Recipes
Baking

Mini Pumpkin Madeleines

These Mini Pumpkin Madeleines are the perfect Autumnal mini morsel - even better dunked in hot chocolate!

Mini Pumpkin Madeleines

What are Madeleines?

Madeleines are delicate, shell-shaped sponge cakes originating from France, celebrated for their light, airy texture and rich buttery taste. Baked in their signature scalloped molds, they have a slightly crisp exterior with a soft, tender crumb, and are often infused with flavours like vanilla, lemon, or almond, making them a perfect treat for any occasion. Delicious served simply on their own or with icing sugar, or for a more adventurous finish, you can fill the moulds with melted chocolate and push them back in to create a chocolate shell, drizzle with icing, or fill with jam, caramel, chocolate or pistachio cream just before baking.

Why are Madeleines best eaten on the day they are made?

Madeleines are best enjoyed fresh, right out of the oven. On the day they're baked, they have a perfect balance of a crisp, golden shell and a soft, airy centre. As they sit, the texture changes, with the outer crispness softening and the crumb becoming denser. To enjoy their light, buttery flavour and delicate texture at its finest, it's best to enjoy them on the same day. Whilst they will still be enjoyable a day later, nothing quite compares to that first bite when they’re fresh from the oven!

a Madeleine tray full of Madeleine batter ready to go in the oven and be baked. how full should a Madeleine tray be A Madeline tray should be filled almost to the top
For the neatest, and most even results, pipe your batter into the tray.

Do I need to let the Madeleine batter rest first?

Letting the Madeleine batter rest before baking helps the flour absorb liquid, resulting in a tender crumb and richer flavour. Chilling the batter also creates a temperature contrast in the oven, which helps form the classic 'hump'. I strongly advise you don't skip this part, but if you want to get ahead and make the batter the night before, leaving them overnight is even better.

folding melted b er into the Madeline batter, swirling in a figure of eight taking care not to knock the air out
Carefully fold your ingredients in to make a smooth and light batter.