How To Make Ladyfingers

This simple ladyfingers recipe focuses on quality ingredients and the mastery of the sponge folding technique. Let’s bake light, crisp, and just a little fancy — ladyfingers.

updated from 2010

HOW TO MAKE LADYFINGERS

Ladyfingers are cookies made from a simple sponge cake batter. These light, airy cookies are beloved for their delicate texture and subtle sweetness, and incredible versatility.

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE

THINGS YOU NEED

• Mixing Bowls
• Hand-Held Mixer
• Kitchen Scale (my favorite)
• Large Piping Bag
• Round or Star Piping Tip 1/2 inch
• Food Wrap (optional)
• Baking Sheets
• Parchment Sheets
• Small Mesh Sieve

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LADYFINGERS RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• Eggs
• Granulated Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Flour
• Corn Starch
• Salt
• Powdered Sugar
• Cream of Tartar, lemon juice, or white distilled vinegar

MERINGUE

In this ladyfingers recipe – Savoiardi sponge fingers’ meringue-based batter is made by whipping egg whites with sugar into a fluffy meringue, then quickly beating in whisked egg yolks, and finally folding in the flour, along with corn starch and a pinch of salt.

MASTER SPONGE FOLDING TECHNIQUE

To avoid delicate sponge batter from deflating, it’s important to follow a basic folding technique. Once you master the folding, you’ll have no problem making airy sponge cakes, bundt cakes, and so much more.

• Sift flour over the meringue.
• Using a spatula, cut straight down through the center two to three times. Don’t stir it like soup.
• Scoop along the bottom, and gently lift the batter up and over itself.
• Turn the bowl a little with each fold so everything blends evenly.
• Repeat.
• It’s important to slide the spatula along the bottom to get all the flour incorporated into the meringue.
• Stop as soon as you don’t see streaks of flour.
• Overmixing will make the batter heavy, so think “soft touch” rather than “vigorous workout.”

BAKE LADYFINGERS

Pipe sponge batter lines, about 4 inches long, onto baking sheets lined with parchment. And right before baking, dust the tops with powdered sugar. Bake cookies at 385°F (190 °C) for about 8 minutes, or until golden.

BITE-SIZED ADVICE

• Meringue – Beat egg whites with a touch of cream of tartar, vinegar, or lemon juice. Acidic ingredients help loosen tight protein chains, allowing for more air to be beaten into the egg whites. They also aid in the inhibition of overbeating. Don’t overbeat the egg whites. Dry egg whites are dull and grainy and usually have a pool of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Dry egg whites will result in a dry sponge batter.
• Corn Starch– The addition of corn starch helps absorb excess liquid in the batter, keeping it thick and easier to pipe, and it also aids in keeping the baked cookies soft inside.
• Powdered Sugar– Dusting sponge biscuits with powdered sugar just before baking helps mitigate excessive spread, supports a better rise, and creates the signature crust on the cookies.
• Folding Technique – fold the sifted flour mixture into the meringue base using quick, short spatula strokes. Hold the bowl and turn it as you make a stroke through the batter in a what looks like a letter J shape. It’s important to use the spatula along the bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour is folded into the meringue.
• Sift Flour, Starch, and Salt into the meringue-egg yolk base, this helps avoid lumps of flour and allows for easier folding of flour into the meringue base.
• Avoid opening the oven door too soon. A sudden change of temperature can cause ladyfingers to collapse.
• Crispier Ladyfingers? Let baked cookies air-dry on the kitchen counter overnight. They will become crispier.
• Flavorings – You can use different flavorings to make sponge biscuits, either alcohol extracts or bakery emulsions.

TRY THESE RECIPES

• Best Sponge Cake Recipe
• Irish Cream Baileys Tiramisu
• Sponge Cupcakes
• Charlotte Cake via The Bossy Kitchen

This recipe was originally published on May 16, 2010. On August 14, 2025, I updated this recipe with new images, written instructions, tips, recommendations, and a recipe card.