Spooky Sesame
These Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines may be small, but they’re packed with flavour and charm. These classic shell-shaped French cakes get a nutty twist from black sesame powder, making them light, fluffy, and buttery with a subtle depth of flavour. For Halloween, we’re taking them up a notch by adding a smooth chocolate coating and decorating them with spooky-yet-cute designs.
Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or just looking for a festive bake to enjoy at home, these Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines are the perfect treat. They’re elegant enough to impress your guests, simple enough for any home baker to make, and decorating them is where the fun truly begins!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Light and Fluffy: Perfectly airy with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Nutty Flavour: Black sesame adds a rich, toasty flavor that’s unique and delicious.
- Festive & Fun: Chocolate coating and Halloween decorations make them spooky and playful.
- Beginner-Friendly: Simple ingredients and tips help you get that iconic madeleine hump.
- Creative Decorating: A chance to personalise each madeleine with fun Halloween designs.
- Perfect for Parties: Great for Halloween spreads, gifting, or a cozy treat at home.
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Ingredients in this Black Sesame Madeleines Recipe
At a glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Unsalted butter – Gives the madeleines a rich, buttery flavour while also helping to create that tender crumb and slightly crisp edges. Please make sure to melt it in advance so that it will be completely cooled when we mix it into the batter.
- Eggs – Provide structure, moisture, and help the batter rise beautifully. For your reference, each egg is around 60 g without shell.
- Caster sugar – Sweetens the batter and also helps whip the eggs into a light, airy base.
- Cake flour – Keeps the texture soft and delicate, which is perfect for madeleines.
- Baking powder – Adds that little lift to help develop the iconic hump.
- Black sesame powder – The star ingredient! It gives the madeleines their nutty, toasty flavour and a striking dark colour. If you can’t find it, simply grind black sesame seeds into a fine powder using a grinder.
- Milk – Adds moisture and helps bring the batter together smoothly.
- Vanilla extract – A subtle flavour boost that balances the nuttiness of sesame.
- Salt – Just a pinch enhances all the other flavours.
How to Make Black Sesame Madeleines
Here are some key tips for making the perfect black sesame madeleines ! Be sure to scroll down to the printable recipe card for the ingredient amounts and watch my step-by-step video tutorial for a complete guide to learn how to make these delicious madeleines.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, or alternatively, melt it in the microwave. Let it cool completely before using.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar using a handheld mixer at medium speed.
- Keep whisking until it turns until pale and almost double in volume. It takes around 4-5 minutes.
- Add in milk and vanilla extract.
- Give it a quick mix.
- Place a sieve on top of the mixing bowl, sift in the cake flour, salt, baking powder and black sesame powder. You may need to use a spatula to press the black sesame powder through the sieve.
- Mix at medium low speed.
- Mix until well combined.
- Keep the mixer on and gradually pour in the cooled melted butter and mix until everything is incorporated.
- Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and the bottom to make sure everything is well mixed.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, grease the well of each mould with softened butter (not melted) and freeze the pan for about 15 minutes (even though your pan is non-stick, still do this). If you are not using a non-stick pan, grease the pan with butter and dust the wells lightly with flour. Also, preheat the oven to 210℃ fan (400℉).
- Remove the batter from the fridge. Using a spatula, mix to loosen the batter and remove the air bubbles.
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag.
- Be sure to secure the top of the bag.
- Start piping the batter into the frozen moulds until 90% full. Alternatively, you can simply spoon the batter into the moulds.
- Place the filled madeleine pan into the preheated oven (210℃ fan /400℉).
- Bake them at 210℃ fan /400℉ for the first 5 minutes, then immediately reduce the oven temperature to 190°C fan (375℉) and continue baking for another 5-6 minutes, or until the cake bodies are puffed up and the edges are golden.
- While they’re still warm, or as soon as you can handle the heat, gently flip the madeleines out of the moulds and rest them at an angle on their crispy edges. This helps avoid squashing the delicate shell pattern or the iconic hump.
- You can serve them as they are, or if you’d like to decorate them, just make sure they’ve cooled completely.
Tips for Making the Best Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines
- Chill the batter: Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or up to 3 days) to help the madeleines develop their iconic hump.
- Use a cold pan: Placing the greased pan in the freezer before baking gives the batter a temperature shock, which helps the hump form.
- Sift dry ingredients: This ensures even distribution of flour, baking powder, and black sesame powder for a smooth batter.
- Don’t over mix: Gently fold in melted butter to keep the batter light and airy.
- Fill the moulds properly: Fill each madeleine mould about 90% full for the perfect shape.
- Bake in stages: Start at a higher temperature to give the madeleines a temperature shock to get those beautiful iconic hump, then reduce mid-bake to get a crisp edge and tender inside.
- Cool carefully: Flip madeleines gently and rest them on their edges to maintain their crisp shells.
Now that you’ve mastered baking the best black sesame madeleines, head over to How to Decorate Halloween Madeleines, where I’ll show you step by step (with all my tips and tricks!) how to create spooky and fun designs that will wow at any Halloween party.”
How to Serve these Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines
- Serve fresh: Madeleines are best enjoyed the same day for maximum softness and flavour, though they keep well if stored properly.
- Party-ready: Arrange your decorated Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines on a festive platter for parties or gatherings.
- Snack time: Perfect for an afternoon treat with tea or coffee.
- Gift idea: Place a few in a small box or treat bag for a spooky, homemade gift.
Helpful Tip:
Plan ahead! These madeleines taste best when freshly baked. If you’re decorating them, do so as soon as possible and enjoy them soon after for the best flavour and texture.
How to Store these Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines
- Room temperature: Store uncoated madeleines in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Decorated madeleines: Once chocolate and icing are set, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, but they’re best enjoyed the same day for maximum flavour and texture.
Helpful tip:
I don’t recommend refrigerating or freezing these madeleines—they really shine when fresh! You can prepare the batter in advance and bake/decorate whenever it suits you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The batter can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Chill it well before baking to get that iconic madeleine hump.
Absolutely! You can pipe royal icing directly onto the shell side of the madeleines if you prefer.
You can try toasted white sesame, ground almonds, or even matcha for a different flavour twist, but the nutty black sesame flavour is unique.
Chill the batter, use a cold greased pan, and bake at a higher temperature for the first few minutes—these tricks help create the classic hump.
Once chocolate and icing are set, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days. Avoid refrigerating or freezing as it may affect texture and shine.
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Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 11 mins
- Total Time: 3 hours 41 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Asian, French
Description
Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines are light, fluffy French cakes with a nutty twist, coated in chocolate and decorated with spooky-cute Halloween designs. Perfect for parties or as a fun baking project, these madeleines are just as delicious as they are festive!
Ingredients
For the Batter
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 eggs
- 60 g caster sugar
- 100 g cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 40 g black sesame powder
- 30 ml milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Coating
- 200 g white chocolate
- oil-based food colouring
For the Royal Icing Decoration
- 225 g icing sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
- a few tbsp water
- gel food colouring
- candy eyeballs
Instructions
To Make the Batter
- Melt the butter in a saucepan. Let it cool completely before using.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar using a handheld mixer at medium speed until pale and almost triple in volume. It takes around 4-5 minutes.
- Add in milk and vanilla extract. Give it a quick mix.
- Place a sieve on top of the mixing bowl, sift in the cake flour, black sesame powder, baking powder and salt. You may need to use a spatula to press the black sesame powder through the sieve. Mix at medium low speed until well combined.
- Keep the mixer on and gradually pour in the cooled melted butter and mix until everything is incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and the bottom to make sure everything is well mixed.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
To Bake the Madeleines
- Preheat the oven to 210℃ fan (400℉).
- Grease the well of each mould with softened butter (not melted) and freeze the pan for about 15 minutes (even though your pan is non-stick, still do this). If you are not using a non-stick pan, grease the pan with butter and dust the wells lightly with flour.
- When you are ready to bake, remove the batter from the fridge. Using a spatula, mix to loosen the batter and remove the air bubbles.
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag. Start piping the batter into the frozen moulds until 90% full. Alternatively, you can simply spoon the batter into the moulds.
- Place the filled madeleine pan into the preheated oven (210℃ fan /400℉) for 5 minutes, then immediately reduce the oven temperature to 190°C fan (375℉) and continue baking for another 5-6 minutes, or until the cake bodies are puffed up and the edges are golden.
- While they’re still warm, or as soon as you can handle the heat, gently flip the madeleines out of the cavities and rest them at an angle on their crispy edges. This helps avoid squashing the delicate shell pattern or the iconic hump.
- Cool completely before decorating.
To Coat the Madeleines with Chocolate (optional)
- Place the chopped white chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then take it out to stir. Then microwave it for a few 15-second bursts until completely melted. In order to keep it liquified, place the bowl in a big bowl of warm water (otherwise it re-sets very quickly).
- Decide how many colours you want for your chocolate shell bases and then take a small amount of white chocolate for each and colour using oil-based food colouring.
- Next, make sure the madeleine moulds are warm. I use a hair dryer to do this.
- Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon of melted/coloured white chocolate into each mould of the madeleine pan.
- Place a (cooled) madeleine, shell-side down, on top of the chocolate. Gently press and wiggle slightly so the chocolate spreads evenly across the shell.
- Leave the madeleine sitting in the mould and repeat for the rest.
- Transfer the whole pan to the freezer for 15 minutes, or until the chocolate is completely set.
- Once set firm, simply push the madeleines out of the pan—the bottoms (shell-sided) should be coated in a crisp layer of chocolate. If a madeleine doesn’t release with gentle pressure, don’t force it. Return it to the freezer for a few more minutes, then try again.
To Decorate the Madeleines with Royal Icing (optional)
- In a mixing bowl, combine icing sugar and meringue powder.
- Add a few tablespoons of water and beat until the mixture becomes glossy, shiny, and nearly doubles in volume.
- Adjust the consistency as needed: add a little more water to thin out or add extra icing sugar to thicken.
- Divide the icing into bowls and mix in gel food colouring to achieve your desired colours.
- Once your royal icing is ready, transfer it to piping bags and begin decorating your madeleines as desired.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- Each egg is around 60 g without shell.
- Watch my video tutorial to see how to decorate these adorable yet scary Halloween madeleines.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 91kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 43mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 34mg
Final Thoughts
These Black Sesame Halloween Madeleines are the perfect combination of flavour, texture, and festive fun. Light, fluffy, and nutty, they’re elevated with chocolate coating and spooky decorations that make them a hit at any Halloween gathering—or just a special treat at home.
The best part?
You can plan ahead by prepping the batter, then bake and decorate whenever you’re ready. Whether you’re serving them at a party, gifting them, or enjoying a cozy afternoon treat, these madeleines are sure to impress and delight.
Get creative with your decorations, enjoy the process, and most importantly—have fun baking and sharing these spooky little delights!
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Hope you’ll love this! Happy Halloween! 👻
This Post Has 2 Comments
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it. Just to clarify though, when are the egg whites added? Step 2 under “Make the batter” says to beat the yolks and sugar together l, but I can’t find the instructions to add the whites!
Hi Tiff,
Thank you so much for catching that 🙏 — and I’m so glad you’re excited to try the recipe! 😊 You’re absolutely right — that’s a little typo. In Step 2, it should say “add the eggs” (not just the yolks) and beat them together with the sugar. I’ve updated the recipe to fix that. Thanks again for pointing it out! Happy Halloween! 🎃