Madeleines are a French favorite childhood comfort food for many people, just as standard in French culture as the Crepes, the Almond Croissant Pastry, and the French Toast. They are one of these daily biscuits or bite-sized cakes that kids have after school in France and that all mums have in their pantry.
Are Classic Madeleines Vegan?
Unfortunately, like many French pastry recipes, the classic recipe is made with eggs, often two or more, butter, and sometimes a touch of honey. So since madeleines are not vegan, I decided to create my version that brings back so many childhood memories.
What Are Madeleines?
Madeleines are French biscuits with a vanilla-flavored sponge-like texture. The classic Madeleines de Commercy are popular for their shell shape, buttery and airy texture, and signature taste. It’s a classic recipe from Eastern France that kids often have as an after-school snack. The French idiom used to describe any cherished memory is “Madeleine de Proust” in reference to how the famous author Marcel Proust remembered his loved treats in the first volume of the novel In Search Of Loved Time.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make the best madeleines without eggs or butter.
All-Purpose Flour – No substitution is possible. You must use wheat flour for good results in this recipe. Baking Powder – for the airy texture. Baking Soda – The classic recipe has no baking soda, but this helps the vegan madeleine raise better. Sugar – You must use white or caster sugar for this recipe otherwise, you won’t achieve the best crispy shell and golden color of the madeleines. Light Olive Oil or canola oil – I tried melted vegan butter, and the result wasn’t as good and buttery, so oil is necessary. While coconut oil might work, I don’t recommend it. Vegan Yogurt – Prefer unsweetened plant-based yogurt like soy yogurt or coconut yogurt. I’ve tried almond milk and soy milk, and plant-based milk doesn’t work as well. Plant Based milk – any varieties like coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk Vanilla Extract – For a traditional taste. Optional – You can flavor the madeleine with lemon zest, almond extract, or lemon extract.
How To Make Vegan Madeleines
If you are a French pastry chef, pass your way because my techniques to make egg-free madeleines aren’t quite conventional. The way I designed this vegan version of the madeleine is a very scientific approach. After reading about how the traditional recipe requires cream, eggs, and sugar to make the madeleine raise, I tried to figure out how I could achieve the same result without eggs. So the baking technique I list below to make vegan French madeleines are not the ones you will see in a classic madeleine recipe. However, it does work like magic!
Decorating Madeleines
French people don’t decorate madeleines. It’s a plain vanilla biscuit that we eat simply like Americans would eat plain vanilla muffins. However, if you fancy some decoration, you can try simple things like:
Dust of powdered sugar Dip shell into melted chocolate Sprinkles
Storage Instructions
You can store the madeleines in a cookie box at room temperature for 3 to 4 days as long as they stay in a cool, dark place. However, it’s quite likely they will all be gone long before that. If you made a large batch, you can freeze them for up to three months in zip lock bags and thaw them at room temperature the day before. Below are my answers to your most frequent questions about this French recipe.
More Vegan French recipes
Below are French-inspired vegan recipes for you to try:
