I met my first madeleine cookie at Starbucks many years ago. I loved the light & buttery “cake cookie”, especially with my morning coffee. It wasn’t until a few years later when I tasted a homemade madeleine that I truly understood the magic of these cookies. I decided then that I needed to make my own. I soon realized, looking at the many different recipes, that I would need special pans to make these cookies so off to Williams Sonoma I went. Over the years I have experimented with many different flavors from traditional lemon to orange & chocolate to my new favorite, Lemon & Lavender Madeleines. Lemon and lavender are such a great flavor combination and remind me of a lovely summer day in the south of France!
For the pairing, I of course chose a Rosé from the Provence region of France. Lavender grows wild and abundant there so it was only fitting. It can be difficult to pair a dry wine with dessert but madeleines are not typically too sweet so this pairing works beautifully. To learn more about Rose wine, check out my French Rosé pairing page.
Lemon & Lavender Madeleines
Ingredients
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lavender honey
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lavender buds
Directions
- Step 1 In a small pan, melt 1 stick of butter and set aside.
- Step 2 Using an electric mixer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and honey on high speed for 5 minutes. Add in the lemon zest and vanilla.
- Step 3 In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon lavender. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Gently stir the melted butter into the batter. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- Step 4 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the pan with melted butter.
- Step 5 Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into the center of each scalloped well. No need to spread it to the edges. Sprinkle each with a little lavender.
- Step 6 Bake for approximately 10 minutes until lightly golden brown. Transfer the warm madeleines to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with confectioner sugar and lemon zest. Serve with a side of lavender honey or lemon curd.
