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If you’re craving tiramisu and need vegan ladyfingers (also called savoiardi in Italian), then this recipe is what you’re looking for! These eggless sponge cookies are light, airy, and sturdy enough for layering into classics like vegan tiramisu, no specialty molds or hard-to-find products required.
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Ladyfingers
Traditional store-bought ladyfingers rely heavily on eggs, which means vegan versions are surprisingly hard to come by, especially in the U.S.
Making them from scratch is the only real option at the moment, and this recipe is designed to give you that classic sponge texture at home without complicated techniques or specialty ingredients.
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- Flavor: Lightly sweet with subtle vanilla and almond notes that pair perfectly with espresso and creamy desserts made with vegan mascarpone.
- Texture: Soft and airy on the inside with a crisp, meringue-like exterior.
- Difficulty: Moderate… approachable if you’re comfortable folding batter and using a piping bag.
- Time: About 45 minutes from start to finish.
Why This Recipe Works
Traditional ladyfingers rely on whipped egg whites for structure, so making them vegan comes down to finding the right egg white substitute. I tested several methods using different vegan foams, each with slightly different results. If you want a deeper breakdown of how these substitutes work, I go into more detail in my vegan egg substitute guide.
Potato Protein
Very stable foam with great structure. Harder to find and can have a slight aftertaste.
airy & crisp
Versawhip
Whips beautifully and bakes well, but requires special ordering.
good structure
Aquafaba w/ Less Flour
Light and delicate with a nice meringue texture, but too fragile for tiramisu.
airy but spread
Aquafaba + More Flour
Still light and airy, but sturdy enough to hold shape and soak up espresso.
good structure
This recipe works because the whipped vegan egg white creates lift, while the fine-tuned flour ratio provides structure without heaviness. You get ladyfingers that bake up airy, crisp on the outside, and sturdy enough for tiramisu.
Ingredients
Ingredient Highlights & Some Swaps
All Purpose Flour
This recipe uses just enough flour to give the sponge cookies structure without weighing them down.
For best results, I highly recommend weighing your flour with a kitchen scale. Even a little extra flour can make the ladyfingers dense instead of light and airy, which really matters here.
Powdered Sugar + Regular Sugar
Powdered sugar plays a big role in this recipe. It’s sifted into the vegan egg white foam to help stabilize the structure, and it’s also dusted generously on top before baking for that classic crinkly finish.
That coating also helps dry out the exterior slightly, giving the cookies their signature texture. Regular granulated sugar (or caster sugar) is used in the batter itself to balance sweetness and structure.
Vanilla Extract
Pure vanilla extract adds warmth and depth to the cookies. I also like adding a small amount of almond extract for that classic Italian bakery flavor, but it’s completely optional if you’re not an almond fan.
Dairy-free Yogurt
Plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt works as a really effective stand-in for egg yolks here, adding moisture and richness without heaviness.
I used Forager’s Plain Unsweetened Coconut Cashew Yogurt, but any thick, neutral-flavored vegan yogurt should work well. Just avoid sweetened or flavored varieties.
Neutral Oil
A small amount of neutral oil adds fat and moisture to the sponge without interfering with the flavor. I used sunflower oil, but canola or vegetable oil work just as well. Stick with something mild so the vanilla and almond notes can really come through.
Vegan Egg White Substitute (Aquafaba)
For the main recipe, I opted for aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas). It’s accessible, reliable, and whips into a foam that behaves similarly to egg whites when handled correctly. The recipe calls for ⅓ cup aquafaba. You’ll want to drain a can of chickpeas and save the beans for another recipe.
If you’d like to experiment, there are a couple of other options that work well too:
- Potato protein isolate: Use ⅓ cup water plus 5 grams potato protein isolate for an even more stable foam.
- Versawhip 600K: Use ⅓ cup water plus 1½ teaspoons Versawhip for a very egg-white-like structure.
How to Make Vegan Ladyfingers
Exact ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below!
Whip the Aquafaba (Vegan ‘Egg White’)
Add the dairy-free yogurt, granulated sugar, oil and extracts to a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to a small bowl. Set aside.
With a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the aquafaba for 2-3 minutes until slightly foamy.
Sift the powdered sugar on top in 3 batches, whipping in between. Continue whipping for 4-5 more minutes or until the mixture is thick, opaque, glossy and reaches stable peaks.
Use the mixer to beat the yogurt and sugar mixture together. Add 1/3 of the foam and fold into the mixture.
Fold The Foam Into The Wet Ingredients
Gently fold in another 1/3 of the foam.
Repeat with the last 1/3 of the foam. The mixture should be light, airy, and fluffy.
Sift The Dry Ingredients On Top
Sift the dry ingredients on top in 3 batches, gently folding in between each batch.
Fold until just combined. The batter should be light and airy yet structured. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
Pipe the Vegan Ladyfingers, Dust With Sugar & Bake
Pipe 3.5-4″ long logs onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Dust the piped unbaked vegan ladyfingers with a generous amount of powdered sugar. Then, bake at 375F for 15 minutes.
Finishing, Cooling & Storing
Once baked, let the ladyfingers cool completely on the baking sheet so the exterior can fully set and crisp up. They’re ready to use as soon as they’re cool… perfect for dipping into coffee or gently soaking in espresso before layering into tiramisu.
If you’re making them for tiramisu, these vegan ladyfingers can be baked a day in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature until you’re ready to assemble.
Tips For The Best Vegan Ladyfingers
- Whip Vegan Egg Whites Well: Whip your egg white substitute (aquafaba, potato protein, or Versawhip) until it’s thick, opaque, and holds stable peaks (between soft and stiff).
- Fold Gently: Slowly and gently fold the whipped foam into the wet ingredients using a spatula, taking your time to preserve as much air as possible.
- Sift, Don’t Dump (and Pipe Properly): Sift the dry ingredients in three additions and fold just until combined, then pipe the airy batter using a round R16L piping tip for the cleanest shape and structure.
More Vegan Cookies
Vegan Ladyfingers – Eggless Sponge Cookies
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- ¼ cup unsweetened dairy-free yogurt, 45g
- ¼ cup caster sugar, 50g – or granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, 21g, like sunflower oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 4g
- ½ tsp almond extract, 1g
- 170 g all-purpose flour, ~1⅓ cups spooned and leveled (not scooped) – see note 2
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup powdered sugar, for dusting
Vegan Egg White
- ⅓ cup aquafaba, 83g, liquid from a can of chickpeas (see note 1)
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 80g
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a round R16L tip and set it upright in a tall glass for easy filling.
- Mix the “Yolk” Base: In a large bowl, whisk together the dairy-free yogurt, caster sugar, oil, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth and uniform.¼ cup unsweetened dairy-free yogurt, ¼ cup caster sugar, 2 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, ½ tsp almond extract
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.170 g all-purpose flour, ⅛ tsp salt, ¼ tsp baking powder
- Whip the Vegan Egg White: Add the aquafaba to a clean, grease-free bowl and whip with a hand mixer for 2–3 minutes until very foamy. Sift in the powdered sugar in three additions, whipping between each, then continue whipping for 4–5 minutes until thick, opaque, and holding stable peaks between soft and stiff. See note 3.⅓ cup aquafaba, ½ cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- Fold the Batter: Gently fold ⅓ of the whipped aquafaba into the yogurt mixture to lighten it, then carefully fold in the remaining foam in batches, using a light hand.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift the dry ingredients into the batter in three additions, folding gently just until combined after each addition.
- Pipe: Transfer the airy batter to the piping bag and pipe 3½–4 inch logs onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Dust & Bake: Generously dust the tops with powdered sugar and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes, until set with a lightly crisp exterior. Let cool completely before using or storing. Makes 18–20 ladyfingers (enough for an 8×8-inch pan of tiramisu).¼ cup powdered sugar
Video
Recipe notes
- Aquafaba (used in recipe): This is the liquid from a can of chickpeas. Drain the can over a bowl and use the chickpeas in another recipe. The most accessible option and easy to work with, producing light, airy ladyfingers when whipped properly.
- Potato Protein Isolate: Creates an extremely stable foam and excellent structure, but can be harder to find and may have a very slight aftertaste; use ⅓ cup water + 5 g potato protein isolate.
- Versawhip 600K: A soy protein powder that whips similarly to egg whites and bakes well, but typically requires special ordering; use ⅓ cup water + 1½ tsp Versawhip.
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Categories:
Christmas, Seasonal, Tried & True Vegan Classics, Vegan Cookies, Vegan Dessert Recipes, Vegan Recipes,
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