Microscopes: Madison McFerrin on Baking Science

Join acclaimed singer-songwriter and Tiny Desk phenom Madison McFerrin as she bakes chocolate chip cookies live and chats with host Matt Whyte in the first Microscopes episode of Sing For Science. Madison shares how baking and music serve as parallel creative outlets—both shaped by improvisation, intuition, and love. They dig into the science of baking, from emulsification and leavening to the Maillard reaction, while Madison reflects on the influence of her family, how ADHD plays a role in her process, and why adding flaky salt is always a must.