Orange Blossom Honey Madeleines #CreativeCookieExchange

April showers bring May Flowers, and that leads me to the theme for this months #CreativeCookieExchange - May Flowers.  I think that this theme really allows us to be creative with our cookies, whether it be with the addition of edible flowers, a floral extract, or even the shape of the cookie.
One cookie that I have never tried to make is a madeleine, so my choice for this month was pretty easy. Madeleines are also known as French butter cakes, but are more commonly thought of as a cookie. They have a soft and spongy interior, and a light golden crunch on the outside. I didn't want it to be too complicated so I decided to use orange blossom honey, which has a lovely delicate flavor with hints of citrus.

The recipe I chose comes from Epicurious, although there are a plethora of recipes on the web.  There seemed to be some discussion that these cookies can be difficult or "tricky" to make, but I did not find this at all.  Yes, you do need a special pan but these are easily purchased at any good cookware store, Amazon, or a department store. Mine is actually non-stick which makes baking these cookies so easy as they just drop straight out after baking, and you can just refill the molds and pop it back into the oven.

My batter was prepared the night before, refrigerated, and then baked the next day.  At first I was a little concerned because the batter seemed quick thick and almost like a runny bread dough.  I let it sit out for about 5 minutes, and then filled the molds.  Don't worry if each of the molds if not full to the top as the cookies will rise as they bake due to the addition of the baking powder.  My only complaint about this recipe would be that it only made 20 cookies, and these disappeared so quickly, so I would double it next time. A dusting of powdered sugar was the perfect compliment to my cookies, but you can certainly leave them plain if you wish or even brush them with a light glaze.

Please scroll down below the recipe to find out more about the #Creative Cookie Exchange.

Orange Blossom Honey Madeleines

(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange blossom honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled, plus more for molds

Preparation

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and thick, about 4 minutes. 
3. Beat in honey, vanilla, and orange zest. 
4. Gently fold in dry ingredients. 
5. Add 5 tablespoons melted butter; gently fold into batter. 
6. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of batter; chill for at least 3 hours (can be made 1 day ahead - keep chilled).
7. Position a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°F. 
8. Lightly brush a 12-cookie madeleine pan with butter, and place pan on a baking sheet (omit if using a non-stick pan). 
9. Drop 1 tablespoon of batter into each mold. 
10. Bake until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 10 minutes.
11. Remove pan from oven, invert, and quickly knock madeleines out of pan. 
12. Serve warm, with a dusting of powdered sugar (optional)

Recipe from Epicurious.com

The theme this month is May Flowers! All that snow and rain has to lead to something, right!? Creative Cookie Exchange has decided to stop using the linky. What this means is that the only way to join in the fun is to become a host. Just contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.

You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes--be sure to check out our Facebook page, our Pinterest Board, and our monthly posts. You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made ~

• Orange Blossom Honey Madeleines from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Flower Cookies from A Baker's House
• Rose-Lemon Meltaways from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Lebanese Orange Blossom Water and Pistachio Cookies from The Spiced Life
• Lemon Persian Rose Shortbread from Noshing with the Nolands
• Lavender Poppy Seed Shortbread from Magnolia Days
• Hibiscus Sugar Cookies from Food Lust People Love