Pumpkin Madeleines – A simple french madeleine recipe with a fall twist! Light and fluffy homemade madeleines made with pumpkin and fall spices!

Pumpkin Madeleines

I can’t get enough of these pumpkin madeleines right now.  Since I bought my new madeleine pan, I’ve been obsessed with it and all of the incredible varieties of madeleines I can make such as these and my lemon madeleines.  So these pumpkin madeleines are super easy to make, you need just a few ingredients and about 20 minutes to make them.  The pumpkin flavor is incredible and they are perfect served warm with a cup of coffee!

Now I am a huge fan of french pastries and treats! I first fell in love with French madeleines in high school.  Whenever I went to my friend’s house, they would always have madeleines from Costco and they were just so amazing! Light and fluffy little buttery shell-shaped cakes that just melt in your mouth when you take a bite.  I could easily eat a whole tin of them myself!

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?

Madeleines 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?

There are some really great flavors to try!

• Chocolate Madeleines
• Orange Madeleines
• Lemon Madeleines

Tips and tricks on this pumpkin madeleines recipe

• Remember to get the madeleine pan! The recipe will not work otherwise.
• Buttering and using non-stick spray in the pan is a must before putting the batter in, it helps make both sides nice and crisp!

Looking for more easy dessert recipes? Check these out!

• French Palmier Cookies
• Chai Macarons
• Classic Biscotti
• Cheesecake Mousse

Yield: 20 Servings

Pumpkin Madeleines

Print

Pumpkin Madeleines - A simple french madeleine recipe with a fall twist! Light and fluffy homemade madeleines made with pumpkin and fall spices!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter (melted and cooled)

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until they are smooth, pale yellow, and creamy - about 8 minutes.
2. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder.
3. Next, add the melted and cooled butter (it should still be liquid, but not warm to the touch). Fold the butter into the batter gently.
4. Transfer the batter to chill for 30 minutes.
5. Towards the end of the chilling step, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a madeleine pan with melted butter and non-stick cooking spray.
6. Scoop 1 tablespoon of batter into each mold, making sure to fill each one about 3/4 of the way full.
7. Bake in a preheated oven until the madeleines are light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean - about 10-12 minutes.
8. Transfer the madeleines to a wire rack to cool.
9. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Notes

There’s a lot of debate on whether or not you should chill madeleine batter! I like to chill the batter because it helps the madeleines rise and keep their shape a bit better-- room temperature batter tends to spread over the edges of the pan rather than rising upwards. But if you don’t have the time, you can skip the chilling step! They’ll still taste delicious.

• The eggs are going to be the base of our madeleines. We’ll beat them for a long time so they become light and fluffy! I used cold eggs, straight from the fridge, but room temperature works as well.
• Granulated sugar will sweeten our madeleines.
• Flour is the other key ingredient in madeleines! Make sure to measure correctly and level your measuring cup-- too much flour will make the madeleines dense.
• Pumpkin puree will help give us that pumpkin flavor and color. I used canned, but feel free to use fresh pumpkin puree if you have it.
• Pumpkin pie spice gives the madeleines a nice warmth and that traditional “pumpkin” flavor. If you don’t have any, you can substitute ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
• Baking powder is going to help give the madeleines a little extra rise to make sure they’re super light.
• Butter is going to moisten the madeleines and ensure that they’re rich and fluffy-- not dry.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 134Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 24mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g

This nutritional information can vary depending on the specific products you choose so this is a general guess of the correct nutritional information based on the products I used. Please keep that in mind when making the recipe.