Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C). Next, grease your Madeline pan with a bit of melted butter or use a non-stick spray to ensure the cookies slide out easily once baked. The distinctive shell shape of the pan will give your cookies that classic, elegant look!

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes of whisking to achieve a pale, slightly thickened texture. Next, add in the vanilla extract and heavy cream, mixing until combined. The cream will give the batter its rich, velvety texture, so make sure it’s well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. If you’re using lemon zest, this is the time to add it in as well. Sifting ensures that your dry ingredients are well-mixed and free of clumps, which will make your batter smooth and light.

Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix. You want to keep the batter light and airy, so mix just until you no longer see flour streaks. Overmixing can lead to dense cookies, which we want to avoid!

Spoon the batter into the Madeline pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Don’t worry about being too precise; the batter will spread out as it bakes. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.

Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then, gently turn the pan upside down and tap to release the cookies. Dust with a light coating of powdered sugar for a beautiful, sweet finish.

Don’t skip greasing the pan! Even with non-stick pans, a little bit of butter or spray goes a long way in ensuring your cookies come out effortlessly.

For an extra rich flavor, use European-style butter in this recipe—it has a higher fat content, which makes the cookies even more buttery and delicious.

Make sure your cream is at room temperature before mixing it into the batter for better consistency.