Delicate little cakes scented with lemon zest and vanilla bean. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

Vanilla Madeleines

Today we’re flying to Seattle to attend the funeral of a very dear loved one. To say I’m having a bad week is putting it mildly. So I’m going to keep it short and simple and leave you with the recipe for these vanilla bean madeleines.

Madeleines are heavenly cake-like cookies that are as perfect with a cup of coffee or tea as they are by themselves. They aren’t difficult to make, as long as you have the specific shell-shaped pan. If you’re like me and don’t want to buy yet another item to put in your kitchen, try to find a friend who will you let your borrow theirs. My sister-in-law was kind enough to let me borrow her madeleine pan and I’ve enjoyed making this recipe several times.

Vanilla Madeleines

baking tip:How to remove vanilla beans

Place a vanilla bean on a cutting board. Use a paring knife to slice open the vanilla bean lengthwise, then use your knife to scrape the seeds from inside the pods.

Don’t discard the pods, as they have a lot of vanilla flavor. Use them to make your own vanilla extract, some vanilla sugar, or simply steep them in your coffee or hot cocoa.

Vanilla Bean Madeleines

Servings: 12 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Delicate little cakes scented with lemon zest and vanilla bean. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients
 

  • cup all-purpose flour (83 grams)
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled (85 grams)

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla beans. Use your fingers to rub the zest and beans into the sugar, releasing their aromatic oils.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar mixture with the eggs on medium high speed until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract. Use a spatula to fold in the melted butter, and then the flour.
  • Cover and refrigerate batter for 3 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F and grease and flour a madeleine pan.
  • Fill the shells of the madeleine pan with the chilled batter almost full. Bake until centers are puffed and edges are golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, then pop out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Madeleines are best the day they are made, but may be stored for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Calories: 120kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 12mg, Potassium: 43mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 215IU, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: French
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.