Description
Delightfully light and crispy Vegan Ladyfingers, perfect as a dairy-free and egg-free alternative to traditional savoiardi cookies. Made with aquafaba to mimic egg whites, these cookies are subtly sweet with a crisp exterior and soft interior, ideal for desserts like tiramisu or for enjoying with tea or coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 120 g aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar (or lemon juice or vinegar)
- 45 g vegan Greek-style yogurt (or coconut cream/vegan sour cream)
- 40 ml olive oil (or sunflower oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sweeteners
- 115 g granulated or caster sugar (superfine sugar), divided into ⅓ cup (70 g) + ¼ cup (45 g)
- 50 g powdered sugar (icing sugar), for dusting
Dry Ingredients
- 200 g plain flour (sifted)
- 30 g cornstarch (sifted)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat your oven to fan 180°C/356°F (or conventional 200°C/392°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease with oil spray for easy cookie removal. Ensure your mixing bowl is clean, dry, and free of grease.
- Whisk Aquafaba: Add aquafaba and cream of tartar to the bowl or stand mixer. Whisk on high speed for 5 minutes until soft peaks form, providing the structure needed without eggs.
- Add Sugar to Aquafaba: Slowly add â…“ cup (70 g) granulated sugar one dash at a time while whisking continuously. Continue whisking for another 3 minutes until stiff peaks form, creating a meringue-like texture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup (45 g) sugar, vegan yogurt, olive oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Fold Aquafaba into Wet Mixture: Carefully fold the whipped aquafaba into the wet ingredient mixture in 3-4 increments using a spatula to keep the batter light without overmixing.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Mix together the sifted flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold this dry mixture into the wet batter in 2-3 increments until just combined without overmixing.
- Pipe the Cookies: Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip. Pipe 3.5-inch long and about 1-inch wide strips onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch space between cookies for spreading. Dust liberally with powdered sugar before baking.
- Optional Silicone Mold: Lightly grease silicone ladyfinger molds with vegetable oil or vegan butter and dust with powdered sugar. Pipe batter into molds halfway and dust with more powdered sugar prior to baking.
- Bake: Bake trays for 12-13 minutes or until edges start browning. If using silicone molds, bake for 14-15 minutes until set through.
- Cool the Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. For silicone molds, allow cookies to cool fully before removing. Clean and dry molds and repeat with remaining batter.
- Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain crispness. After a couple of days, cookies may soften slightly. Freeze in sealed containers for up to one month, ideal for make-ahead dessert projects.
Notes
- A silicone ladyfinger mold is optional; cookies can be piped by hand but may be softer when baked in silicone.
- Measuring ingredients by grams ensures the best accuracy and results.
- Aquafaba is the liquid from canned chickpeas and acts as an egg white substitute.
- Use superfine sugar for better incorporation and smoother texture.
- Do not overmix batter after folding to maintain light and airy texture.
- Cookies spread slightly during baking; pipe with enough spacing.
- For optimal crispness, avoid humid storage conditions.
