Strawberry Madeleines
If I had to choose between cooking and baking, I would choose baking. I just feel that I can be more creative. Take my latest concoction: these strawberry madeleines are heavenly delicious. Made with strawberry puree and lemon zest, they are sweet and refreshing. These are ideal for Valentine’s Day, bridal shower favors, and even part of a fancy Christmas cookie tray.
I am that person who loves to make something delicious as a hostess gift, and these cookies fit the bill. I send my kids to school with gifts for their teachers as appreciation. Also, I am making them for Valentine’s Day, along with my heart-shaped fudge and heart-shaped cosmic cookies.
Table of contents
French desserts may sound and look fancy, but I promise this one is doable. The recipe is foolproof and fuss-free, and it turns out amazing every time. I like to add just a few drops of pink gel food coloring to the cookies to give them a beautiful pink hue. Also, to take them over the top, I dip them in white chocolate and garnish them with freeze fries strawberriy crumbs and lemon zest. These are small steps that make a big difference in presentation and flavor.
Why you will love this recipe
- Perfect for Valentine’s Day: These are the perfect desserts for my cookie tray at Valentine’s Day parties or brunch because they are easy to make but look elegant.
- Baby or bridal showers: These cookies are studding, you can make them more pink by adding gel food coloring, and they would be ideal for a baby shower, but also sophisticated enough for a bridal shower or party favors.
- Easy to make: Madeleines are French cookies, but you can enjoy them without going to France. They are so easy to make, in just about 30 minutes.
- They freeze well: I usually double the ingredients and make enough cookies to freeze for later.
What you will need
- Dry ingredients: I use all-purpose flour because it has enough gluten to provide structure without making the dough tough. I also add baking powder to give them a lift, a signature rise, and a lighter, more tender crumb.
- Wet ingredients: The eggs contain proteins that help the cookies set and keep them from falling apart. They also add air to the cookies to create lift when the eggs and butter are beaten together. Butter also adds a rich flavor, moisture, and crispy edges with a shiny finish.
- Seasonings: Strawberry puree from fresh strawberries gives these cookies an infusion of sweet strawberry flavor. I squeeze my own lemon juice and make my own zest to give them a bright, tangy taste.
- Garnish: I like to dip my cookies in melted white chocolate to enhance their sweetness, then sprinkle them with lemon zest and freeze-dried strawberries.
How to make
Mix the puree: First, I mix 1½ cups chopped strawberries with 1 tablespoon of sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth.
Whisk: Next, I beat the eggs and ¾ cup of sugar until foamy.
Combine: Then, I add the strawberry puree and the dry ingredients. Then, I gently stir in the butter with a spatula.
Fill the pans: Butter the baking pans and sprinkle them with flour, shaking off the excess before filling the cups to ¾ full.
Chill cookies and preheat the oven: I place the pan in the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes, then preheat the oven to 395 degrees F.
Bake the cookies: After they chill, bake them for 7–8 minutes, or until the center is light pink and the edges are slightly darker.
Cool the cookies: I remove them from the pan and let them cool on a wire rack.
Dip and garnish: When they are cool, I melt the chocolate in the microwave according to the package instructions. Then I dip one end or one side of each cookie in the chocolate, sprinkle on the lemon zest and freeze-dried strawberry crumbles, and freeze it.
Set and serve: Once the chocolate has set, I can serve the cookies.
Expert tip
How to keep madeleines from sticking to the pan
Because of the intricate grooves and crevices, many people struggle to remove cookies from the pan without losing parts of their beautiful design. Similar to a bundt cake, I like to brush a thin layer of butter into all the crevices, then sift a coating of flour over it. Some people use two coats of butter, chilling the first layer for 15 minutes. Another good idea is to use cake goop. This is a mixture of shortening, flour, and vegetable oil beaten together and spread into the pan. Just a thin layer will work wonderfully.
More tips to consider:
- Be sure to chill the batter for at least 30 minutes.
- Also, make sure the pan is well coated with butter and flour.
- Do not overfill the molds, or they will overflow and lose their shape.
- Keep an eye on the temperature. They should be light pink in the center and a little darker pink around the edges.
- Remove them right away so they don’t keep cooking. Overbaking will make them dry, and underbaking will make them dense.
- Store them at room temperature. The fridge can dry them out.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Fruit variations: Any kind of fruit puree tastes delicious in this recipe. I have enjoyed raspberry, orange marmalade, peach, cherry, and blueberry.
- Add flavor: Another way to change these cookies’ flavors is to use extracts. Try using vanilla, lime, coconut, mint, or mango.
- Caramel topping: My caramel sauce would taste incredible drizzled over these strawberry madeleines, and it is so easy to make with just a few ingredients.
- Sugar on top: Right after they come out of the oven, sprinkle some powdered sugar on top to make these even sweeter.
- Sugar-free: To make these cookies sugar-free, use honey or maple syrup. Another option is a sugar substitute, such as monk fruit.
Serving suggestions:
One of my favorite ways to serve these strawberry-madeleine cookies is for brunch with my scrumptious strawberry bacon grilled cheese sandwiches. These gooey favorites are both sweet and savory with crispy bacon, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, fresh strawberries, and strawberry jam between grilled sourdough bread. The flavors pair well with the cookies and make a delightful meal when paired with a cold strawberry-banana smoothie or strawberry margarita.
If I want to make these cookies a more substantial dessert, I can serve them with my sweet strawberry sorbet. It is easy to make in just 15 minutes with some frozen fruit, honey, and lime juice. But it does need to be chilled for at least 2 hours before serving. I plate them with a scoop of the sorbet and homemade whipped cream on the side.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: I keep my leftover strawberry madeleines in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezing: To store them longer, I wrap them in plastic and put them in freezer bags. They will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Defrost: I thaw them overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Using a different flour for these cookies is not a good idea because it does not provide enough gluten. For example, cake flour contains less protein and gluten, so it cannot hold sponge cookies together as well as all-purpose flour. Bread flour has more protein and gluten, which help hold the dough together, but it also makes the crust chewier and crisper.
The main reason to chill the cookie dough is to firm the fat and hydrate the flour so the gluten relaxes. This lets the hot oven create a burst of steam that pushes the cookies up in the center, giving them a beautiful hump.
Some strawberries do not have enough red pigment to turn the cookies pink. If you want them to be a darker pink color, red or pink gel food coloring can help. Or use a few drops of beet juice for a more natural color. Just do not use too much, or it may leave a slightly sour taste.
This can happen if they are not chilled long enough, if the batter is overmixed, or if the baking powder is too old. First, be sure to chill the cookies, already in the pan, for at least 20 minutes. The colder they are, the better the rise. Also, baking a cold batter in a hot oven causes the edges to set quickly and helps the center rise. If the batter is overmixed, it can develop too much gluten, making the batter dense and preventing it from rising. Finally, check the baking powder to make sure it is not expired. It has to produce the gas to lift the cookies.
More strawberry recipes to try:
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Strawberry Madeleines
Ingredients
Strawberry madeleines:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder at room temperature
- 4 large eggs
Strawberry puree:
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish:
- 1 cup white chocolate wafers
- Freeze-dried strawberries finely chopped
- Lemon zest
Instructions
- To make strawberry puree, place all five ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, beat 4 eggs with 3/4 cup sugar until the mixture becomes white and foamy.
- Add four tablespoons of strawberry puree, all-purpose flour, and baking powder, and whisk until the flour is incorporated.
- Stir in the melted butter using a spatula.
- Add a few drops of pink gel food coloring to make it pinker. Stir to combine.
- Use a kitchen brush to butter the madeleine baking pans, then sprinkle with flour and shake off the excess.
- Transfer the madeleine batter to a pastry bag and fill each madeleine well 3/4 full.
- Refrigerate the pan with the batter for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 395°F (220 °C).
- Transfer the pan from the fridge to the oven and bake for 7-8 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on a cake rack before removing them.
Garnish:
- You can either keep the cookies as they are or add a garnish to enhance their appearance.
- Melt the chocolate wafers according to the package instructions.
- Dip one side of each madeleine in white chocolate, then place them on a wire rack with the chocolate side facing up.
- Immediately garnish with finely chopped freeze-dried strawberries and lemon zest.
- Serve when the chocolate hardens.
Notes
How to keep madeleines from sticking to the pan
Because of the intricate grooves and crevices, many people struggle to remove cookies from the pan without losing parts of their beautiful design. Similar to a bundt cake, I like to brush a thin layer of butter into all the crevices, then sift a coating of flour over it. Some people use two coats of butter, chilling the first layer for 15 minutes. Another good idea is to use cake goop. This is a mixture of shortening, flour, and vegetable oil beaten together and spread into the pan. Just a thin layer will work wonderfully.More tips to consider:
- Be sure to chill the batter for at least 30 minutes.
- Also, make sure the pan is well coated with butter and flour.
- Do not overfill the molds, or they will overflow and lose their shape.
- Keep an eye on the temperature. They should be light pink in the center and a little darker pink around the edges.
- Remove them right away so they don’t keep cooking. Overbaking will make them dry, and underbaking will make them dense.
- Store them at room temperature. The fridge can dry them out.
These are so beautiful! I had never made Madeleins before but I love how easy this recipe was and they turned out so delicious. Perfect treat to make with tea.
These are as tasty as they are pretty! I really enjoyed them.
Nice. I love the flavor and the pretty package. I’m making these for my Gf.
These Strawberry Madeleines were so pretty and delicious. I loved making them!