Homemade Ladyfingers (Savoiardi)
These homemade savoiardi cookies (ladyfingers) bake up light and delicate with crisp edges, an airy structure and gentle sweetness. They're delicious on their own with a nice cup of espresso, but they also make an exceptional tiramisu!
Servings: 20 up to 24 cookies
Calories: 63kcal
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs separated
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate the eggs and place the yolks in a small bowl and whites in a large bowl.4 large eggs
- Whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks, about 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Slowly add ⅓ cup of sugar and continue to whip until they form stiff, glossy peaks, about 4-5 minutes more.⅔ cup granulated sugar
- In a different bowl, whisk the egg yolks until combined, then add the remaining ⅓ cup of sugar and continue mixing until the yolks turn a pale yellow color, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Carefully add the egg yolk mixture to the whipped egg whites, then sift the flour and cornstarch over the top.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Gently fold all of the ingredients together until well mixed, being careful not to deflate the whites. The batter should look fluffy and aerated.
- Add the batter to a piping bag with a large circle tip or a ziploc bag with the corner cut off.
- Pipe into logs about 1 inch thick and 4 inches long onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Dust the wet batter with powdered sugar.powdered sugar
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until they’re light golden brown and crisp around the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to completely cool.
- Dust with a little more powdered sugar if you like, then serve!
Notes
- Take your time folding the ingredients together so the egg whites stay airy. Use a rubber spatula and a gentle touch, scraping the bottom of the bowl with every fold.
- Pipe the batter generously to create a fat 1 inch width. A piping bag or pastry bag with a round tip gives the most even results.
- Dusting the lady fingers with icing sugar before baking helps them keep their shape and not deflate as much while baking. Don’t skip it!
- To use for tiramisu, dry the cookies out first so they don’t get gummy. I usually leave them out overnight or longer; or you can place them back in a 250°F oven and bake them for another 10-15 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool at room temperature before storing to keep them nice and crisp.
Nutrition
Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.4mg
