Madeleines are the small, shell-shaped cakes from France that Marcel Proust made immortal in his novel, where a bite of cake dipped in tea brings an entire world of childhood memories to life. The batter is simple: eggs, sugar, flour and melted butter, lifted with vanilla and finely grated lemon zest. What makes them special is the little hump in the middle of each cake, and it turns out surprisingly well when you bake madeleines in the air fryer.
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The small, hot chamber gives exactly the temperature shock needed when cold batter meets hot air. The hump shoots up, the edges turn golden and crisp, and you avoid turning on the big oven for a single tin.
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Why I love madeleines in the air fryer
For me, madeleines are the ideal cake to have with coffee. They’re small enough that you can easily have another one, and the batter can be made well in advance, so you only bake once your guests are on their way. Each batch takes just 8 minutes, and the second batch can go in while the first one is being eaten.
The flavour is classic French without being complicated. The butter adds richness, the vanilla rounds it off, and the lemon zest lifts the whole thing with a fresh aroma. The edges get a thin, golden crust, while the inside stays soft and light, and that contrast makes it hard to stop at just one.
The secret behind the hump
The hump forms through a temperature shock. When the cold batter hits the hot air, the thin edges set quickly while the centre is still liquid and keeps rising. Baking powder and steam push the centre upward, and that’s what gives madeleines their signature look. The air fryer is perfect for this because the chamber is small, and the hot air circulates closely around the tin.
My kitchen test with madeleines
I’ve baked madeleines in my Cosori Dual Blaze, which has one basket with heating elements both above and below. That works well for these cakes, because the tin gets heat from both the top and the bottom, and the ridged side gets an even, attractive colour. At 180 °C, 8 minutes per batch was the sweet spot: the edges were golden, and the hump sprang back when lightly pressed. With a tin for 9, that meant 2 batches, so 16 minutes of baking in total.
The whole recipe takes 96 minutes, but 60 of those are chilling time, where the batter takes care of itself, and the actual preparation takes around 20 minutes. I got the most pronounced hump after 3 hours in the fridge, but the result already looked great after just 1 hour. If you have a Philips XXL or another model with a large basket, there may be room for a bigger tin and fewer batches.
Keep the basket closed for the first 6 minutes. If you peek too soon, the hump will collapse before the cake has had a chance to set.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is baking the batter while it’s still lukewarm. Then the temperature shock doesn’t happen, and the cakes turn out flat. Give the batter at least 1 hour in the fridge, and keep both the batter and the tin cold between batches. The second mistake is filling the holes all the way up, so the batter overflows. Fill them only three-quarters full, and don’t smooth the batter out, since it spreads out on its own in the heat. The third mistake is cakes that stick to the tin. Brush the holes thoroughly with soft butter, dust with flour, tap off the excess, and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack straight away, so they don’t get soggy on the bottom.
How to serve madeleines
A light dusting of icing sugar through a sieve is really all they need. Here’s how I like to serve them:
- Warm with your afternoon coffee
- With a cup of tea, so you can dip them like in Proust’s novel
- With hot cocoa on a cold winter’s day
- With one end dipped in melted dark chocolate
- As a light dessert with fresh berries and lemon curd
Storage and reheating
Madeleines are best on the day they’re made, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The edges soften over time, but the air fryer sorts that out: warm the cakes at 150 °C for 1-2 minutes, and the edges get crisp again. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months, just without the icing sugar. Thaw them at room temperature, and dust with icing sugar right before serving.
Madeleines in the air fryer are a small piece of French baking craftsmanship that you can easily manage on an ordinary weekday. Remember the cold batter and the closed basket, and the hump is in the bag. You’ll find the full recipe with all the quantities below.
FAQ
The hump needs a temperature shock. The batter should have been in the fridge for at least 1 hour, and the air fryer needs to be preheated to 180 °C before the tin goes in. Keep the basket closed for the first 6 minutes, so the hump doesn’t collapse.
Yes, but place it on a small rack or tray so it doesn’t bend when you lift it in and out. A silicone tin that’s too big can be trimmed to fit the basket. A metal tin gives the crispest edges and the biggest hump, though.
Yes, and it’s actually an advantage. The batter can sit covered in the fridge overnight, and the colder it is, the more pronounced the hump becomes. Fill it straight from the fridge into the cold tin once the air fryer is hot.
Recipe
Madeleines in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Madeleineform - Made of metal or silicone, that fits in the basket
- 1 Lille gryde
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 Sigte
- 1 Grater - Fine
- 1 Brush
- 1 Cooling rack
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
- Melt the 100 g butter in a small saucepan over low heat, and let it cool until lukewarm.
- Whisk 2 eggs, 100 g caster sugar and 2 tsp vanilla sugar with an electric whisk for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick and fluffy.
- Finely grate the yellow zest of 1 lemon into the egg mixture, and add 1 pinch salt.
- Add the lukewarm butter in two batches, and fold gently until the batter is smooth and glossy.
- Chill the batter, covered, in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally 3 hours or overnight. The colder the batter, the more pronounced the hump will be.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C. It needs to be fully hot when the cold batter goes in.
- Fill the holes in the cold tin about three-quarters full with the cold batter, and place the tin in the basket. Don’t smooth out the batter, it will spread out on its own in the heat.
- Bake at 180 °C for 8 minutes, until the edges are golden and the hump has risen and springs back when lightly pressed. Keep the basket closed for the first 6 minutes so the hump doesn’t collapse.
- Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack straight away, so they don’t get soggy on the bottom, and let them cool slightly.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter, typically one more batch. Rinse the tin with cold water, dry it, brush and dust it as before, and bake at 180 °C for 8 minutes. Keep the batter chilled between batches.
To serve
- Dust the madeleines with 2 tbsp icing sugar through a sieve just before serving. They taste best warm and on the day they’re made.
Our notes for the recipe
The hump in the middle forms when cold batter meets the hot air in the air fryer. So chill the batter for at least 1 hour, ideally 3 hours or overnight, and keep both the batter and the tin cold between batches. Keep the basket closed for the first 6 minutes, or the hump may collapse. A metal tin gives the crispest edges and the biggest hump. If you’re using silicone, place the tin on a small rack or tray so it doesn’t bend when you lift it in and out. Serving size:
The batter makes about 18 madeleines, so 4-5 per person. With a tin for 9, you’ll bake in 2 batches. With a smaller tin, it becomes 3 batches and about 24 minutes of baking time in total. A silicone tin that’s too big for the basket can be trimmed to fit. Variation:
Brown the butter lightly in the saucepan until it smells nutty for a deeper flavour, or swap 1 tbsp of the sugar for honey for extra moistness. Orange zest instead of lemon zest gives a rounder, more wintery flavour, and you can dip one end of the cooled cakes in melted dark chocolate. To serve:
Serve the madeleines warm with a light dusting of icing sugar, with coffee, tea or hot cocoa. They’re best on the day they’re made but can be freshened up in the air fryer at 150 °C for 1-2 minutes.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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