Easy Earl Grey Madeleines (with Earl Grey Glaze)
A cozy tea twist on a classic treat.
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If you’re bored with the same old madeleine flavors, this Earl Grey version is such a fun change. It’s perfect if you’re into tea (or just want to try something a little different), plus it’s super easy and scales up if you’re making a bunch!
Recipe Info
This recipe:
- Uses pantry staples. No need for a last-minute grocery run—everything you need is likely already in your kitchen.
- Comes together quickly. From start to finish, you’re looking at about 40 minutes of work, including baking. Add a bit more if you’re counting cleanup.
- Offers a unique twist. Earl Grey brings a distinctive, aromatic flavor that’s far from the typical dessert profiles. It’s a subtle yet intriguing choice that’s definitely worth trying out.
Making Earl Grey madeleines for the first time? Read the ingredients notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips. If you’re familiar with the recipe, feel free to jump to the recipe card.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Earl Grey Madeleines
- Egg.
- Sugar. Caster sugar (superfine) is best because it melts more easily in a room-temperature egg, but regular sugar does well, too.
- Honey. Honey makes these cakes moist and adds extra sweetness. If you don’t have honey on hand, substitute it with extra sugar.
- Earl Grey tea. Our source of flavor. Both loose-leaf tea and tea bags work perfectly fine. You’ll need to crush or grind the tea anyway.
- Lemon. A bit of lemon juice and zest compliments the Earl Grey flavor nicely.
- Salt.
- Unsalted butter.
- Cake flour. Cake flour is best for these, but regular all-purpose flour should do, too. The texture will be slightly different, but that’s not a huge difference.
- Vanilla extract. A splash of vanilla adds a bit of extra flavor. Optional, but recommended.
- Baking powder. Baking powder helps the madeleines rise and develop their signature hump. Some traditional recipes skip baking powder and rely only on temperature shock, but we’re not taking any chances—or waiting an hour or two before baking.
Earl Grey Glaze
- Powdered sugar. The base of the glaze.
- Earl Grey tea. Either tea bags or tea leaves are fine.
- Milk. Full-fat milk is the best option, but low-fat or skim should work in a pinch.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Earl Grey Madeleines
The process is super simple.
First, we prep the Earl Grey infusion for the glaze. While that’s steeping, we whip up the madeleine batter and bake the cookies. As they bake, we use the infusion to make the glaze. Then, it’s just a matter of letting the madeleines cool a bit before finishing them with a glaze.
Let’s dive into the details.
Step 1: Infuse Milk for Glaze
(Check out my recipe for this Earl Grey glaze for more details.)
- Infuse the milk. Heat the milk in a pot until it’s just about to boil. Remove it from the heat, add the tea leaves or tea bags, whisk, and let it steep for 15–20 minutes. If the milk doesn’t fully cover the tea bags in the pot, transfer it to a small glass or bowl for steeping.
Step 2: Make and Bake Madeleines
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Melt the butter. Melt the butter on the stove and set it aside to cool.
Melt butter over medium heat- and set it aside to cool
- Mix wet ingredients. In a bowl, combine the egg, salt, vanilla extract, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey. Stir until smooth.
- Prep tea. Grind the tea leaves finely with a spice grinder or crush them using a mortar and pestle. You want the tea as fine as possible to ensure it spreads and flavors the batter evenly.
- Add the dry ingredients. Sift in the flour, ground Earl Grey tea, and baking powder, then mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Add the melted butter. Make sure the butter is warm, not hot, before adding it. Cool it down if it’s too hot by placing the pot in cold water for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the butter into the batter and stir until smooth.
- Prepare the pan. Grease the madeleine molds with butter. I usually cut a small slice of butter and spread it with my fingers. If your pan isn’t non-stick, dust it with flour and tap out any excess.
- Pour the batter. Fill the molds about 3/4 full with batter.
- Bake. Place the pan in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 360°F (180°C). Bake for 9–10 minutes, until the tops are set and the edges turn golden brown. Keep an eye on them after 8 minutes, adjusting the time as needed.
- Cool. After baking, let the madeleines rest in the pan for a few minutes before releasing them. If they don’t come out easily, gently run a silicone spatula around the edges.
Step 3: Make the Glaze
- Strain the milk. Strain the milk, squeezing the tea leaves or tea bags to extract all the flavor.
- Whisk the glaze. In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar (sift it if it’s lumpy). Gradually add the infused milk, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. You want a glaze that flows slowly and smoothly off the whisk. If it gets too thin, add more powdered sugar until you reach the right consistency.
- Sift the powdered sugar and
- gradually add the infused milk
- stir until the glaze is smooth
- add more sugar if needed
Step 4: Finish the Madeleines
- Glaze the madeleines. Once the madeleines have cooled, dip them into the glaze or use a pastry brush to coat them. Let the glaze set for a few minutes.
- Serve.
Alternative Flavor Options
Here are a few options to adjusting this recipe to your preferences:
- Skip lemon. Substitute milk for the lemon juice (one for one) and skip lemon zest entirely. Full fat milk is best, but other options will work in pinch.
- Use a different glaze. A simple lemon glaze, like the one I use in my lemon madeleines recipe is a great option. Or try this maple glaze if you’re adventurous.
Storage
Unglazed madeleines can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. That said, the fresher, the better—they’re at their peak right after baking.
For glazed madeleines, keep them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Before serving, let them come to room temperature. 30 minutes should be enough for that.
Similar Recipes to Try
Looking for more? Check out the following recipes:
- Earl Grey cream puffs. Cream puffs topped with streusel and filled with Earl Grey-infused whipped cream. Light, crunchy, and Earl Greyish.
- Earl Grey pastry cream. A versatile Earl Grey-flavored cream perfect for desserts like éclairs, tarts, or parfaits. Made with simple pantry staples.
- Lemon madeleines. Love madeleines? You’ll adore this plan lemon version topped with a quick, zesty glaze that comes together in just 5 minutes. Or these orange madeleines if you have some oranges sitting around.
- Chocolate madeleines. Chocolate-flavored madeleines with a melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate shell. The recipe involves tempering chocolate, which is fairly difficult for first timers, but the effort is totally worth it.
Servings: 10 Earl Grey Madeleines
Equipment
Ingredients
Earl Grey Madeleines:
- 1 medium egg room temperature, about 50g
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 1 tbsp lemon juice 15g
- lemon zest from half medium lemon
- 4 tbsp butter 56g
- 2 oz cake flour 56g
- 1.5 oz sugar 42g
- 1 tsp honey 7g
- 1 tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves or 1 Earl Grey tea bag, about 2 g
Earl Grey Steep:
- 1/3 cup milk ~80g
- 2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves or 2 Earl Grey tea bags, about 4 g
Earl Grey Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar ~65 g
- 3 teaspoons Earl Grey Steep
Instructions
Earl Grey Steep:
- Steep the tea. Heat milk until just below boiling, then remove from heat. Add tea leaves or bags and steep for 15–20 minutes.1/3 cup milk, 2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves
Earl Grey Madeleines:
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Melt Butter: Melt the butter and let it cool.4 tbsp butter
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Combine egg, salt, vanilla extract, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey in a bowl; mix until smooth.1 medium egg, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp lemon juice, lemon zest, 1.5 oz sugar, 1 tsp honey
- Prep Tea: Finely grind the Earl Grey tea leaves using a spice grinder or crush them using a mortar and pestle.1 tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift in flour, ground Earl Grey tea leaves, and baking powder; mix until fully incorporated.2 oz cake flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder
- Incorporate Butter: Add the cooled, melted butter to the batter and stir until smooth.4 tbsp butter
- Prepare Pan: Grease the madeleine molds with butter; dust with flour if not using a non-stick pan.
- Fill Molds: Pour the batter into the molds, filling them about 3/4 full.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven, reduce the temperature to 360°F (180°C), and bake for 9-10 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the tops set.
- Cool: Let the madeleines cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing.
Earl Grey Glaze:
- Strain the milk. Strain the tea-infused milk, squeezing out as much flavor as possible.
- Make the glaze. Gradually whisk infused milk into powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth and flows slowly. Make smaller additions as you get closer to the desired texture.3 teaspoons Earl Grey Steep, 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Combine:
- Glaze Madeleines: Dip or brush the madeleines with the glaze and let the glaze set.
- Serve.
Notes
There will be leftover Earl Grey infused milk. Unfortunately, there’s no good way to make only a couple of teaspoons of Earl Grey infused milk.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!