Happy Sunday to you all from the passenger seat of my car. My husband and I are driving our kids home from a short weekend at Walt Disney World, and even though my feet and legs are exhausted, my heart is full on magic and celebration. I grew up in Orlando, FL, so heading to Disney always feels a little like going home. I was thinking a post on my Disney favorites might make its way to this site in the future (???), but for now I’ll move on to today’s main event: red velvet madeleines.

Most people fall into one of two camps: those who love Valentine’s Day and those that think it’s the worst. Although Hallmark cards and boxes of chocolates that are mostly terrible offer zero appeal to me, I’ve never been one to turn down a holiday. I, for one, LOVE Valentine’s Day and any excuse to make brightly colored treats to celebrate the occasion. These red velvet madeleines are just the ticket: soft, cocoa-scented treats, a sweetened cream cheese glaze, and just enough sprinkles and food coloring to honor the festivities. If you, like me, have been looking for a recipe to share with the people you love, let me tell you how to make these red velvet madeleines!

French madeleines are not nearly as difficult to make as the internet would lead you to believe. First, we start with eggs and sugar. Mix the two together until this mixture becomes frothy and pale in color. Gently stir in the flour and leavening, followed by the buttermilk (for tang!), vanilla, and melted butter. Oh, and don’t forget the food coloring– these red velvet madeleines owe their hue to red food dye, and it is an absolute must for making these super Valentine’s Day appropriate. Allow the batter to rest and chill in the fridge for a bit while the oven gets hot. The combination of chilled batter and a hot oven will ensure that your madeleines get a nice little hump on the top!

After a brief, 10-minute bake in a madeleine pan, the red velvet madeleines are cooled and dipped in a simple glaze made from cream cheese, melted butter, and powdered sugar. I added white nonpareils for a little extra touch of special, but they’re totally optional! Feel free to add any of your favorite sprinkles or colored sugars to make these red velvet madeleines even more festive.

Share these red velvet madeleines with someone you love this week, and let me know what you think! Happy Sunday and Happy Baking, y’all!

If you like these red velvet madeleines, you should try:

Brown Butter Bourbon Madeleines with Dark Chocolate ganache and Pecans
Red Velvet Cake
Chocolate Truffles
Cookie Dough Truffles

Red Velvet Madeleines

Print Recipe

These red velvet madeleines are  delicious and festive treats with a cream cheese glaze and a fabulous red hue!

• Author: Kate Wood

Ingredients

For the madeleines:

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, plus an additional tablespoon for greasing the pan
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1–1/2 teaspoons red food coloring

For the glaze:

• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1–1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1–1/2 tablespoons milk

 

Instructions

To prepare the madeleines:

1. Melt the butter over low heat on the stove until melted but not bubbling. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine the eggs and sugar and whisk or whip until it becomes frothy and slightly pale.
3. With the mixer on low, stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the buttermilk, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and melted butter, stirring just until the mixture comes together. Set aside the batter in the fridge to chill briefly, about 30 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Once you’re ready to bake your madeleines, gently melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and use a basting brush to generously grease a madeleine pan. Spoon 1 tablespoon-sized pours of batter into each mold and bake in the oven about 10 minutes, or until the madeleines have puffed (you’ll see a big hump in the center!) and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Immediately invert your pan onto a cooling rack and rap the pan gently to get the madeleines to release. Once cooled, prepare your glaze.

To prepare the glaze:

1. In a medium bowl, stir to combine the cream cheese and butter, just until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. For a thin glaze, gently heat in the microwave about 20 seconds and dip each Madeleine in the glaze as desired. Decorate with sprinkles if desired and serve!