Lemon Madeleines
These lemon madeleines are tender little French butter cakes flavored with fresh lemon zest and finished with a sweet lemon glaze. They are light, buttery, and just right for tea trays, brunches, or a simple lemon dessert.
Servings: 20 Servings
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour 160 grams
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 130 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- zest from 1 lemon
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 10 tablespoons butter melted and cooled to room temperature
For the Glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
- Whisk the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla together, then stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture.
- Pour the melted butter into the batter and whisk or fold until fully incorporated. The batter will look shiny and smooth.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least hour to fully chill. This step will help the madeleines have a tall hump.
To Bake the Madeleines:
- Heat the oven to 375°F and grease and flour the madeleine pan. Alternatively, you can use a baking oil/flour spray, brushing into the crevices. Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
- Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, place a scoop of batter into each rounded cavity of the chilled pan.
- Transfer the pan to the center rack of the oven and bake for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges look golden and crisp and the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and immediately flip them onto a kitchen towel, pattern side down, and cool for 10-15 minutes before glazing.
To Make the Glaze:
- While the madeleines are baking, stir the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and water together until smooth.
- When the Madeleine cookies are cool enough to handle but still warm, dip the pattern side of each cookie in the glaze. Place on a wire cooling rack, pattern side up, until the glaze is dry.
Notes
Chill the batter: Chilling helps the madeleines bake with a higher dome and better texture.
Remove them from the pan right away: Do not leave baked madeleines in the pan, or they will keep cooking from the residual heat and may dry out.
Use a kitchen towel first: Turn the hot madeleines onto a clean kitchen towel instead of a wire rack. The warm cakes can pick up rack marks if they go straight onto the rack.
Cool slightly before glazing: Let the madeleines cool for 10 to 15 minutes before dipping them in the lemon glaze. They should be warm, not hot.
Bake in batches if needed: If you only have one madeleine pan, keep the remaining batter refrigerated. Wash, dry, grease, and flour the pan again before baking the next batch.
Store leftovers: Store leftover madeleines in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 108mg | Sugar: 4g
