Marble Red Velvet Madeleines

Red velvet madeleines fresh from the oven and ready to serve as a sweet snack or dessert.

Soft, buttery, lightly crisp at the edges, and swirled with chocolate or red velvet flair, they’re the kind of treat that impresses people and lets them know you definitely know what you’re doing.

Course Dessert/Snack

Cuisine French, Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 125kcal

Author Imma

Equipment

1-2 madeleine pans (or mini muffin pans)

Ingredients

Base Batter

8 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, melted but not hot
3 large eggs
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1g) salt (optional)
1 tablespoon (6g) grated lemon zest (optional)

Chocolate or Red Velvet Marbling

1-2 tablespoons (5-10g) cocoa powder (adjust to taste)
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) liquid (coffee, milk, or water)
1-1½ teaspoons (15-20ml) red food coloring (see notes)
1 tablespoon (12g) sugar (optional)
powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Base Batter

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Generously grease and flour your madeleine pan or spray it well with baking spray.
Melt the butter so it has time to cool and not curdle the eggs.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale, light, and slightly fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually sift the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, folding gently with a spatula until fully combined. Add the lemon zest at this stage if using.
Slowly drizzle in the melted butter, folding gently until the batter is smooth and cohesive. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.

Marble Batter

Decide how much marble you want, then divide the batter accordingly. For equal marbling, divide the batter in half, and for lighter marbling, keep about two-thirds of the batter plain and use one-third for the marbling. For bolder red velvet or chocolate, increase the marble portion slightly.
Mix the cocoa powder with just enough liquid to loosen it up—coffee for a deeper flavor, milk or water if that’s what you have. Then add the red food coloring and mix well. Stir the mixture into the chocolate marbling batter until smooth and pourable.
For red velvet, stir in the food coloring (starting with 1 teaspoon) and optional sugar, adjusting until the color and sweetness look right.
Spoon the vanilla batter and marble batter alternately into each madeleine mold, filling each about three-quarters full. Use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the batters together. A few light swirls are enough—don’t overdo it or you’ll lose the marble effect.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers spring back when gently pressed.
Remove from the oven and let the madeleines cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired and serve.

Notes

Feel free to leave out the red food coloring for chocolate marbled madeleines.
You want just enough liquid to loosen the cocoa powder, so add it slowly.
Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor, but milk and water work fine if you don’t like coffee.
Alternatively, mix cocoa powder with coffee granules, then add enough water to create a smooth mixture.
Start with less food coloring and build up to the desired color intensity.
Gentle swirling gives you the prettiest marble.

Nutrition