I love the look of royal iced cookies but the egg free icings I tried before never even came close to it. The Glaze Icing using Liquid Glucose, Butter Cream Icing and The Sugar Glaze are the methods I tried earlier (click on the names for recipes). And my fourth attempt at royal icing this time has given the best results so far. And this time I tried making a video for the same. Today I will demonstrate the making of royal icing and tomorrow I will show you how to use it for decorating the cookies.
I have written about this magic ingredient so many times but still I am awed at how it replaces egg whites. As you know royal icing uses egg whites and icing sugar. As aquafaba or the chickpea water is the perfect substitute of egg whites, it works best in this recipe too. To know more about Aquafaba and the method of making it at home please read my Homemade Aquafaba post. Click on image or the link for recipe.
In my video you will see that I mix aquafaba and icing sugar with a spoon before beating with a hand beater. There is one reason for this. Icing sugar is so fine that even a small disturbance will cause it to rise into a sugar cloud. So if you directly start beating with a beater, I am sure that yourself and your whole kitchen will be covered in white sugar dust. To avoid this I am gently mixing the icing sugar with aquafaba until there are no dry dust remaining. This will help you make royal icing the mess free way. I have also seen some using a kitchen towel to cover the bowl while beating. Whatever method suits you, go on with that. Final result will be the same. This icing can be easily coloured with gel colours. If you prefer to use liquid colours, then you need to add little bit of icing sugar extra to get the firmness. And if you want to use powdered colours, then do not add them directly to the icing. Mix them in a tbs of water, and then add as needed.
Ingredients:
Extra Fine Icing Sugar or Confectioner’s Sugar – 1 cup, sieved
Aquafaba/ Chickpea Brine – 1 1/2 tbs
Vanilla Essence – 1/2 tsp
Procedure:
In a bowl sift icing sugar.
Add aquafaba and vanilla essence.
Mix with a spoon gently until all the ingredients are incorporated.
With a hand beater, beat the mixture for 2 minutes.
The icing will turn smooth, white, glossy and slightly fluffy.
Transfer to an air tight jar and use it when needed.
If making it ahead, store the jar in fridge and bring it back to room temperature before using.
When ever I post an icing/ frosting recipe, the most common query I get is whether this can be made with home made icing sugar or powdered sugar. My only answer is no. When we powder sugar at home, it is not fine and will have some sugar crystals even after two or three times of sieving. So your icing tends to be grainy and will never be smooth as I have shown. Even the small packs of icing sugar you get at departmental stores are grainy and also expensive. The best icing sugar can be got at whole sale bakery stores as one kilogram packs. Ask for extra fine icing sugar and you will surely love the final result.
Egg Free Royal Icing Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Extra Fine Icing Sugar or Confectioner's Sugar - 1 cup sieved
- Aquafaba/ Chickpea Brine - 1 1/2 tbs
- Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
Instructions
Procedure
- In a bowl sift icing sugar.
- Add aquafaba and vanilla essence.
- Mix with a spoon gently until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- With a hand beater, beat the mixture for 2 minutes.
- The icing will turn smooth, white, glossy and slightly fluffy.
- Transfer to an air tight jar and use it when needed.
- If making it ahead, store the jar in fridge and bring it back to room temperature before using.
Hi Gayathri,
Thanks for the recipe….:) I love your blog!
I had a query regarding the eggless royal icing, does it harden like the one made with egg/meringue powder? or is it soft like a glaze icing?
Thank you. It hardens just like the egg based royal icing.
Hi Gayathri
Please can you tell me how to make Veg Fondant , with no gelatine please
Take a look at this. https://gayathriscookspot.com/2015/02/homemade-veg-fondant-recipe-gelatin-free-baking-basics/
Can we use this for cakes?
This consistency cannot be used for cakes, but by adding some more aquafaba, you can use it for cakes..
Thank u dmfr d recipe. Can u pl tell me which brand of colours and vanilla essence u use plz?
I use Bush brand vanilla and wilton gel colours.
how long we can keep the cookies after decorating with this royal icing?
The icing hardens and keeps good for even two weeks. But as for the cookies, they will stay good in room temp for two to three days. You can refrigerate for more than two weeks.
thank u
This was a brilliant recipe. I tried both the sugar cookies as well as the royal icing. Worked like a charm. I am usually very sceptical about eggless recipes, but you proceed me wrong. Thank you!
My only problem is that when I whip the aquafaba, it doesn’t turn white like yours. It remains off white and even a little brownish. Is this because of the vanilla? I used bush brand of vanilla.
Thank you so much Indrani. I think, the essence may be the reason for the colour.
Hi, what substitute can I use for aquafaba. What is aquafaba? And where can I get it?is it veg. Thank you.
Aquafaba is nothing but the water drained after cooking white chickpeas. This recipe works great only with that.
Are the colours used in recipe available at Amazon.
Yes, they are Wilton gel colours..
Hi. This is an amazing recipe! But a query: won’t the cookies get soggy after flooding and applying the icing? Is there a specific thickness for these cookies?
This icing doesn’t stay soft. It hardens immediately and so there is no problem of the cookies going soggy.
Can we use water based colours in the royal icing?
Yes, you can..
Can I use almond essence?
Yes, you can use.
Thank you Gayathri for your EGGLESS ROYAL ICING – I am very allergic to eggs and never took interest in making cakes. It’s now because of you guys and the number of eggless recipes on the net I have started baking eggless cakes and now the icing that makes it complete. Thank you once again for sharing.
Hi Gayatri! Though I am a non veggie, I am an ardent fan of your beautiful decorative cakes. Recently I too have been smitten with cookie decorating but do have the heart to do with egg whites. I look forward to trying out your recipe. Do you have any pointers that I need to follow if wish to make a chocolate icing? Looking forward to hear from you.
Hi Mary, best wishes on your cookie decorating. You can add a tbs of cocoa powder to this recipe, reducing the sugar by the same amount.
Hi! Thanks for this recipe. How can we store left over royal icing and how long does it stay?
You can refrigerate and use it later.
Hi Gayathri, the water thats left from cooking chickpeas is very liquid, but the aquafaba u used in the video is thick. Do we have to cook water itself until it thickens a little?? Please help
The consistency is important. If you feel that the aquafaba is very thin, try reducing it on stove. It will also become thick when it cools down.