Name: Browned Butter Financiers Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 100 grams unsalted butter; 80 grams icing sugar (sifted to remove lumps); 70 grams almond meal; 22 grams all-purpose flour; 3 grams cornstarch; 1 tablespoon cocoa powder; 1 tablespoon matcha powder; 90 grams egg white; 2 teaspoons hot water (for cocoa mixture); 1 tablespoon hot water (for matcha mixture)

If you’re looking for a little fancy yet easy-to-make treat that feels like a hug in cake form, you’ve got to try this Browned Butter Financiers Recipe. These small French almond cakes have such a beautiful depth of flavor thanks to the nutty browned butter — and if you’ve never used browned butter in your baking, this recipe will totally change your game. I’m excited to share how to get them just right because trust me, once you try these, you’ll want to bake them again and again.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Deep Nutty Flavor: Browned butter adds a rich, toasty note that elevates these simple cakes.
Perfect for Egg Whites: Got leftover egg whites? This recipe uses them up perfectly without waste.
Simple Ingredients: With pantry basics like almond meal and flour, these are easy to whip up anytime.
Customizable Flavors: Cocoa and matcha options mean you can keep things classic or add a fun twist.

The image shows three small square cake pieces lined up on a dark slate board placed on a white marbled surface. Each piece has two visible layers: a thick, light beige bottom layer with a soft, crumbly texture, topped by a darker, moist layer with different colors and textures. The left piece has a greenish middle layer with red cherry-like fruit pieces bouncing on top. The center piece has a chocolate brown middle layer with pecans decorating the top. The right piece has a dark purple berry filling spilled slightly over the top, contrasting with the light beige base. In the background, more cake pieces sit on a cooling rack over the white marbled surface, softly blurred. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients You’ll Need

These ingredients are pretty straightforward but together they create a fantastically moist, tender crumb with just the right balance of sweetness and nuttiness. When I’m shopping for almond meal, I always go for the blanched kind for the smoothest texture in my financiers.

Unsalted Butter: Essential for browning to develop that signature nutty flavor without the salt interfering.
Icing Sugar: Powdered sugar melts easily into the batter, ensuring no grainy bits.
Almond Meal: The heart of financiers, it gives that lovely almond aroma and moist texture.
All-purpose Flour: A touch of flour helps give the financiers structure.
Cornstarch: Adds tenderness and lightness to the crumb.
Egg Whites: Whisked gently into the dry ingredients for lift and silkiness.
Cocoa Powder: Optional, adds a rich chocolate note for a delightful variation.
Hot Water: Used to bloom the cocoa or matcha powders for better flavor integration.
Matcha Powder: Another optional twist if you love the fresh, slightly grassy taste of green tea.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I love playing around with flavors when I make these Browned Butter Financiers. Depending on what I’m in the mood for, I add a spoonful of cocoa for a chocolatey twist or matcha powder for an earthy green punch. You can totally make this recipe your own!

Cocoa Variation: Adding cocoa powder gives the financiers a velvety richness, which my whole family goes crazy for.
Matcha Variation: I discovered this trick when I wanted something a bit lighter; the matcha adds a beautiful color and subtle flavor.
Nut-Free Option: Though traditional financiers use almond meal, you can try finely ground hazelnuts or pecans for a new nutty spin.
Miniature Size: Make these in mini muffin tins for bite-sized treats perfect for parties or afternoon tea.

How to Make Browned Butter Financiers Recipe

Step 1: Brown the Butter Perfectly

Start by melting your unsalted butter over medium heat in a light-colored pan so you can see it change color. Keep whisking as the butter foams and then turns golden brown with nutty aromas—this usually takes about 5 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning; you want a deep caramelized scent and specks of brown at the bottom, then immediately remove from heat and set aside to cool a bit.

Step 2: Prep the Dry Ingredients

While the butter cools, sift your icing sugar, almond meal, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch together. This way, the batter will be smooth with no lumps. If you’re using cocoa or matcha, mix them in with a little hot water first to bloom the powders, intensifying their flavor before adding them to the dry mix.

Step 3: Whisk the Egg Whites

You don’t want them whipped to soft peaks, just lightly frothy so they incorporate smoothly and help with the airy texture. Add the egg whites to your dry ingredients, folding carefully with a spatula to keep the batter light and airy.

Step 4: Combine Browned Butter and Batter

Slowly drizzle the warm (but not hot) browned butter into your batter while gently folding to combine evenly. The butter’s richness is the star here — don’t rush this part. If the butter is too hot, it might cook the eggs prematurely.

Step 5: Bake and Enjoy

Pour the batter into your prepared rectangular molds (or muffin tins if you’re making minis) and bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 20-25 minutes until golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let them cool slightly before removing from molds, then try not to eat them all at once!

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Pro Tips for Making Browned Butter Financiers Recipe

Watch Your Butter: I learned the hard way that browned butter can go from perfect to burnt within seconds—stay close and stir constantly.
Bloom Powders: Dissolving cocoa or matcha in hot water first really punches up the flavor and prevents clumps.
Gentle Folding: Be patient folding the batter; overmixing can toughen the cakes, so keep it light and airy.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temp egg whites and flour helps everything come together smoothly without lumps.

How to Serve Browned Butter Financiers Recipe

The image shows a red silicone baking mold with twelve rectangular mini cakes arranged in three rows of four. The top row contains light brown cakes studded with melted dark chocolate chips, some partially sunken in the surface. The middle row shows marbled cakes with a two-tone mix of light brown and darker chocolate, topped with large pecan halves. The bottom row has pale yellow cakes with whole dark berries embedded along their length, creating dark purple spots on the surface. The mold rests on a white marbled countertop. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

I often dust them lightly with a little powdered sugar for a pretty finish. Another favorite is to top them with a few fresh berries or slivers of toasted almonds – it adds a nice texture contrast and fresh sweetness that pairs perfectly.

Side Dishes

Serve your financiers alongside a cup of rich espresso or a delicate green tea, especially when you choose the matcha version. They also make a lovely companion to fresh fruit salads or a dollop of whipped cream for a simple dessert plate.

Creative Ways to Present

For special occasions, I love arranging the financiers on a slate board with seasonal edible flowers and small bowls of dipping sauces like raspberry coulis or a rich chocolate ganache. It’s a fancy look but really just takes seconds to pull together.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store my leftover financiers in an airtight container at room temperature, and they stay moist and tender for up to three days. If it’s humid, I’ll pop them in the fridge but bring them back to room temp before eating for best texture.

Freezing

They freeze beautifully! I wrap each loosely in plastic wrap and then store them in a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to enjoy, just thaw them at room temperature for a couple of hours – almost as good as fresh.

Reheating

If you want to warm them up, I pop them in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 5 minutes or microwave for 10-15 seconds. Be careful not to overheat or they’ll dry out fast – a gentle warm-up is enough to revive that buttery aroma.

FAQs

Can I make Browned Butter Financiers Recipe without almond meal?

Almond meal is key to their signature texture and flavor, but you can try substituting finely ground hazelnuts or pecans. Just note the taste and texture will change slightly. If you’re nut-free, you might try oat flour, though it won’t be quite the same traditional experience.
What’s the best way to brown butter for this recipe?

Use a light-colored pan so you can see the color change clearly, and stir continuously over medium heat. When it smells nutty and turns a golden brown with little brown speckles, remove it immediately from heat to prevent burning.
Why do financiers use just egg whites and not yolks?

Egg whites create a lighter texture and help the cakes rise gently without becoming cakey-heavy. It’s also a great way to use up leftover whites from other recipes, minimizing waste.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! You can swap all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that bakes well, or use more almond meal combined with a small amount of cornstarch. Just expect a slightly different crumb.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, this Browned Butter Financiers Recipe has become one of my kitchen go-tos whenever I need a quick, elegant treat that makes everyone smile. I love how the browned butter adds that irresistible depth that regular butter just can’t match. If you’ve got some egg whites sitting in your fridge, give this recipe a shot — you’ll enjoy the process and the payoff is sweet, buttery, and utterly delightful little cakes every time.