I have a real soft spot for madeleines. It could be because I have very early memories of eating these dainty little madeleine cakes, their light sponginess making them the perfect snack for little hands.

The madeleines of my childhood were always plain or lemon flavoured. These days, recipes abound with countless variations of flavours for these little cakes, both sweet and savoury. And I love them all!

plate of madeleines with nutella with cups of coffee in background

One particular variation which I make perhaps a bit too often is with Nutella, another great love of mine from my childhood. Growing up, I was made to believe that Nutella was unhealthy and, anyway, none of my school friends ate Nutella. You see, the “good kids” ate Vegemite so I was usually only given a little sachet of Nutella once in a blue moon as a treat.

Since meeting my husband, well, I don’t think he grew up eating Nutella but a lot of his friends certainly did. I recall one weekend where we were at brunch together and his friends were making themselves large bowls of hot chocolate and slathering thick spoonfuls of Nutella onto their slices of white bread. I watched in amazement, thinking to myself, “Is this really their breakfast?!”

It was a revelation for me, a confirmation that the French really do have it right most of the times when it comes to food 🙂

madeleines with nutella on saucer with coffee cup

And since that time, I have been happily tucking into my jar of Nutella at breakfast and even branching out into more gourmet variations from specialty stores, making up for lost opportunities when I was younger.

I am a bit anxious to reveal photos of my madeleines here because my father-in-law has lay claim to making the best madeleines in the family. Once upon a time (yes, I think it was that long ago!), he made his first attempt at baking madeleines and claimed to have produced the most beautifully risen cakes with perfect little humps that no one else in the family had ever achieved, nor been able to replicate since. Alas, he achieved his goal with that one attempt and has since retired from any further baking.

grey plate with stack of madeleines

Below is a classic madeleine recipe; the Nutella is really optional. It is hard to say how many madeleines this recipe produces because madeleine moulds vary so much.

I make about 20 madeleines from this recipe, and often make one batch plain and the other batch with Nutella.

The batter can be made in advance and should rest for at least 1 hour in the fridge, but you can also leave it there overnight or even for a few days. This means they are perfect for when you have guests over as the batter can be prepared well in advance.

madeleines with nutella step by step photo
madeleines with nutella coffee
5 stars (1 review)

Madeleines with Nutella

Thanh | Eat, Little Bird
Prep15 minutes
Cook10 minutes
Rest1 hour
Total1 hour 25 minutes
Serves: 12 cakes
Easy and delicious Madeleines with Nutella. This is a classic French madeleine recipe with tips on how to make madeleines perfectly every time.
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Ingredients

Instructions 

  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on low heat and leave aside to cool.
  2. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a KitchenAid), whisk together the eggs and the caster sugar.
  3. Add the plain flour, baking powder, the cooled and melted butter, and the lemon zest.
  4. Whisk until everything is well incorporated and the batter is thick in consistency.
  5. Leave the batter to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
  6. Preheat the oven to 270°C/518°F (without fan).
  7. Generously grease the madeleine mould with butter, even if it is non-stick.
  8. Place a small amount of batter in each mould, just enough to cover the bottom.
  9. Then add a drop of Nutella in the centre of the batter, using a small teaspoon. It is best if the Nutella is cold so it is easier to manage. One trick is to place a tablespoon of Nutella into a small plastic bag (such as a freezer bag) and then snip off the corner and use this like a piping bag to squeeze small amounts of Nutella onto the batter. Try not to use too much Nutella, otherwise it will sink to the bottom of the cake.
  10. Cover the Nutella with some more batter to fill the mould.
  11. Place the tray in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 210°C/410°F (without fan).
  12. Bake until the madeleines have puffed up and are golden brown on top. For large madeleine moulds, this might take about 7 minutes. For mini madeleine moulds, they only take a few minutes, so it is best just to keep a diligent eye on the oven.
  13. Leave them to cool on a wire rack (the ridge-side facing down), and serve them warm or cold.

Kitchen Notes

  • OVEN TEMPERATURES
    All recipes on this website state temperatures for a regular oven (i.e. a conventional oven without fan). If you have a convection oven with a fan, please consult the manufacturer’s handbook on how to adjust the temperature and baking time accordingly.
  • CONVERSIONS
    To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1g, Calories: 202kcal, Carbohydrates: 22.3g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11.5g, Cholesterol: 73.4mg, Sodium: 19.9mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 12.6g

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