These chocolate madeleine cookies are the perfect French delicacy. With their recognizable seashell shape and tender cakey crumb, they are rolled in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with melted chocolate for a cinnamon sugar churro flavor!
I love these chocolate madeleine cookies because they are the best mix of a cake and cookie. For those of you who have never had a madeleine before, these French cookies are light and cakey in texture and typically of a vanilla, lemon, or orange flavor, but instead these are made with dark chocolate.
They are devilishly chocolatey, and once rolled in the cinnamon sugar, they are reminiscent of a chocolate churro which makes them super special! You'll love this recipe for any and all occasions!
If you've never made madeleines before no worries, you'll see they are so easy to make and the only required tool you need is a madeleine pan which I have recommendations for! I always recommend reading through the whole post before baking, there's no fluff, just really helpful information that will ensure you make the most delicious cookies possible!
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chocolate madeleine cookie highlights
- Rich and indulgent
- Amazing soft and tender texture
- Crunchy outside from the cinnamon sugar
- Easy, straight-forward recipe
- They remind you of a chocolate churro!
ingredient notes
- Dark brown sugar: You can substitute light brown sugar in a pinch, but the dark brown will give the cookies a chewier texture.
- Eggs: This recipe calls for large eggs that should be at room temperature, otherwise they will not combine properly into the batter.
- Dark chocolate chips: I used 60% Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. You can substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips as well but the cookies will be sweeter in taste. You could also use chopped chocolate bar if you don't have chips!
- Unsalted butter: You can substitute salted butter but I recommend omitting the salt in the recipe otherwise they will be too salty. The butter should be pulled out a few hours before baking to ensure it is at room temperature.
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
helpful equipment & tools
- Non-stick madeleine shell mold: This is the exact mold I use for these. I recommend using a metal non-stick one as they are easier to remove!
- KitchenAid stand mixer: I use this 5 quart mixing bowl with the paddle and whisk attachment and love it. You could use a hand mixer, but know that you will have to hold it for 7-8 minutes while the eggs are whipping!
- Kitchen scale: I use this exact scale every single time when I bake and I love it! It's very affordable and makes measuring ingredients quick and easy with consistent results.
- Pastry brush: This tool makes it easy to lightly grease the insides of the molds before adding the batter.
instructions
overview
- Make the sponge batter
- Prepare the pan
- Fill the molds
- Bake
- Roll in cinnamon sugar
step by step
Step 1: In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute on low.
Step 2: Switch to the the whisk attachment and add the eggs to the mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs and sugar on high for minutes until they are pale and fluffy. This can take about 7-8 minutes on medium speed.
TIP: Don't rush the second step or the sponge cake will not be light and airy!
Step 3: With the mixer running on low, pour in the melted chocolate chips and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Step 4: Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder and fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula.
TIP: Don't fold the dry ingredients in aggressively because you want to maintain the air in the batter!
Step 5: Lightly brush a small amount of melted butter into each mold to prevent them from sticking. Then either pipe or spoon the batter into each mold until ¾ full. Do not overfill the molds!
Step 6: Bake at 350 degrees F/177 C for 18-20 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched. Allow the pan to sit on a wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. The pan should still be slightly warm when removing them from the pan. You should be able to gently pull them out of the molds, or you can use a knife or small offset spatula to help pull them out. Roll them one by one in the cinnamon sugar as soon as you pull one out of the mold.
TIP: Don't wait for them to cool before coating them in the cinnamon sugar. If they cool too much, the cinnamon sugar will not stick! If this happens, no worries, just brush them with a little bit more of melted butter and roll them again.
expert baking tips
- Use a kitchen scale: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients for the most accurate results.
- Always spoon measure flour: If you don't have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Butter or grease the pan: This is especially important if not working with a non-stick pan. I always lightly butter my molds even when using a non-stick pan just to ensure none of them stick.
- Sift the dry ingredients: Sifting the dry ingredients will ensure that the batter stays light and airy and you don't get any big clumps of flour!
- Don't use substitutions: This is one of those recipes where the ingredients really should not be substituted. I have some flavor ideas for replacing the extract or flavoring them after baking but you shouldn't mess with the standard ingredients like flour, butter, sugar, egg, etc.
storage & freezing
- Room temperature: This dessert is best enjoyed the day of while they're still warm, but you can store them in a sealed container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Freezer: It's not recommended to freeze them but they may stay fresh for 1-2 weeks in a sealed container in the freezer.
variations
- Not a fan of cinnamon sugar? Try these flavor ideas!
- Chocolate orange: Dip half of madeleine in melted chocolate and garnish with orange zest.
- Mint chocolate: Substitute the vanilla extract for mint and dip half the cookie in white chocolate.
recipe notes
- Yield: This recipe yields 12 cookies if you use the large shell mold I recommend above. If you use a smaller shell mold, you can get about 24 cookies.
faq's
Unfortunately, this is the only recipe that requires the specific pan in order to make them. I have a recommendation of the pan I use for this recipe near the top of this post in helpful equipment and tools!
If they get too cool before rolling the cinnamon sugar has a hard time sticking to them! No worries though, brush them lightly with a bit of melted butter and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar.
You can make the batter up to a few hours in advance and keep it in the fridge. They may take a few more minutes to bake!
more chocolate cookie recipes you'll love
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Chocolate Madeleines
Equipment
- Non-stick metal madeleine pan
- Kitchenaid stand mixer
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips melted
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dutch process cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ cup granulated sugar for rolling
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon for rolling
- melted butter
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking power and set it aside.1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup dutch process cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.⅛ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- in a stand mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with the paddle until well combined.1 stick unsalted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar
- Add the eggs and mix with the whisk attachment on medium for 7-8 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl to make sure it is all incorporated before moving on.3 large eggs
- Stream in the melted chocolate and vanilla and mix on low until combined.2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- Sift in the dry ingredients then fold them in gently with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Lightly brush a small amount of melted butter into each mold. This will keep them from sticking to the pan after baking.
- Use a piping bag or a tablespoon to fill each mold ¾ full with the batter.
- Bake at 350F/177C for 18-20 minutes or until you can touch the top and the cake springs back.
- Let them cool for 5 minutes, then working one at a time, carefully remove each cookie and roll it in the cinnamon sugar. If you wait too long to roll them or let them cool too much, the sugar will not stick to the cake!
- Drizzle with melted chocolate chips if desired.
Notes
recipe notes
- Use a kitchen scale: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients for the most accurate results.
- Always spoon measure flour: If you don't have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Butter or grease the pan: This is especially important if not working with a non-stick pan. I always lightly butter my molds even when using a non-stick pan just to ensure none of them stick.
- Sift the dry ingredients: Sifting the dry ingredients will ensure that the batter stays light and airy and you don't get any big clumps of flour!
- Don't use substitutions: This is one of those recipes where the ingredients really should not be substituted. I have some flavor ideas for replacing the extract or flavoring them after baking but you shouldn't mess with the standard ingredients like flour, butter, sugar egg, etc.
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Monica says
this is by far the most unique recipe for madeleine cookies i’d ever seen. the cookies themselves were moist and rich and the cinnamon sugar coating made them taste just like a churro. 10/10!