them next to a cup of tea. This madeleine cookies recipe takes about 20 minutes of work, plus a short rest for the batter.

A Short History of the Madeleine

The madeleine comes from Commercy, a town in Lorraine, France, where bakers have made these shell-shaped cakes for centuries. One popular story says they are named after a kitchen maid called Madeleine, who baked them for Stanislas, the Duke of Lorraine, in the 1750s. There are other versions, and nobody can prove which is true. Later, the cake became famous around the world through Marcel Proust, whose narrator in In Search of Lost Time dips a madeleine in tea and is flooded with childhood memories. The Complete France guide to madeleines has a good short history if you want to read more.

The Hump: Why Madeleines Puff Up

The little bump on the back of a madeleine is not an accident. It comes from a temperature shock: cold batter in a hot oven sets at the edges and top first, while the cooler middle keeps rising and pushes up through the center. Here is how to get it:

• Chill the batter for at least 30 minutes. Many bakers rest it for an hour or two, or overnight, for an even bigger hump.
• Chill the pan too, after greasing it. Ten to fifteen minutes in the fridge or freezer is enough.
• Use a fully preheated oven and bake on the upper-middle rack.
• Do not overfill the molds. Three-quarters full is right. Too much batter spills over and flattens the hump.
• Keep the baking powder. It is not in the original French recipes, but it improves your chances of a good rise in a home oven.

The Madeleine Cookies Recipe

Makes 12 madeleines, with about 10 minutes of prep and 10 to 12 minutes in the oven, plus time for the batter to rest.

What You Need

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for the pan
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt

Room-temperature eggs whip up thicker, which helps the batter hold air. Let the melted butter cool until it is just warm to the touch, so it does not cook the eggs.

How to Bake Them

1. Whip the eggs. Whisk the eggs and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and thick, so the batter drips off the whisk in a slow ribbon.
2. Add the wet ingredients. Stir in the cooled melted butter, heavy cream, and vanilla.
3. Fold in the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt over the bowl and fold gently until just combined. Overmixing makes the madeleines tough.
4. Chill. Cover the batter and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Longer is better, up to a day.
5. Prep the oven and pan. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and place a rack in the upper-middle position. Grease the madeleine pan with butter, dust it with flour, tap out the excess, and chill the pan while the oven heats.
6. Fill the molds. Spoon the cold batter into the molds, filling each about three-quarters full. There is no need to spread it.
7. Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers spring back when touched.
8. Unmold. Tap the pan on the counter and turn the madeleines out onto a wire rack within a minute or two. Dust with powdered sugar if you like, and let them cool.

Dress Them Up: Variations

• Citrus: add the zest of a lemon, orange, or lime to the batter.
• Chocolate: dip half of each cooled madeleine in melted dark chocolate, or fold mini chocolate chips into the batter.
• Spiced: add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom.
• Nutty: fold in finely chopped toasted hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios.
• Coffee: whisk 1 teaspoon of espresso powder into the batter.
• Glazed: dip the cooled madeleines in a thin lemon glaze made of powdered sugar and lemon juice.
• Herbal: add a little finely chopped rosemary or thyme for a subtle savory note.

Shell Troubles

• No hump: the batter or the pan was not cold enough, or the oven was not fully hot. Chill longer and preheat completely.
• Stuck in the pan: grease every ridge with soft butter, dust with flour, and tap out the excess. Turn the madeleines out within a minute or two of baking.
• Dense or tough: the batter was overmixed. Fold just until you no longer see dry flour.
• Spilled over, with no hump: the molds were overfilled. Stop at three-quarters full.
• Dry: they were overbaked. Madeleines go from done to dry in a minute or two, so pull them when the edges turn golden.

Serve and Keep

• Best fresh: madeleines are at their peak warm, or within a few hours of baking. The crisp edges soften as they sit.
• Room temperature: keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: freeze the baked madeleines in an airtight container for up to 2 months, and thaw them at room temperature.
• Refresh: warm them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 2 to 3 minutes to bring back the crisp edges.
• Pair with: Earl Grey tea, a latte, or a bowl of fresh strawberries or raspberries.

Madeleine Cookies Recipe Card

Easy Madeleine Cookies Recipe with Cream

Recipe by Mary

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

120

kcal

These Easy Madeleine Cookies with Cream are buttery, soft, and delicately crisp around the edges. With a rich, creamy texture and a hint of vanilla, they’re perfect for tea time, dessert, or gifting. Ready in under 30 minutes, this recipe is beginner-friendly and sure to impress!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

• 2 large eggs

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• A pinch of salt

Directions

• Prep the Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease your Madeleine pan with butter and dust it lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
• Mix the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the melted butter, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
• Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
• Fill the Pan: Spoon the batter into the Madeleine molds, filling each about 3/4 full.
• Bake to Perfection: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers spring back when touched.
• Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• 

Notes

• For a citrusy twist, add 1 tsp of lemon zest to the batter.
  Ensure your eggs and heavy cream are at room temperature for a smoother batter.
  If you don’t have a Madeleine pan, you can use a mini muffin tin, though the classic shell shape won’t be achieved.
  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Tea Time

Madeleines reward patience more than skill: whisk the eggs well, chill the batter and the pan, and bake in a hot oven. Do that, and you get the hump, the shell pattern, and a plate that empties quickly. If you make these madeleine cookies, leave a comment and tell me which flavor you tried.

Quick Answers

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