Brown Butter Pumpkin Madeleines with Candied Pecans

I will always be a kid at heart. Always.

Even though I’m just a couple years away from turning thirty, I still get super giddy during the Halloween season.

And at 4’10” and freckle-faced, I enjoy the added bonus of still being able to dress up and go trick-or-treating well into my adulthood – secretly blending in with all the small kiddos, giggling with glee and mischief, while my excessively huge bag is filled with an outrageous amount of candy.

No one needs to know my secret. Except you, of course. You won’t tell anyone, will you?

Whenever I actually feel like acting my real age, and not stealing all the candies from the more appropriately aged children, I like to serve desserts that exude an air of elegance.

That can be difficult at this time of year, when I’m surrounded by messy apple cider doughnuts and the constant replaying of that wicked “Monster Mash” song.

Thankfully, my brown butter pumpkin madeleines with candied pecans do the trick.

Madeleines are small, fluffy cakes baked in shell-shaped molds. Because of how small they are, these regal, bite-sized delicacies are usually considered cookies.

This autumnal version will make you totally forget about those Snickers bars you were about to steal from your kids’ trick-or-treating stash. Or mine.

Brown butter, golden and nutty, flavors a gently spiced, tender pumpkin cake that’s sweetened with brown sugar. Crunchy candied pecans are speckled throughout each bite.

With a light dusting of powdered sugar, or even a spiced glaze drizzled over each madeleine, you’ll fall in love with these dainty delights.

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Measure out your ingredients.

Divide the butter: 1/4 cup of butter for the cake, 1 1/2 tablespoons for greasing the pans, and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon for candying the pecans.

Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Generously grease two madeleine pans with it, using a pastry brush.

Step 2 – Brown the Butter

Chop 1/4 cup of butter into even squares. This helps each piece of butter to melt and brown evenly in the pan.

Melt the butter cubes in a small pot over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. The mixture will foam, then quickly turn a deep golden color with dark flecks, and will release a nutty aroma.

Keep your eye on the pot! It will brown very suddenly. As soon as the butter browns, immediately remove from the heat and pour it into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer to remove all the solids.

Set it aside to cool as you continue with the following steps.

For more information on this step, learn how to perfectly brown butter here.

Step 3 – Caramelize the Pecans

In a separate small pan, toast the pecans with the reserved 1/2 tablespoon butter on low heat. As they begin to brown, add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and stir constantly to coat the pecans.

Remove them from the pan immediately after everything is mixed together and the brown sugar has completely melted. The pecans can burn very easily, so work quickly, and don’t leave the nuts on the heat for any longer than necessary.

Set aside to harden and cool completely as you make the cake.

Step 4 – Beat the Eggs

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the two eggs together with a pinch of salt. Continue to beat until they are pale yellow and thick, with a creamy consistency. They will gain some volume as well. This will take about 10 minutes.

Step 5 – Add the Sugar

Next, gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar with the mixer still running on low speed, then increase the speed to high once the sugar has all been added. Continue beating until the mixture has gained even more volume, similar to a softly whipped cream. This take an additional 5 minutes or so.

Step 6 – Fold in the Flour

In a separate small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and pumpkin spice together.

Remove the bowl with the egg batter from the mixer. Sift the flour mixture evenly on top of the bowl, and gently fold it in with a spatula.

Step 7 – Fold in the Flavorings

Fold in the browned butter and pumpkin puree until completely incorporated. Add the caramelized pecans and gently fold into the batter until they are distributed throughout.

Folding the mixture, rather than stirring, prevents a loss of volume and air. This helps the batter to rise to its full capacity, with a fluffy and tender texture.

Step 8 – Place Batter in the Pans

With a spoon or small cookie scoop, add a heaping tablespoon of batter to each mold of the prepared pans, for 18 in total. Use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to spread the batter evenly in the molds.

They should be almost filled, but with just a little room to expand as they bake.

Step 9 – Bake and Cool

Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, turning the pan once halfway through cooking to help with even baking.

They will be golden in color with lightly browned edges, and will spring back when gently pressed down with your fingertip.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and inverting them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 10 – Garnish and Serve

Once the cakes are completely cooled, dust each one with powdered sugar and serve immediately. They are best served on the same day that you bake them, since the outside crust will still be slightly crispy from the butter used to grease the pans.

But leftovers aren’t half bad… store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Fall in Love with the Fancy Side of Autumn

We’re adults. Adults really aren’t supposed to go trick-or-treating, unless they’re accompanying their kids. Or are 4’10” in stature.

If you’re not as tiny as me, and can’t get away with gathering your own stash of candy, at least you can enjoy these beautiful fall-themed madeleines.

While they look fancy, they are so simple to make – effortless elegance!

Enjoy them dipped in your pumpkin spice latte, served with a freshly brewed pot of coffee, or with a mug of aromatic tea.

And I won’t judge you if you still sneak a bite or two of a candy bar left on the kitchen table by one of your kids.

Adults can do whatever they want, anyway…