Lemon Madeleines – A delicious French dessert perfect for spring! Light lemon cakes baked in a shell-shaped madeleine pan and topped with powdered sugar. These lemon madeleines are pure perfection!

Lemon Madeleines

Madeleines have been a favorite dessert of mine for years.  I used to get them from Costco whenever I hung out with one of my friends and we would spend the whole weekend munching on madeleines and watching movies.  When I made my first batch of homemade madeleines a few months ago (Pumpkin Spice Madeleines), I was so amazed with how simple these little French cakes are to make!

This madeleine recipe makes such lovely, light madeleines with just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have at home.  Trust me, madeleines are going to be your new favorite dessert! To make the recipe, you will need sugar, eggs, butter, flour, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and baking powder.  This recipe takes about 20 minutes for the prep time and cooking plus a little more for resting time where they will just sit.  Not too bad, yeah?

Common questions about making madeleines

Why are they called madeleines?

They are called madeleines because as the story goes, the name was given to them to honor the father-in-law of Louis XV’s cook, Madeleine Paulmier.

Are madeleines cookies or cakes?

While the recipe for a madeleine is much more similar to a pound cake, they are baked in molds with a crisp golden crust which makes them more like a cookie.  So they are kind of a mix between both a cookie and a cake.

What is in a madeleine cookie?

Madeleine cookies are made with eggs, sugar, butter, and flour along with any additional flavorings such as pumpkin puree and spices in this recipe or fresh lemon juice.

Can madeleines be frozen?

Yes, madeleines can be frozen very easily.  Let the madeleines fully cool and then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.

 

What other flavors of madeleines can I make?

Some of my favorites include –

• Orange Madeleines
• Pumpkin Madeleines
• Chocolate Madeleines

Tips and tricks on this lemon madeleines recipe

• Make sure you have a madeleine pan!
• Buttering and adding flour to the pan is a must before putting the batter in, it helps make both sides nice and crisp!

Can’t get enough of this lemon madeleines recipe? Try these other recipes!

• Vanilla Bean Chiffon Cake
• Lavender Lemon Macarons
• Cheesecake Bars
• French Palmier Cookies

Yield: 18 Madeleines

Lemon Madeleines

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Lemon Madeleines - A delicious French dessert perfect for spring! Light lemon cakes baked in a shell-shaped madeleine pan and topped with powdered sugar. These lemon madeleines are pure perfection!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 48 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Confectinoners' sugar

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until well combined and frothy.  Add in butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix together.  Sift in flour and baking powder, stirring until well combined.  Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease madeleine pan and dust it with flour.  Transfer a heaping tablespoon full of batter into each of the indentations and spread evenly.  Once each of the indentations is filled, place in oven and bake for 8-9 minutes.  The madeleine should be a bit golden and cooked through.  Place on a cooling rack and dust with powdered sugar once cool.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

18

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 66mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

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