These soft and fluffy matcha madeleines are the perfect little mini cakes. They're made with plenty of matcha flavour with a stunning shiny matcha white chocolate shell. They're stunning and easier to make than you think!
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These matcha madeleines are such easy mini cakes to make yet they look beautiful with that matcha chocolate shell. They look bakery-worthy without too much extra work because that shell-shaped madeleine pan does all the work for you!
When the fluffy and spongey matcha madeleines are paired with the matcha shell, it creates a nice balance of cakey and creamy textures. To make these even easier, you could forego the chocolate shell completely and just dust your madeleines with some powdered sugar.
What are madeleines?
Madeleines are small sponge cakes originating from France. They are most well-known for their recognizable shell shape, created by baking them in a special pan with shell-shaped depressions. Madeleines are sometimes referred to as cookies but the soft, fluffy, cake-like texture definitely makes them mini cakes.
The perfect madeleines are dense but spongey with tiny holes throughout. They're puffy in the middle with or without a bump on one side. They're soft on the inside and slightly crisp on the edges when freshly baked. Madeleines are typically served plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar but more modern ones can be studded with chocolate chips or dipped in a chocolate shell.
Why you'll love this recipe
- This recipe is easy to make with only a few ingredients.
- The matcha flavour of these madeleines and their chocolate shells is delicious and unique.
- These madeleines have a soft, fluffy, and cakey texture.
- The shiny matcha chocolate shell makes these madeleines look extra special and bakery-worthy.
Tools
There are two special tools you'll need to make madeleines:
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer - You'll need this to very easily beat lots of air into the egg mixture. You can use a manual whisk but you'll be beating for longer and your arm might get sore! I always use my KitchenAid Hand Mixer.
- Madeleine pan - This special pan is the key to creating the shell shape of madeleines. It's a rectangular pan with shallow shell-shaped depressions. I used this madeleine pan that makes 12 madeleines at a time. You can also find various other styles of madeleine pans that make slightly different shapes or sizes.
Ingredients
- Eggs - Use large-sized eggs. They should be at room temperature so that they don't cause the warm butter to solidify on contact. Take them out of the fridge ahead of time or submerge them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before using.
- Vanilla extract
- Granulated sugar - When whipped with the eggs, you'll create an airy almost meringue-like mixture which is key for spongey and fluffy madeleines.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Matcha powder - Use a good quality culinary matcha powder or ceremonial matcha powder. The type of matcha powder you use will determine the colour and flavour of your madeleines so opt for your favourite matcha powder with a bright, vibrant green colour and sweet taste.
- Unsalted butter - Melt and cool your butter until warm to the touch before adding it to your batter. Use a couple of extra tablespoons for greasing your pan.
- White chocolate - Roughly chop your chocolate before using so that it melts evenly.
Step by step
Beat the eggs and sugar - In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the eggs and sugar together until very pale in colour and thickened, at least 8-9 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Sift in flour mixture - In a small bowl, measure out the flour, baking powder, and matcha powder. Sift this mixture into the egg mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined.
Fold in melted butter - Drizzle in the melted butter and fold until just combined. The batter should be shiny and smooth.
Chill batter - Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the batter and seal. Let the batter chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Grease pan - Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of butter to each depression on your madeleine pan.
Scoop out batter - Use a small ice cream scooper or spoon to scoop about 2 teaspoons of batter into each depression of the madeleine pan. The batter will form into the shape of the pan as it bakes.
Bake - Bake madeleines at 400°F for 5 minutes and then turn down the heat to 350°F and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Let madeleines cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt chocolate - In a small bowl or saucepan, heat the white chocolate and matcha powder on very low heat or in 30 second intervals until all melted. Stir to combine.
Press madeleines into chocolate - Wipe clean your madeleine pan and add about 1-2 teaspoons of matcha chocolate to each depression. Gently press the scalloped side of each madeleine into the chocolate.
Freeze - Freeze the pan for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate is solid.
Release the madeleines - To release the madeleines from a metal pan, hold the pan vertically and apply firm downward pressure on the edge of each madeleine until it pops out of the pan. If the madeleines won't come out, freeze for another 5 minutes and try again. Let the madeleines come back to room temperature before enjoying!
Storage
Madeleines are best enjoyed on the same day they are baked. If you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After the first day, the texture changes quite significantly so I would recommend enjoying them freshly baked.
Freezing
Madeleines can be frozen but there will be a loss in texture after thawing. If you must freeze them, wrap them well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil and freeze them for up to 1 month.
Tips & tricks
- Use room temperature ingredients. This is key to creating a homogenous batter. If any of your ingredients are too cold, they won't mix together smoothly and the melted butter may also solidify on contact.
- Beat the eggs and sugar for a long time. You really want to beat the eggs and sugar for the full 8-9 minutes (set a timer!) to ensure you're whipped enough air into the mixture. The consistency should be thick and the mixer should leave trails in the batter. The colour should turn from yellow to very pale off-white.
- Chill the batter. Letting the batter chill in the fridge before scooping and baking, allows the butter to firm up and trap all those beautiful air bubbles you created in the batter. The batter should become very spongey and airy after chilling.
- Melt the white chocolate with very low heat. White chocolate has a tendency to seize very easily if it's heated too quickly or at too high of a temperature. If possible, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler where it will almost never seize. If you have an induction stovetop, you can melt the chocolate in a saucepan on very low heat, stirring occasionally. If you're melting it in a microwave, use short 20-30 bursts, stirring after each time.
- Enjoy your madeleines freshly baked. Madeleines truly have the best texture when freshly baked and enjoyed on the same day.
Frequently asked questions
If you don't have a madeleine pan, you can use a muffin or cupcake pan. Grease the pan with melted butter in the same way. The result will taste almost the same, just without the distinctive shell shape.
Chilling madeleine batter is key to achieving the right consistency. It allows the batter to thicken and for the melted butter to firm up, trapping the air bubbles in the batter as it does. When the heat from the oven hits the cold batter, it bakes evenly and helps the madeleines rise and puff up.
Madeleines are delicious and taste the same whether they have that signature bump on the back or not. The bump is usually created with a thicker batter or higher heat which can lead to drier cakes. You may find that some of your madeleines (especially in the corners of your pan) will have a bump while other do not. I wouldn't worry about creating that perfect bump because your madeleines will taste good either way!
If you use a silicone madeleine pan, the chocolate shell can easily be popped out when the chocolate is set just by pushing against the silicone. If you use a metal pan, you will need to freeze the pan to make sure the chocolate has hardened completely before releasing them. Hold the pan vertically and use your fingers to push down on the top edge of each madeleine. Push gently but firmly until the madeleine slides out. If the madeleines aren't popping off easily, freeze for another 5 minutes and try again.
More matcha recipes to try
- Matcha Strawberry Cake
- Matcha Cream Puffs (Choux au Craquelin)
- Matcha White Chocolate Cookies
- Matcha Ice Cream (No-Churn)
- Matcha Almond Croissants
Recipe
Matcha Madeleines
Ingredients
Matcha Madeleines
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted & cooled + 2 tablespoon extra for greasing pan
Matcha Chocolate Shell
- 200 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon matcha powder
Instructions
Matcha Madeleines
- In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the eggs and sugar together until very pale in colour and thickened, at least 8-9 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- In a small bowl, measure out the flour, baking powder, and matcha powder. Sift this mixture into the egg mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined.
- Drizzle in the melted butter and fold until just combined. The batter should be shiny and smooth.
- Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the batter and seal. Let the batter chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of butter to each depression on your madeleine pan.
- Use a small ice cream scooper or spoon to scoop about 2 teaspoons of batter into each depression of the madeleine pan. The batter will form into the shape of the pan as it bakes.
- Bake madeleines at 400°F for 5 minutes and then turn down the heat to 350°F and bake for another 5-7 minutes. Let madeleines cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Matcha Chocolate Shell
- In a small bowl or saucepan, heat the white chocolate and matcha powder on very low heat or in 30 second intervals until all melted. Stir to combine.
- Wipe clean your madeleine pan and add about 1-2 teaspoons of matcha chocolate to each depression. Gently press the scalloped side of each madeleine into the chocolate.
- Freeze the pan for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate is solid.
- To release the madeleines from a metal pan, hold the pan vertically and apply firm downward pressure on the edge of each madeleine until it pops out of the pan. If the madeleines won't come out, freeze for another 5 minutes and try again. Let the madeleines come back to room temperature before enjoying!
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