Ladyfingers – A From Scratch Recipe Perfect For Tiramisu

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ladyfingers, like Oreo cookies and graham crackers, can easily be made from scratch at home. From scratch ladyfingers will certainly be fresher than store-bought ones, and you probably already have the ingredients on hand (eggs, sugar, flour, and baking powder).

When you make homemade ladyfingers, you also get a chance to get creative! Why not try making man-toes or little babyfingers? For a Bachelorette party, you could try making and then eating some other body parts. ;) Or, if like me, you’re thinking cupcakes, you can make your ladyfingers in cupcake tins so that they are all ready to be used in tiramisu cupcakes.

Notice how they aren’t filled to the top so there is room for all of the
tiramisu goodness!

It’s important to know that ladyfingers come in two varieties – the crunchy kind and the soft, sponge cake-like kind. The ladyfinger recipe that I am sharing here is for the soft kind. This is the kind that works best in tiramisu because it can better absorb all of the coffee/rum syrup.

I wouldn’t recommend eating these ladyfingers on their own. Their flavor comes from whatever you soak them in. 

Ways to Use Ladyfingers

If you don’t want to make tiramisu with them (I’m not sure why you wouldn’t), you could also dunk the ladyfingers in chocolate milk, chantilly cream, chocolate ganache, Kahlua, or tiramisu frosting. Feel free to share other ideas in the comments.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!
Ladyfingers
Print Pin
4.38 from 8 votes

Ladyfingers

From-scratch ladyfingers will certainly be fresher than store-bought ones, and you probably already have the ingredients on hand.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 66kcal
Author Stefani

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs separated
  • 2 tbsp + 2/3 C white sugar
  • 1 C all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.
  • Line two 17 x 12 inch baking sheets with baking parchment. (Or, if you are going to use these for tiramisu cupcakes, line a 12 cupcake tin with cupcake liners.)
  • Fit large pastry bag with a plain 1/2 inch round tube. If you don't have one, just cut off the end of a Ziploc bag.
  • Place egg whites in a bowl and beat on high until soft peaks start to form.
  • Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy.
  • In another bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar.
  • Whip until thick and very pale in color.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.
  • Fold half the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
  • Fold in flour, and then add the remaining egg whites.
  • Transfer mixture to the pastry bag (or Ziploc bag) and pipe strips that look like ladyfingers (or whatever shape you'd like) onto the prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, evenly divide the batter between the cupcake liners. The cupcake liners will not be filled to the top (see the photo above).
  • Bake for 8 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 52mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Have you tried this recipe?Click here to leave a comment and rating!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




46 comments:

  1. JoAnnasays:

    How many regular ladyfingers does this recipe make? When I say regular ladyfingers I mean individual strips of ladyfinger cookies.

    • Stefsays:

      That’s a great question. It totally depends on the size of the ladyfingers you are making so it’s really hard to say. I haven’t made this ages and I didn’t measure the size when I did. Maybe someone else will be able to answer you. Or, if you make it, you can let me know so I can add it to the post. Sorry to not be more helpful!

  2. Patricesays:

    5 stars
    Unable to find lady fingers locally so I turned to the internet. This recipe is perfect. Thanks for helping make my dessert plans a success!

  3. Lynn Dupreysays:

    There hard to find in the store and I’d rather know what’s going in them!.

  4. Lynn Dupreysays:

    5 stars
    Thanks for the lady finger recipe. There hard to find in thestore and I

  5. Reema jawasays:

    What we replace place of egg in Lady finger

  6. CraigInOshkoshsays:

    Hi Stef,
    I’m making Lady Fingers Milano (I think I’ll call them), and wanted chocolate cake with the consistency of the fingers I remember from when I was a kid. Took your recipe, added maybe a TB or 2 of cocoa and piped them to bake. Then took two and layered in some Betty Crocker chocolate icing for the sandwich. Done and Done! Tried this with regular cupcakes and they were too dense, wouldn’t cut in half (for layers) and so forth. The Lady Fingers work like a charm. Thanks for the recipe!

  7. Gilessays:

    Thanks, worked perfectly, even for a bloke !

  8. shavingsays:

    This way, shaving will not facial hair last for more than three days,
    ” he said. Then, if you want a close shave. Cobb said Mr Perla was possibly interested in betting on Boston College to win that game. Fusion, launched in 2006, is the most common methods of hair facial hair removal. Always using a sharp blade there’s no need to try and make sure you get a close shave.

  9. Mikesays:

    Tiramisu is made with the Italian style crunchy ladyfingers, not the soft French style. The soft ones are not right at all for tiramisu.

  10. Annesays:

    Hi! I had to comment because this recipe worked so well for me. I had no idea lady fingers would be so easy to make, and I can’t wait to try the tiramisu they went into. I did two batches for a double layered tiramisu and cooked the second batch until golden and barely crispy on the outside. I totally prefer that way since the sugar almost caramelizes and it soaks up a lot more espresso. Thanks for a nice recipe!

  11. melodysays:

    I’m making these for the first time. I think I’m doing something wrong because the batter is pretty runny and difficult to shape into lady fingers. Any suggestions on what I’m doing wrong? Thank you!

    • Stefsays:

      It is a pretty runny batter. Are you using a pastry bag to shape them?

      • Melodysays:

        Yes, I did use a pastry bag. I probably just need practice!
        However, while they are a bit oddly shaped, they are really delicious!

        • Jessysays:

          My bet is that the egg yolks weren’t whipped enough and/or when folding in the flour you stirred too much and lost any air you had incorporated into the batter. You really do have to make sure each egg part is whipped well before assembling. Also, be delicate in folding in the flour.

  12. Kirstinsays:

    I just made these and they are awesome. My daughter and I plan to make tiramisu parfaits tomorrow and I decided to make my own lady fingers. So glad I did. They’re not as “thick” as I thought they’d be but I probably just need to make the batter higher. Thanks for the recipe

  13. yayasays:

    I really want to try this! Can i use almond flour instead?!

  14. lillysays:

    After reading a few comments and hearing that the lady fingers recipe is twice the amount for the cupcakes, can the batter be kept till a later time to use? If so what is the best way to store it?

  15. Shelbysays:

    Just made them and half of them look great! I only cooked them for 5 minutes and the ones on the bottom shelf are burned on the bottoms. The top shelf ones look good so it was my fault for putting some on the bottom. However, I’d caution anyone to watch them carefully because if I would have gone 8 minutes, they all would have burned. I guess I’ll use the good ones on the bottom layer of the tiramisu and the crumbles I scrape off the other as the 2nd layer. I’ll let you know how it turns out!

  16. Alice Carlsensays:

    I only filld my muffin tin half with the ladyfinger dough and I got 24 tiramisu cupcakes in the end.

    • Anonymoussays:

      it says to cut the recipe in half if you are using it to make cupcakes or to double the rest of the cupcake recipe to match it.

  17. Anonymoussays:

    It is a few years later, but I did the same thing that you did. The next time, I will divide my batter amongst 24 cupcake liners, instead of 12, and still bake it for 8 minutes.

  18. Anonymoussays:

    I, too, found that this recipe makes WAY more than 12 cupcakes if you are going to leave any room in for the marscapone!! Will probably hollow out the middle to allow for more filling.

  19. Tinasays:

    Tiramisu cupcakes! Wonderful. Half the recipe made 18 cupcakes, using large eggs and regular large muffin tins (the kind from Zelllers or discount place). Used paper liners but will use foil next time as they don’t last well from the soaking step.

    I used raspberry juice to soak the cake as a Christmas treat.

    Thanks for the idea.

  20. Stefsays:

    C = Cup
    You should use 2/3 cup plus another 2 tablespoon of sugar.

  21. Anonymoussays:

    Im a novice on this, what does the ‘c’ stand for..is it cup? if so then what amount is •2 tbsp + 2/3 C white sugar
    I can’t wait to have a pop at the tirimasu cup cakes xx

  22. Julie M.says:

    Just made these subbing a little almond flour for the regular and adding a splash of almond extract. Lovely recipe! I can’t wait to taste them in my peach tiramisu tomorrow night. Thanks for sharing!

  23. Stefsays:

    Wiley – Was it just the ladyfinger batter that there was too much of or also the tiramisu batter? Did it make 24 good-sized cupcakes? If everyone is having this issue, perhaps I will adjust the recipe.

  24. wileysays:

    I made these cupcakes and I found that the batter makes significantly more than 12 cupcakes. They make more than 12 with the cups filled with 2oz of batter. I ended up making 24. I was quite confused at the beginning then read that some people were having the same issues. Are we doing something wrong?

  25. Stefsays:

    Melany – I haven’t tried it. But, I don’t see why not. Just be sure that they are sealed well in the freezer.

  26. MelanyAsays:

    Can you freeze these to use a week later? Thanks!

  27. Stefsays:

    Erin – When I made these, I got 12 cupcakes out of this ladyfinger recipe. But, a few people have commented that it made much more. Someone just told me that it made 30 cupcakes. So, I’m not really sure how to advise you. I’d prob double it just to be on the safe side. And if you don’t mind letting me know what you ended up doing and how many cupcakes it made, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

  28. erinsays:

    I just want to make sure I read this right – if I am making tiramisu cupcakes, this makes 12? So I should double for the 24 I know I will need. Thanks!

  29. Stefsays:

    Anon – I suppose it could be the egg size. I’m not sure. If you make this again, just make more cupcakes!

  30. Anonymoussays:

    I love tirimasu! It is my favorite dessert, so naturally when I saw the tirimasu cupcake recipe I wanted to make it.

    I followed your recipe for the ladyfingers exactly and piped the batter into my cupcake liners, but mine filled the liners way more than the ones you show in your picture. I didn’t have much room for my marscapone mixture on top.

    Did you use all of the batter you made to evenly divide into the cupcake liners?

    The only reason that I can think that mine made more than yours is that I used jumbo sized eggs instead of large. Would that make a big difference?

  31. SweetsSuccessBakingsays:

    This ladyfinger recipe has my mind whirling with ideas.

  32. Elianasays:

    Can’t wait to see how you turn this into a tiramisu cupcake :)

  33. Anonymoussays:

    Thank you for this recipe!!!! I recently tried to follow Julia Child’s recipe for ladyfingers and it was an utter failure…can’t wait to try this one out!

  34. Aubreysays:

    Ah so awesome, I made my own a few weeks ago and they flopped(too flat, not tasty)! Excited to try this recipe.
    Thankss!

  35. Joysays:

    I have tried oreos but I have yet to try ladyfingers. Great recipe. Thank you for sharing this.

  36. Mimisays:

    Making lady fingers is so easy I’ve been doing it for years,(they were hard to find in the local markets). I add vanilla and dust them in powdered sugar. My kids love to eat them plain.
    Mimi

Show All Comments