Eierkoeken (Dutch Sponge Cookies)

History of the Dutch Eierkoek

Eierkoeken are large, sweet, soft, and airy round cakes. Their diameter are 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm); they're pretty large. The bottom of the cookie is flat, but the top has risen and rounded. And they've got a golden color. Egg cakes used to be eaten at Easter. Not very special when you consider that everything revolves around eggs at Easter. A real delicacy with a lick of butter and some sugar or jam. And they're very popular in the Netherlands, with good reason.

Egg cakes were/are made initially with ammonium carbonate. This gave them their characteristic airiness. You could also recognize that baking method by the hint of ammonia that escaped from the egg cake. But ammonium carbonate is not regularly available. So we use baking powder instead. Readily available, and it works very well for this recipe.

Delightful & Airy Eierkoeken (Dutch Sponge Cookies): The Perfect Sweet Treat!

And after all this reading, do you feel like a nice light snack that melts on your tongue? Then you've found the recipe you're looking for! If I make these egg cookies, they will be gone the next day. Cookie Monster lives in my house, it seems.

That doesn't matter because, with this recipe for making eierkoeken, you have a delicious light and airy snack in no time. And these cookies are best freshly baked (so Cookie Monster guessed that right). A top recipe that you can make quickly and easily. So grab your kitchen apron and get started!

And if you want to do some more baking. These Sablé cookies, Jelly Cookies and coconut caramel cookies are all easy and delicious.

What do you need for Dutch Eierkoeken?

To prepare this Eierkoeken (Dutch Sponge Cookies), you require the following ingredients. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:

• Eggs - The basis of the eierkoeken. You use both whole eggs and egg yolk. You beat the eggs well, so a lot of air is incorporated, and the advantage is that eggs can retain the air very well. Very important for this cookie.
• Sugar - For sweetening the cakes. Use refined caster sugar so that it has a chance to dissolve properly in the batter.
• Lemon - Give a fresh taste accent to the egg cakes.
• Salt - Balances the flavor in the cookies.
• Flour - Use regular all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder - Causes the egg cakes to rise, making them airy. If you want to know more about baking powder and possible substitutes, you will find a blog about baking powder and soda here.
• Milk - Gives a creamy taste and thins the batter to the desired thickness.

How to prepare Dutch Egg Cakes

You can find a printable recipe with a detailed description at the bottom of this blog.

1. Put the eggs, yolk, caster sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a bowl and beat with the mixer on medium/high speed for 5 minutes (not shorter because this is important.
2. Sift the flour over the batter so that there are no lumps.
3. Gently fold the flour into the batter to keep it airy. Now also mix the milk with a spatula through the batter. The batter should be a little runny, but should spread only a little. Let rest for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, place a heap of batter on a parchment-lined baking sheet. About 4 per baking tray because the cookies rise and spread a bit in the oven (otherwise, they stick together). So keep enough space between the cookies. Bake them in a preheated oven at 390 °F (ca. 199 °C) for 10 minutes. Let the eierkoeken cool on the baking paper and then carefully remove them.