Matcha Madeleines – an elegant twist on classic madeleines
If you’re looking for an elegant little bake that’s as beautiful as it is delicious, these Matcha Madeleines are just the thing. They’re soft, buttery, and lightly flavoured with matcha, then finished with a silky white chocolate drizzle and a sprinkle of freeze-dried raspberries. The raspberries not only add a lovely crunch and a vibrant pop of colour, but their gentle tartness also balances the sweetness of the white chocolate beautifully.
Whether you’re baking for afternoon tea, sharing with friends, or simply treating yourself, these little cakes are sure to impress.
Alright, let’s bake!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Soft and sponge-like texture – These madeleines have a delicate, buttery crumb with a light and tender texture that makes them irresistible.
- Beautiful matcha flavour – The subtle earthy notes of matcha shine through without being overpowering, creating a refined tea flavour.
- A perfect balance of flavours – The sweetness of the white chocolate drizzle is beautifully balanced by the gentle bitterness of matcha and the refreshing tartness of freeze-dried raspberries.
- A stunning colour combination – The vibrant green matcha, creamy white chocolate, and bright raspberry accents make these madeleines as beautiful as they are delicious.
- Elegant yet easy to make – With a simple batter and a few decorative touches, you can create bakery-style treats at home.
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Buy Now → Ingredients in this Matcha 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 – Softened butter is beaten with the sugar to create a light and airy batter. This helps give the madeleines a soft, sponge-like texture and beautiful rise.
- Eggs – They provide structure, moisture, and richness, while contributing to the delicate crumb of the madeleines.
- Caster Sugar – It sweetens the batter and helps create a tender texture. It also works well with matcha, allowing its delicate earthy flavour to shine through.
- All-Purpose Flour – It provides the structure needed to hold the shape of the madeleines while keeping the texture light and delicate.
- Baking Powder – A small amount of baking powder gives the madeleines extra lift and helps create their signature humps.
- Matcha Powder (Green Tea Powder) – It adds a subtle earthy tea flavour and a beautiful natural green colour to the madeleines. Using good quality matcha will give the best flavour and colour.
- Vanilla Extract – It enhances the overall flavour and complements the delicate notes of matcha.
- Salt – A small amount of fine sea salt balances the sweetness and brings out the flavours of the other ingredients.
Tips for Success
- Use Room Temperature Butter – Make sure the butter is softened before mixing. Room temperature butter blends more easily with the sugar, allowing you to create a light and airy batter that helps achieve the signature madeleine hump.
- Beat the Butter and Sugar Until Light and Fluffy – This step is especially important for these matcha madeleines. Matcha powder is a fine, dry ingredient that adds weight to the batter and can slightly reduce the amount of lift during baking. By beating the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, you incorporate tiny air bubbles into the batter. These air bubbles expand during baking, helping the madeleines rise and develop their signature humps while creating a soft, sponge-like texture. Unlike traditional madeleines that rely mainly on chilled batter and oven heat for their rise, this recipe uses the creaming method to build extra structure and support the delicate matcha batter. Using melted butter alone does not provide the same aeration, which can result in flatter madeleines.
- Use Good Quality Matcha Powder – The quality of matcha makes a big difference in both flavour and colour. Choose a fresh, vibrant green matcha for the best results, as lower-quality matcha can taste bitter and produce a duller colour after baking.
- Do Not Skip Chilling the Batter – Resting the batter in the refrigerator for 24 hours allows the flavours to develop and helps create a better texture and rise during baking.
- Avoid Over mixing Once the Flour Is Added – Mix only until the ingredients are combined. Over mixing can develop too much gluten, resulting in a heavier texture instead of the delicate, tender crumb you want.
- Do Not Over bake the Madeleines – They bake quickly, and even a little extra time in the oven can cause them to lose moisture and dull the vibrant matcha colour. Bake just until the edges are lightly golden and the centres are set.
Pair it With
- These Matcha Madeleines are best enjoyed fresh with a cup of tea or coffee. Their soft, buttery texture pairs beautifully with a warm cup of Japanese green tea, matcha latte, Earl Grey tea, or your favourite coffee.
- Serve them at room temperature once the white chocolate drizzle has fully set. They make a lovely addition to an afternoon tea spread, a thoughtful homemade gift, or simply a little treat to enjoy whenever you fancy something sweet.
- For an extra special presentation, arrange them on a serving plate with a few extra freeze-dried raspberries scattered around for a beautiful pop of colour.
How to Store these Matcha Madeleines
- Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place a sheet of parchment paper between layers if stacking them to prevent the white chocolate drizzle from sticking.
- For the best texture and flavour, allow them to come to room temperature before serving if they have been stored in a cooler place. The madeleines are at their softest and most fragrant when freshly made.
- You can also freeze the undecorated madeleines in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature, then decorate with the white chocolate drizzle and freeze-dried raspberries before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
The signature madeleine hump comes from a combination of proper batter structure, resting time, and oven temperature. For this recipe, beating the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy is especially important because it incorporates air into the batter, creating extra structure and helping the madeleines rise beautifully.
Yes, you can use either ceremonial or culinary matcha for baking, but for these Matcha Madeleines, I personally prefer using ceremonial matcha. It often has a brighter green colour and a smoother, more delicate flavour, which helps create a beautiful vibrant colour and a refined matcha taste in the finished bake.
Culinary matcha is a more budget-friendly option and works well for many baked goods. However, the quality and freshness of matcha make a noticeable difference, especially in recipes where matcha is the main flavour. Despite Ceremonial matcha is more expensive, but for small-batch home baking, I personally think it is worth the extra cost for the beautiful colour and flavour it brings to these madeleines.
Yes. The batter can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. This resting time actually improves the texture and helps create the signature hump.
Yes, you can freeze the undecorated madeleines for up to 2 months. Once thawed, decorate them with the white chocolate drizzle and freeze-dried raspberries for the best appearance and texture.
I recommend using freeze-dried raspberries for decoration. Fresh raspberries contain moisture, which can make the white chocolate glaze soften or become watery. Freeze-dried raspberries provide a beautiful colour, crisp texture, and concentrated fruity flavour without affecting the glaze.
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Tried this Recipe
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Matcha Madeleines
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Chill Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 7 mins
- Total Time: 24 hours 27 mins
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: French, Japanese
Description
These matcha madeleines are soft, sponge-like, and beautifully green, with a subtle matcha flavour, sweet white chocolate drizzle, and a bright pop of freeze-dried raspberries.
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter
- 113 g unsalted butter – softened
- 2 eggs
- 90 g caster sugar
- 115 g all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp matcha powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
For the Glaze
- 100 g white chocolate
- 2 – 3 tsp vegetable oil
For the Decoration
- Freeze-dried raspberries
For Preparing the Pan
- 20 g unsalted butter – melted
Instructions
Make the Cake Batter
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
- With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Place a sieve over the bowl and sift in the flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, making sure everything is evenly combined.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Bake the Madeleines
- When you are ready to bake the madeleines, preheat the oven to 200°C fan.
- Brush the madeleine pan with melted butter, even if it is non-stick. If you are using a non-stick pan, this extra step helps create a beautiful golden shell. For a pan that is not non-stick, brush the moulds with butter and lightly dust with flour.
- Remove the batter from the refrigerator and gently stir with a spatula to loosen it.
- Spoon the batter into the moulds, filling each one about 80% full.
- Place the madeleine pan into the preheated oven and bake for 7 minutes, or until the madeleines are well risen and the edges are lightly golden.
- While they are still warm, or as soon as they are cool enough to handle, gently remove the madeleines from the pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the White Chocolate Glaze
- Chop the white chocolate into small pieces and place them in a heatproof bowl.
- Add the vegetable oil and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir thoroughly, then continue heating in 15-second intervals, stirring well after each interval, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
- Set the melted chocolate aside and allow it to cool slightly before decorating.
Decorate the Madeleines
- Make sure the madeleines are completely cool before decorating.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper underneath the madeleines to catch any excess glaze for easy cleanup.
- Transfer the cooled white chocolate into a piping bag for drizzling. Alternatively, pour the chocolate into a wide-mouthed jug if you prefer to dip the madeleines.
- Cut a small hole at the end of the piping bag and drizzle the white chocolate over the madeleines. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle freeze-dried raspberries on top for extra crunch and a beautiful pop of colour.
- Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Serve with a cup of tea or coffee. Warning: One is never enough!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 87kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 42mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 36mg
Final Thoughts
These Matcha Madeleines have become one of my favourite little bakes. I love how the soft, buttery texture pairs beautifully with the delicate earthy flavour of matcha, while the white chocolate drizzle and freeze-dried raspberries add a lovely balance of sweetness, colour, and a touch of tartness.
The decoration is completely optional, as these matcha madeleines are already delicious on their own. However, the white chocolate drizzle and freeze-dried raspberries do elevate both the appearance and the flavour, adding a beautiful contrast in texture, colour, and taste. The vibrant green matcha, creamy white chocolate, and bright raspberry accents make these little treats feel extra special.
Whether you’re serving them with a cup of tea, adding them to an afternoon tea spread, or simply enjoying a homemade treat, I hope these madeleines bring as much joy to your kitchen as they have brought to mine.
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Enjoy and keep baking! 💛
