This 3-Ingredient Costco Dessert Upgrade Is Affordable, Gorgeous, and Party-Ready

Graduation season calls for many celebratory events, and it’s never truly a party without something sweet. Pulling off a beautiful dessert spread can be stressful and costly, but it doesn’t have to be—a quick and affordable upgrade to a simple store-bought pastry can be just as stunning as one that’s homemade.

Madeleines are perfect two-bite, buttery French treats that are a welcome addition to any party table. While madeleines on their own are not difficult to make, they are fussy in that they rely on a single-purpose kitchen tool—a madeleine pan—to achieve their distinctive shell-like shape. Unless you're a madeleine enthusiast, it's not likely that you have the pan in your collection of kitchen tools. Luckily there’s a simple solution to this: Costco madeleines. As a professional pastry chef, I’ve tasted and made lots of madeleines and found that Costco’s madeleines are beautifully baked.

While the light and fluffy madeleines are perfectly delicious on their own, it's incredibly easy to take them one step further. With a quick dip in a simple two-ingredient glaze, store-bought madeleines can easily be transformed into something special for a graduation party. 

With an abundance of different flavor, color, and texture combinations, the dressed-up cookies will no doubt impress guests at the celebration you’re throwing for your graduate this year. These custom cookies won’t break the bank, and your guests will never know how simple and affordable these were to make.

How To Upgrade Cotsco Madeleines

In a bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of whole milk until the sugar is fully incorporated and there are no lumps. If you don’t have whole milk on hand, any type of milk (dairy or non-dairy) will work, as will heavy cream, half-and-half, or even water in a pinch. You will just have to adjust the ratio of liquid to sugar when mixing.

As an optional step, you can add a few drops of food coloring to add color to the glaze. Add one or two drops to start and more as needed.

Next, set up a wire rack to rest the glazed cookies. I like to place the rack over either a large plate or a piece of plastic wrap for easy clean-up as the glaze drips off. Dip the top third of the madeleine on a diagonal into the glaze and set it on the wire rack. Immediately top the glaze with sprinkles in your graduate’s school colors. Repeat with the remaining madeleines. 

Pro Baker's Tips & Tricks

• The icing will harden as it sits, so be sure to work quickly, or give it a quick whisk if the top begins to form a skin. If the consistency of the glaze is too thick, you can add more milk in small increments, or if it’s too thin, feel free to add more powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.
• For some variations on the dip, you can add any spice (think cinnamon or cardamom) to the powdered sugar for added flavor. Matcha powder would also be a great addition. Instead of sprinkles, you could also top the madeleines with chopped nuts, crushed freeze-dried fruit, or toasted coconut flakes. The options are truly endless!