How To Make Ladyfingers

Name: Homemade Ladyfingers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Ingredients: 5 large eggs, at room temperature, separated egg yolks and egg whites; 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar, or 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar/lemon juice; 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams); 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (105 grams); 3 1/2 tbs starch (25-26 grams); 1/2 cup powdered sugar (120 grams); pinch of salt

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

updated from 2010

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE

Simple Ingredients
These cookies rely on basic ingredients, nothing fancy, just eggs, sugar, and flour. Ladyfingers are cookies made from a simple sponge cake batter
Plain or Dressed Up
I love the versatility. These light, airy cookies are beloved for their delicate texture and subtle sweetness, and incredible versatility.
You can snack on them as-is with a cup of coffee or tea, but they’re also the secret stars in desserts like tiramisu, trifles, and charlottes. But have you tried them with Greek Yogurt? So good. Add a sprinkle of cocoa powder and fresh fruit to make a quick dessert.

A close up of a cookie showing the inside texture.

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 Sh e ets
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, the 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, cornstarch, 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 brown.

Baked cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment, dusted with powdered sugar.

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 help inhibit 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. It also helps keep the baked cookies soft inside.

Dust cookies with powdered sugar

Dusting sponge biscuits with powdered sugar just before baking helps prevent excessive spreading, promotes better rise, and creates the signature crust on the cookies.

Fold the batter, don’t stir!

It’s important that you fold the batter. Fold the sifted flour mixture into the meringue base using quick, short strokes with a spatula.
Hold the bowl and turn it as you make a stroke through the batter in a trajectory that looks like a 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.

Sifting

Sift flour, starch, and salt into the meringue-egg yolk base. This helps avoid lumps of flour and makes it easier to fold the flour into teh meringue.

Avoid opening the oven door too soon

A sudden change of temperature can cause ladyfingers to collapse.

Storage

Homemade ladyfingers keep, stored at room temperature, in an airtight container for 5-10 days.

TRY THESE RECIPES

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

Print Pin

Homemade Ladyfingers

A delicious easy recipe for homemade ladyfingers.

Batter makes about 3 dozen, 4-inch long ladyfinger cookies.

Serving 4 cookies

Course Cake, Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine French, Italian

Keyword almond cookies, ladyfingers, savoiardi, sponge cookies

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Servings 9 servings

Author Hani

Equipment

Hand-held, or stand mixer
sieve
spatula
Baking Sheets
Parchment
Piping Bag
Large round or Star Piping Tip
Food Wrap, optional

Ingredients

5 large eggs, at room temperature, separated egg yolks and egg whites
1/2 tsp Cream of tartar, or 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar/lemon juice
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (105 grams)
3 1/2 tbs starch (25-26 grams)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (120 grams)
pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 385℉ (195℃) and line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a large piping bag with a large 1/2inch round or star piping tip.

Meringue Mixture

Separate 5 large eggs into yolks and egg whites
Beat 5 egg whites with cream of tartar on high, until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup, 100 grams of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract, and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Meringue should be glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl whisk together 5 egg yolks. Gradually pour the egg yolk mixture into the meringue mixture, while running the mixer at medium speed. Mix until combined about 30 seconds.

Sponge Batter

Sift 3/4 cup, 105grams all-purpose flour, 3½ tablespoons (25 grams) of cornstarch and a pinch salt over the meringue. Use the folding technique to incorporate flour into the meringue. Don't stir.
Fold the flour into the meringue using quick spatula strokes. Turn the bowl as you move the spatula thru the batter in a J shape. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl, too.

Pipe Ladyfingers

Divide sponge batter onto 2 food wraps and form two large pouches. Trim one end of the sponge pouch and fit it into a piping bag fitted with a piping tip.
Pipe, about 4 inch long line of batter onto the parchment paper, leaving about 1.5 to 2 inches gap between cookie .

Bake

Just before baking dust the lines of sponge cakes with powdered sugar. It helps them spread less and rise more and it also creates that signature crispy top Addition of cornstarch helps absorb excess moisture in the batter keeping it thick thick this easier to pipe to pipe.
Bake at 385F (195C) for 8 minutes, until golden brown.
If you prefer crispier lady fingers allow them to dry out a little at room temperature overnight.

Notes

How long do ladyfingers keep? Store cooled lady fingers in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to two weeks. Can also freeze them for up to 6 months

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.