This simple eggless royal icing recipe works just as well as the kind with egg whites. It's even easier and much cheaper to make too! Use to decorate cookies and cakes.
A simple vegan royal icing recipe made without egg whites. Instead, using the water from a can of chickpeas (yes! trust me, this works).
Use this icing for covering fruit cakes, wedding cakes, gingerbread houses, writing icing etc etc.
How to make royal icing without egg whites
This vegan royal icing is even easier and cheaper than the kind with egg whites!
Ingredients
So if you haven't already heard of aquafaba, it is simply just the liquid you find in a tin of chickpeas, or other tinned legume. Yep, that water that is normally discarded!
This viscous water is able to trap a lot of air which is the perfect for making meringues, mayonnaise and royal icing.
The only other ingredient needed is powdered sugar. Also known as confectioner's sugar, this is just very very fine sugar that won't weigh down the mixture.
An optional ingredient that I recommend is glycerine. This prevents your icing from drying out and setting too hard.
Instructions
Much like making a meringue, it starts with just the aquafaba (egg white substitute) and getting as much air into it as possible.
Then slowly adding in the sugar, until you get a thick icing.
Flavouring & Colouring
If adding colouring and flavouring, be careful about how much. Preferably use just a tiny amount of paste, where possible.
If you want to add vanilla - opt for vanilla paste or use just ½ tsp at a time, to check the consistency.
Use this royal icing with:
Vegan Shortbread / Sugar Cookies
Leave a comment if you loved this recipe, give a rating and tag #WallflowerKitchen on instagram so I can share your creation on my stories!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Royal Icing
This vegan royal icing uses water from a can of chickpeas in place of egg whites, like magic! This batch makes enough to cover a 20cm cake or ice up to 24 biscuits.
Ingredients
- 135 ml / 41⁄2 fl oz (generous 1⁄2 cup) aquafaba
- 500g/1lb 2oz (4 cups) icing (confectioner’s) sugar, plus extra if needed
- 1 tsp vegetable glycerine, optional
Instructions
1. Put the aquafaba in a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric hand whisk or stand mixer until foamy. Sift in the icing sugar, a little at a time, and continue to mix for about 10 minutes, until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is thick and glossy.
2. Add the glycerine and keep whisking until soft peaks are formed. It should now be a pipeable consistency. If you need to make it thicker, add more sugar.
3. Transfer to a piping bag and use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. You will need to whip the mixture again to loosen it up, before using.
JW says
I made three batches of this over the last week for Christmas cookies and gingerbread houses. It turned out AMAZING! I didn't use the glycerine but I did add a tsp of cream of tartar when I beat the liquid. I was so surprised how it looked exactly like meringue. It was great to work with and held together our houses excellently.
Thanks!
Aimee says
So pleased to hear that! Thanks for the comment, JW :)
Annabel says
Hi there, I dont have an electriv mixer or glycerine. Will it be ok if I just mix by hand with a whisk? And add food colouring? Thank you!
Carla Nelson-Boyce says
Thank you for this! I just made it for a bunch of kids making graham cracker gingerbread houses and it worked perfectly, even for the littlest ones! I did add more icing sugar as suggested to make it extra thick. Also...so excited to find all the uses for Aquafaba. Merry Christmas :)
Aimee says
Glad to hear it worked out well for you! I love making gingerbread houses :)
K walsh says
I put too much egg white on my Xmas cake to grip the royal icing. Will it be ok when cut. Is see it dribbling down all around the bottom on the plate
Aimee says
What do you mean by egg white? Do you mean the aquafaba or additional egg white? This recipe doesn't require eggs and it should be thick and stiffen once applied to the cake. Was the icing very runny and what did you use the egg white for? I will try to help best I can.
Josie Smith says
Hi - I just gave this a try and substituted one spoon of brine for one of freshly squeezed lemon juice. It tastes delicious, much to the chagrin of my waistline :)
I added extra icing sugar to thicken but did not want a peaked finish so I did not whisk it until it peaked and poured it over the Christmas cake. It has a lovely smooth finish which works with my decorations.
Thank you for this recipe :)
Aimee says
So glad you like it!
Beverley Hart says
Will the icing keep on my Xmas cake for a few weeks as we won't eat the whole thing straight away?
Aimee says
Hi Beverley. I've not tested how long it lasts exactly but I would think a couple of weeks would be ok. Just make sure to wrap it really well and keep in an air-tight container.