If you love gingerbread then this refined yet simple recipe is right for you. Bake up something beautiful and easy with this delicious recipe for Gingerbread Madeleines.

Madeleines are the picture of simple yet elegant treats and nothing takes that to new heights like the flavor of ginger. This easy-to-bake recipe for Gingerbread Madeleines makes a delicious treat that will excite your taste buds. Grab a cup of tea and get baking with this Gingerbread Madeleine Recipe!

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What You’ll Love About This Gingerbread Madeleines
Ingredients
Special Equipment
How to Make Gingerbread Madeleines
Expert Tips
Delicious Variations
How to Store Gingerbread Madeleines
Gingerbread Madeleines Recipe

What You’ll Love About This Gingerbread Madeleines

Unforgettable Flavor

Gingerbread is often associated with the holiday season. It is one of those flavors that’s well worth the wait, but what if you could have it all year long!? Cozy up with the warm and inviting aromas and flavors of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses with this unforgettable bite. You don’t even have to wait for Christmas!

Afternoon Treat

Gingerbread Madeleines were made for cozy feels and cool afternoons. These treats have the most luxurious balance of warm spice and sweetness for a warm cup of coffee or tea. Curl up in your favorite chair with a good book and plate of these Madeleines for a relaxing afternoon you won’t want to end.

Sweet Twist on Dessert

Everyone’s had a cookie and cupcakes are played out. Brownies are delicious but too rich for every moment. Only Madeleines can deliver sweet dessert flavor with unexpected texture and flair! Top it off with the warm ginger flavors in these fluffy shell-shaped desserts and you have something that feels brand new but totally welcome and familiar!

Ingredients

Unsalted Butter

Butter is the base of this delicious treat. Unsalted butter is an excellent choice but if all you have is slated, that’s fine just use a little less salt in the recipe.

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is perfect for treats with ginger flavor because its rich flavor adds depth to the ginger.

Sugar

White sugar adds even more sweetness to the flavor of these Madeleines. If possible, choose an extra fine-grain sugar.

Molasses

Molasses is a key component of traditional gingerbread flavor. It adds richness and a dark syrupy flavor.

Egg

Egg serves a dual purpose in this recipe. It is a binder and a leavener. The air in the egg adds lift to the Madeleine batter and helps to hold everything together.

All-Purpose Flour

This standard pantry flour is just right for these sweet snacks. Unfortunately, it is not a good idea to try swapping this flour with another type of flour. A change in flour can affect the texture and flavor of the finished product, so stick with all-purpose flour.

Never pack the flour when measuring, instead spoon and level your measures or weigh your flour out.

Baking Powder

Baking powder is a leavening agent that helps give these Madeleines a fluffy, delicious texture.

Salt

Salt adds balance to sweet treats. Use fine-grain salt for this recipe.

Cinnamon

This warm and inviting spice is a key component of any great gingerbread flavor.

Ginger

It wouldn’t be gingerbread without the ginger. Bring tantalizing ginger flavor to your bake with ground ginger

Allspice

Allspice comes from small dried berries from a tree that comes from Southern Mexico. The flavor of this spice is a cross between clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s perfect for adding warmth to gingerbread.

Nutmeg

This delicious spice is for more than just eggnog! Nutmeg brings an inviting woody and sweet flavor to the spice blend in these treats.

Special Equipment

Madeleine Pan

The one essential tool you need when making madeleines is the madeleine pan. This unique baking pan is the key to these treats’ shape and texture.

A madeleine pan has a one-of-a-kind shape that gives these sweets their signature ridges. Madeleines are shaped like long scallop shells. A madeleine pan will typically have between 12 and 24 shell-shaped cavities for filling with sweet batter!

Mixing Bowls and Mixing Tools

You will need a few bowls to mix and melt ingredients in. A rubber spatula makes an excellent mixing tool for this batter.

Ice Cream Scoop

The key to great baking is uniformity. Make all your madeleines exactly the same by using an ice cream scoop or disher to add the batter to the pan.

How to Make Gingerbread Madeleines

Mix the Batter:

Either in a double-boiler or a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and then set it aside to cool.
In a large bowl, add both sugars, molasses, and egg. Whisk the mixture together until it is thickened and fully combined.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt until homogenous.
Working in thirds, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir gently, just to combine.
Gently fold the melted butter into the sugar/flour mixture and do not overmix.
Cover the mixture and chill in the fridge for at least an hour up to overnight.

Bake:

Prepare to bake by preheating the oven to 350°F and brushing the madeleine pan with melted butter.
Remove the madeleine batter from the fridge.
Use a disher or ice cream scoop to spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 12 minutes or until they are lightly browned and have a nice hump.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the madeleines to cool in the pan for a few minutes before flipping them out onto a cooling rack.
Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Once the flour has been added to the batter, do not overmix or else your madeleines will be tough and chewy.
If you want a more developed ginger flavor, let the batter sit in the fridge overnight.
Do not spread or flatten the batter in the pan, just scoop and leave it!

Delicious Variations

Orange Ginger

If you love citrus, try adding a dash of orange zest to the batter. For an even more pronounced orangy note, add a tiny splash of fresh orange juice to the batter.

Ginger Fruit

If you love a little fruit with your gingerbread, try adding some chopped dried currants or golden raisins to the batter. Before adding fruit to the batter, toss it lightly in flour. This prevents it from sinking.

Ginger Lime

Lime and ginger go together like old friends; try this zesty ginger and lime dessert reunion. Zest a sweet lime, like key lime into the batter. Optionally add a dash of key lime juice to help bring out the warm and spicy ginger notes.

How to Serve Gingerbread Madeleines

These Gingerbread Madeleines are at their best when they are straight out of the oven and nicely warm. Serve them right away paired with hot coffee or tea.

To serve a group, arrange the madeleines on a platter in a spiral and watch your guests' faces light up when they see these gorgeous treats. The only thing better is seeing their faces again when they take their first delicious bite!

While warm madeleines might be the best, these treats are still delicious hours or days later. Enjoy them later as a sweet morning bite or light afternoon pick-me-up.

How to Store Gingerbread Madeleines

Once the madeleines are fully cooled they can be moved to an airtight container and stored for up to 4 days at room temperature.

You can try to reheat the madeleines in the microwave, it may affect texture slightly but they will taste as great as ever! Place one or two on a microwave-safe plate, heat for up to 20 seconds, and enjoy!

Can I Freeze Extra Gingerbread Madeleines?

Yes, these Gingerbread madeleines can be frozen!

For best results, wrap each madeleine in plastic or foil and then place them in a freezer-safe bag, press out the excess air, and seal. They can be frozen for one month.

To thaw frozen madeleines, place them in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, they can be moved to an airtight container and kept at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Are Gingerbread Madeleines Nut-Free?

Yes, these delicious madeleines have tons of fresh, zesty, and sweet ginger flavor and absolutely no nuts!

All of the ingredients in this recipe are naturally nut-free; however, if you’re baking for a school, facility, or anyone with serious allergy concerns, always read the labels to be sure. Some nut-free ingredients are processed in nut-handling facilities, so it never hurts to double-check!