These delicious Gluten-Free Spiced Madeleines are light in texture, simple to prepare and gently spiced. If you have been looking for an easy madeleine recipe, this is the one for you.
Why we love this recipe:
These Spiced Madeleines are really easy to make. Don’t be intimidated by the recipes which state that madeleines are for the experienced cook. This recipe is suitable for either the experienced cook or the beginner.
My method is simple; the batter is quickly whizzed together in a food processor. Whilst not traditional, it still achieves excellent results.
They are light, with a tender crumb, brightened by the flavour of warm spices and are perfect accompaniments to a cup of tea or coffee.
There is something very attractive and appealing about how elegant they are, thanks to their pleasantly curved, shell shape.
Despite their elegant, slightly fancy appearance, these little Gluten-Free Spiced Madeleines are made from simple, everyday ingredients.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Unsalted butter – I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
Eggs – the eggs are large, ideally free range.
Caster/superfine sugar – is easier to dissolve and mixes more readily.
Vanilla extract – for the best flavour, ensure that the vanilla you use is naturally extracted from the vanilla bean and not synthetically produced.
Gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour – our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes. If your flour blend already contains either of these gums, there is no need to add more. If you do not require the recipe to be gluten-free, you can use regular flour.
Baking powder – ensure that your baking powder is gluten-free.
Sea salt – the addition of a small amount of salt is a flavour enhancer in baked goods. Use a coarse kitchen/cooking salt, not table salt.
Spices – I used ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. For the best flavour, use fresh spices. If you have had your spices a long time, they will have lost some of their flavour.
Pure icing/confectioners’ sugar – this, as the name says, is pure icing sugar. If you use an icing mixture, ensure that it is gluten-free.
Step by Step Instructions:
You’ll need to start by pre-heating your oven and preparing your tin.
- Prepare the baking tins by brushing them with melted butter and then dusting them with flour. This will ensure that the little cakes will be easily released from the tin.
- Melt the butter and allow it to cool. Next, I add the cooled, melted butter and the remaining ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. I whiz all the ingredients together until they are well combined.
- I spoon the madeleine mixture into the prepared tins and bake them in a pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes.
- After a brief rest, I release the madeleines from their tin and they are ready to be enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee. Dust with icing sugar, or top with a glaze.
Tips for Success and FAQs:
Perhaps the most important part of the recipe for Spiced Madeleines is that the tins be thoroughly prepared. Ideally, the baking tin will be non-stick. The shell shapes require a generous coating of melted butter followed by a dusting of flour after which I shake off the excess. The careful preparation of the tins means that the madeleines are easily removed.
It really is best to use the appropriate, shell-shaped baking pans for this recipe. They add an elegant touch to this little, plain cake. If you have just one tin, re-butter and flour the tin before the second baking.
Once the madeleines come out of the oven, let them sit for a minute before releasing them from their tins. If left to cool in the tins they will continue to bake from the heat of the pan, become dry and difficult to remove.
It is important to have the eggs at room temperature so they will incorporate more easily into the batter. If you have not thought to bring your eggs to room temperature, just put them in a bowl, cover them with warm water and leave to sit for a few minutes. Do not use hot water; it will partly cook the eggs.
They are at their best eaten on the day they are made, ideally while still warm from the oven. In fact, some French bakeries make them to order and serve them warm as that is when they are most enjoyable. However, they are still lovely two days later.
Yes, they can. Allow them to cool completely and store them in the freezer in an airtight container. Dust them with icing sugar just before serving.
More delicious recipes for you to try:
Here are some more of our favourite gluten-free small cakes:
- Lemon Madeleines
- Chocolate Raspberry Tarts
- Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes
- Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
- Peach, Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins
The fragrance of these very elegant little French tea cakes as they are baking will fill your home. It is warm and alluring, attracting all within reach. But don’t worry, after removing them from the oven you can enjoy them almost immediately as they are at their best while still warm. Enjoy these beautiful Gluten-Free Spiced Madeleines!
Alex xx
Gluten-Free Spiced Madeleines
Equipment
- A food processor
- A pastry brush
- 2 X 12-hole madeleine baking trays
Ingredients
Prepation of Baking Tins:
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter – melted See Notes 1 and 2
- 1 tbsp gluten-free plain flour See Note 1
For the Madeleines:
- 90 g (1/3 cup + 2 tsp) unsalted butter See Note 2
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 115 g (1/2 cup) caster/superfine sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract See Note 3
- 115 g (3/4 cup) gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour See Note 4
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt See Note 5
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon See Note 6
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg See Note 6
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves See Note 6
- pure icing/confectioners' sugar for dusting, or cinnamon drizzle
Cinnamon Drizzle – Optional:
- 60 g (1/2 cup) pure icing/confectioners' sugar See Note 7
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk See Note 1
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees C (350°F).
- Prepare the baking trays by heating 1 tbsp (20 g) of butter in a small saucepan until it is almost melted.Use a pastry brush to generously paint the madeleine trays with the melted butter.
- Dust the baking tins with a sprinkling of additional flour and shake off the excess. This is important to help release the madeleines from the tin.
- Melt the remaining 90 g of butter over low heat. Set aside to cool.
- When the butter is cool, add it to the bowl of a food processor along with the eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
- Whiz all the ingredients together to combine them, scraping down the sides of the bowl once during processing.
- Evenly divide the batter between the moulds. They will be about 1/2 full. It is not necessary to spread the mixture in the mould; it will spread as it cooks.
- Bake the madeleines for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown, the mixture has risen a little in the middle and they feel cooked. Cool them in the tray for one minute.
- Set a clean tea towel on your bench and then remove the madeleines by sharply rapping an edge of the tray on the bench. They should easily fall out. Place them on a baking rack to finish cooling (if using the cinnamon glaze) or enjoy immediately with a dusting of icing sugar.
- If using the cinnamon glaze, combine the icing sugar, vanilla and cinnamon together and add milk gradually until smooth and liquid enough to “drizzle” on the Madeleines. You may need more or less than one tablespoon so add the milk as necessary.
- Although best eaten on the day they are made, the Madeleines are also delicious two days later – if they last that long!
Notes
- The Australian tablespoon is 20ml or 4 teaspoons. In most other countries the tablespoon is 15ml or 3 teaspoons. You may need to adjust your measurements accordingly.
- Measuring your ingredients by weight will provide much more accurate results in baking.
- For the best flavour, use vanilla extract/essence which has been extracted from vanilla beans and not synthetically produced.
- Our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes. If your flour blend already contains either of these gums, there is no need to add more.
- Use coarse kitchen/cooking salt and not fine table salt as it is stronger.
- If your spices are old, they will have lost some flavour. For the best flavour, use fresh spices.
- If using icing sugar mixture, ensure that it is gluten-free.
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on one madeleine. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Nutrition
Having previously tried your Lemon Madeleines, I was keen to try these as soon as I saw the new recipe.. wonderful! The spices are delicious and the perfect amount. We didn’t try the glaze on this occasion and enjoyed with just a dusting of icing sugar.
Thank you for another wonderful gluten free recipe xx
Thank you so much, Jenny! I am so pleased that you like this Madeleine recipe too!
I am glad you are enjoying our gluten free recipes.
Kind regards, Alex x
Your Spiced Madeleines turned out so beautifully… and I love that you used real butter. Yum! 😋
Thank you so much, Heidi!
These Madeline’s are so good! Even better than the ones I’ve had in the past! You wouldn’t even know they’re gluten-free!
I am so happy to hear that, Alison – thank you!
WOW! I am impressed: these gluten-free madeleines have a bump on top. Love it: it reminds me of French madeleines I ate in Paris.
Thank you so much, Irina! I cannot ask for a bigger compliment than that 🙂
These look elegant and delicious Alex! Love that they’re gluten-free. A few with my evening cup of tea right now would be perfect!
Thank you so much, Leanne! 🙂