Trader Joe’s Introduces Gluten-Free Madeleine Cookies [Review & Nima Test]

Trader Joe’s has officially added gluten-free Madeleine cookies to its already expansive gluten-free lineup. You can find this popular French cookie in the bakery section of your local Trader Joe’s.

Each box contains six individually-wrapped Madeleine cookies. Each cookie is 140 calories and contains 7 grams of fat and 17 grams of carbohydrates.

Trader Joe’s says this luxurious cookie cake is made by one of its bakery partners in France, who “uses just the right ratio of gluten-free flours and starches to give each of these Madeleines the same superb flavor and captivatingly cake-like texture as you’d expect from their conventional counterparts at a Parisian patisserie.”

Truth be told, I had never had a Madeleine cookie before, so I didn’t know what to expect.

Thanks to Google, I learned that a Madeleine cookie is a small, delicate French tea cake with a scallop shape. It has a light and fluffy texture, similar to a sponge cake.

Inside the Trader Joe’s Madeleine cookie, you’ll find a blend of gluten-free flours and starches, including rice flour, potato starch, corn flour, rice starch, and xanthan gum, which work together to mimic the taste and texture of gluten. It also contains eggs, sunflower oil, sugar, glucose syrup, and other ingredients.

How Do Gluten-Free Madeleines Taste?

I was excited to sink my teeth into one of the new Trader Joe’s Madeleine cookies for so many reasons:

(1) The cookie was beautiful. It had a slightly scalloped shape and looked like a yellow sponge cake. Each cookie was individually wrapped in plastic to keep it fresh in transit.

(2) After unwrapping my first cookie, I smelled a sweet and intoxicating scent. It had a sweet vanilla-like scent.

(3) The cookie felt soft and spongy to the touch. I could tell it would be a moist and tender cookie just by looking at it.

I found the cookie to taste buttery, moist, airy, and slightly sweet. It had a spongy texture and a tender crumb. It wasn’t dry or crumbly like many gluten-free cookies found at the grocery store.

Testing Madeleines for Hidden Gluten

No Trader Joe’s branded product is “certified” gluten-free, at least that I’m aware of. That’s why I always like to test a Trader Joe’s product for hidden gluten before enjoying it for the first time.

In the past, every “gluten-free” labeled item I’ve tested for hidden gluten at Trader Joe’s has come back a-okay. You can see for yourself in my article, Testing Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Products for Hidden Gluten.

I used my Nima Sensor, a portable gluten-detecting device, to perform the hidden gluten test. You can learn more about Nima in my article, What You Need to Know About Nima Sensor Before You Buy – Perspective from a Celiac & Nutrition Professional.

As you can see, Nima smiled, which means it didn’t find any gluten, giving you the extra confidence to safely enjoy these beautiful French cookies.

The gluten-free Madeleines can be enjoyed straight out of the packaging as a delicious breakfast treat, snack, or dessert.

I personally think the cookie would go well with a cup of coffee in the morning or served at an afternoon tea with friends.

I could also see the cookie working as an elegant dessert, perhaps drizzled with or dipped in melted dark chocolate. Enjoy!

Additional Reading

If you want to see other products I’ve tested for hidden gluten from Trader Joe’s, please read Testing Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Products for Hidden Gluten.

Trader Joe’s launched a new break-and-bake gluten-free cookie dough. Learn more about it in my article, Trader Joe’s Launches Gluten-Free Cookie Dough… and It’s Fabulous.

To learn more about the Nima Sensor, read What You Need to Know About Nima Sensor Before You Buy – Perspective from a Celiac & Nutrition Professional.

If you’re new to the gluten-free diet and need help getting started or getting it right, enroll in my SIGNATURE Gluten-Free Course.

To see everything I’ve tested over the years, visit my Nima-Tested Archives.