If you like madeleines, here is a delicious gluten-free version perfect for fall! One bite of these soft cake-like Gluten-Free Pumpkin Madeleines, and you will be hooked, too! These little madeleines are also dairy-free!
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It was one of those things I really couldn’t justify buying in the past. My husband laughed at me when we were shopping. “Why would you want to make fancy-shaped cookies?” he asked. Ha, he doesn’t know me as well as he thought.
Well, why not? And while I was at it, I turned these dairy-free, gluten-free pumpkin Madeleines into cute little mice for Halloween. These little cake-like cookies will be the hit of your party! These cookies are perfectly moist with crispy edges. You can make a batch of these madeleines in under 30 minutes!
The decoration possibilities are endless; we chose to make these cute little mice :-). If you love all things pumpkin, as we do, you will want to check out all of my delicious gluten-free pumpkin recipes!
Feel free to dip these madeleine cookies in dark chocolate or decorate any way you like! Next time, I think I would drizzle the chocolate on.
Allergen Information:
These madeleines are gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. To make this recipe gum-free, use my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend. It uses psyllium husk instead of xanthan or guar gum.
Flour Blends Tested:
- King Arthur Measure for Measure—This blend works really well in my recipes. I don’t have to let the flour blend rest in the batter.
- Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Blend—This blend also works well, but this flour blend does benefit from resting the batter for 15 minutes before baking. The rest allows the rice flour in this blend to soften, so you don’t have gritty baked goods.
- Almond Flour – I prefer Anthony’s Almond Flour in my baking because it is tested to be gluten free.
Ingredients Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using the flour blend listed above. Other blends should work as well.
- Almond Flour—Please use almond flour, not almond meal. Almond meal will make your madeleines more gritty.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Pumpkin Puree – Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Non-Dairy Milk – I used almond milk, but other plant milk types will work. Regular milk will also work.
- Coconut Oil – You can also use unsalted butter.
- Coconut Sugar – You can also use brown sugar.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice, Ground Cinnamon, and Salt
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients, including the flour, coconut sugar, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking powder to a large
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Step 2: Add the wet ingredients, including the pumpkin, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and non-dairy milk to another
Step 3: Wet and dry ingredients are ready to mix. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Make sure you mix the batter until it is just barely mixed. Overmixing the batter will lead to denser madeleines!
🔑 Sandi says: I do not recommend using a stand mixer to mix Madeleine’s ingredients. It tends to overmix the batter.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 4: Spray a madeleine pan with gluten-free baking spray. Use a large wooden spoon to add your batter to a madeleine pan. (I included this photo of a different flavor so you can see what the batter looks like in the Madeleine pan.)
Step 5: Bake at 350º F. Madeleines are not thick cookies, so they should bake in about 13-15 minutes at most! Remove the cookies to a cooling rack so they cool after baking.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You do not need to use a madeleine pan for this recipe. You can make these gluten free cookies drop-style on a baking sheet if you prefer.
A madeleine is like a mini sponge cake. It is light and springy.
I recommend storing madeleines in the refrigerator.
If you bake the madeleines at too high a temperature, the outsides will cook too rapidly, leaving them flat. Also, check the expiration date of your baking powder.
These madeleines will be keep fresh in an airtight container for up to 4 days or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Ways To Decorate Madeleines For Halloween:
- To decorate these cookies like mice, grab full almonds and some candy googly eyes. You can follow this fun tutorial if you prefer to make your own googly eyes. I used a tube of icing I bought (usually used for writing on cakes) to adhere to my googly eyes. For the tails, I used black bean pasta.
- Stick four pipe cleaners or black bean pasta into each side to make them into “spiders” for Halloween.
- Dust with Powdered sugar.
- Dip them in chocolate!
More Gluten Free Halloween Recipes:
- Gluten Free Halloween Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Madeleines with Crushed Candy Cane
- Easy Gluten Free Lemon Madeleines
- Fudgy Gluten Free Mint Brownies
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Madeleines
Equipment
- madeleine pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ½ cup almond flour * see note
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup coconut oil * see note
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree * see note
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk almond milk or another type is fine
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted), 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup coconut sugar, 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup non-dairy milk. Whisk to blend
- In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, including the 1/2 cup coconut sugar.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Spray the madeleine pan with gluten free baking spray. NOTE: PAM baking spray is not gluten free.
- With a ladle fill each madeleine section with batter.
- Bake for 10 minutes until done. You will know the madeleines are finished baking when they are firm to the touch. Remove the madeleines from the pan and set them onto a cooling rack. Do not ice or dip in chocolate until they are fully cooled.
- Optional: dip or drizzle melted dark chocolate.
Notes
- Gluten free flour blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Feel free to use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar
- You can substitute butter or another light oil if you prefer those to coconut oil.
- I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is coarser and will make your madeleines grainy. I recommend using Anthony’s brand.
- Store leftover madeleines in an airtight container, which will last for up 4 days or freeze them in a freezer-safe container or zip bag. They will keep fresh for 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an older post dated 11/3/14 with more recipe details.
How do you make the tails curl?
Hi Ella, It was a spaghetti that had bends in it.
I didn’t have coconut sugar sonI used my regular morena sugar. I didn’t have the madeline pan, but just now gave them a try in a mini muffin pan and they are so good and perfect texture!
I love how you improvised and I am even more glad you liked them :-).
Do you know if brown sugar monk fruit would work as a sweetener? My daughter is diabetic
Hi Bonnie, I have not tried baking with monk fruit sweetener. If you try it, please do let me know how it turns out.
Hi Sandi
I made them with a erythritol brown sugar called sukrin gold. Also substituted the maple syrup with monk fruit maple syrup. Carb count significantly reduced, and flavor and texture are superb!! Magnificent!!! So simple, so delicious and now keto!
Thank you for the recipe!
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie, wow, thank you so, so much for taking the time to come back to let us know this worked. I really appreciate it!
Thank you for the recipe! Can I omit the Xanthan gum or use flax as a substitute?
I think you can omit the xanthan gum. What a great idea to substitute flax. I didn’t even think of that. Will you please let me know how it turns out?
Tell me there is a good kind of pan I can as a substitute these look and sound so yummy, I’d love to make for Thanksgiving.
Hi Lori,
You can just drop them onto a cookie sheet and make cookies out of them. Drizzle the chocolate on top, or not. They are delicious both ways 🙂
great have to have the chocolate, especially since I make my own, and thank you so much for starting me with the I think it was the cherry bark, you really helped me get past one of my hardest craving, I make my own version now, never the same.
That is awesome Lori 🙂