There are various types of edible glue; such as royal icing, gum paste/water mixture, melted chocoloate, piping gel etc. Which glue you choose depends on each individual project. I would use royal icing to fasten the pieces of a gingerbread house together, for example, as it tends to be a strong adhesive.
My favourite type of sweet glue is made with tylose powder.
I’ve adapted the following tylose glue recipe from Bonnie Gordon’s School of Cake Decorating and Design . (Smaller quantity).
Ingredients/Equipment used to make edible glue:
- 1/4 tsp tylose powder
- 2 Tbs warm water
- paintbrush
- small bowl or container
- fork
Instructions on how to make edible glue:
- Put 1/4 tsp of tylose powder in a small bowl or container.
- Add 2 Tbs of warm water and stir with a fork to break up the Tylose lumps the best you can. (The mixture will look lumpy; this is normal).
- Cover and put it in the fridge overnight.
- When it has set, the glue should have a syrupy consistency. If it’s too thick, add water or too thin, add more tylose powder.
- Use a paintbrush to apply the glue for precision.
When the glue is ready, it will be transparent. It’s for this main reason that I prefer tylose edible glue for most of my projects… It’s much easier to see mistakes with royal icing ‘glue’ than it is with this recipe!
Happy glueing!!
Marian
Haniela says
Thank you for sharing your tips.
KyotoFoodieのPekoPeko says
Edible glue? I hadn’t realized that there is such a thing! This really is a uniquely informative site.
mee says
can i eat the glue
marian says
Giggle, yes, that’s why it’s called edible glue.
Rachel says
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Ariana says
Hi Marian, I was wondering, how long will this glue last for? And does it need to be refrigerated? Thanks!
Lori says
Hi there,
I’m wondering the same. How long will the glue last for? Could I store it in the fridge for my next project?
marian says
Hi Lori, It lasts indefinitely as long as it’s properly sealed and yes you can store it in the fridge for your next project.
Have fun decorating!
Jenny says
Would this glue work on skin or fabric? I am looking for edible glue for a costume.
Thank you.
Marian (Sweetopia) says
@ Jenny: I don’t think it would be strong enough, sorry! =(
Would love to know what your costume is if you care to share. =)
Abby says
Hi Marian I am wondering if you have any glue that you dont have to put it in the fridge overnight? If not do you know of any one or any website that does? THANKS!!!
Marian (Sweetopia) says
@ Abby: Depending on what you need it for, (how strong you need it to be), you could use other substitutes like royal icing (a thick RI is pretty strong), or even a gum paste and water mixture (a little bit of water mixed with gum paste). Good luck!
Erika Medina says
hello! i was looking for this thanks u so much just two questions
how quick it dry? I need glue a lot of snowflakes to a wedding cake,
and can I use tragacanth gum insteand of tylose?
thanks so much
shortstuff says
thanks you so much. this will help me with my school invention.It means a lot to have all the ingredints right there. thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Melanie says
Can you flavor the glue? I’d love to make a gingerbread house with flavored glue to add a little extra taste for the kids!
Steve says
@ Melanie:
Yeah if I eat a bunch of pineapple a couple of hours before, we can make it taste like pineapple. For the kids.
Robyne says
Hi. I’m wanting to make seed balls for my birds (cockateils) as they are so expensive.
Any ideas on an edible glue gor this? Thanks
raleigh says
i loved it and thank you for sharing your recipe.
Angie says
can you use this glue for sticking sweets onto styrofoam balls which will be covered with tissue paper?
JR says
I am making a center pice out of gumballs there about 1/2 in round. Is this glue strong enough to hold a lot of them.
marian says
Would honey work @ Robyne?
Thanks, @ raleigh.
@ Angie, @ JR: I don’t think it’s strong enough, sorry.
URANIA says
HI MARIAN,LOVE YOUR WORK.WOULD THIS EDIBLE GLUE BE SUITALE TO STICK SUGARPASTE TO COOKIES.THANK YOU
URANIA says
URANIA wrote:
@ URANIA:
Marian (Sweetopia) says
Hi @ URANIA: I like this edible glue for delicate work, but I now actually really just simply using royal icing to stick sugarpaste to cookies. Have fun decorating!
carissa says
I need to glue gumpaste roses to a wedding cake but I cant do it till I get where i am dropping it off. will the tylose glue dry fast enough and how good will it hold the weight of the roses?
Marian (Sweetopia) says
I would try a really thick royal icing, or use floral wire attached to your rose to insert into the cake. They would have to be removed before serving, of course. Hope that helps!
owen says
i have invented a recipe that i call deli meat sushi and basically its sushi with rice and everything and chicken in the middle but instead of it being rolled in sea weed its rolled in deli meat. unfortunately sometime they fall apart because, does this glue have a taste because if its sweet it wont work with this i need something sticky that has no taste…
marian says
Sorry for the delay owen – have you tried it yet?
lorraine johnston says
Hello Marion. I want to make a jelly sweet tree, I have already made marshmallows, chocolate etc but am stumped at how to stick on jelly sweets. I really do not want to use cocktail sticks, I think they are so dangerous. Any ideas?
marian says
Hi Lorraine, I think royal icing would be a stronger bond for that. Let me know how it goes!
keziah says
hi
i was wondering if edible glue would work to stick marshmallows on to fabric??
marian says
Hi keziah, I don’t think it would be strong enough, but, I’m not sure on that one, sorry!
Adriana says
Hey Marian, I was wondering if you can tell me where to purchase this Tylose powder, I was wondering if I can get it at Michaels Arts and Craft store? If not, where else would I find it? Thank You =)
marian says
Hi Adriana,
Under the ingredients list, you will see the word tylose in pink. That’s a link to where I buy it on amazon.
cian says
hi marian, what would be the best edible food glue to use for glueing lettuce leaves together? the glue would need to be tasteless and clear in colour….thanks so much for any help you can give me!!! ;-)))
marian says
Hi Cian,
I’ve never tried it but I think this glue should work.
gaby says
hi!!! I’m trying to do elmo and cookie monster marshmallow pops but im having trouble with gluing arms and legs what kind of strong glue can I use for this? and is melted chocolate one of them?
marian says
Hi Gaby,
Yes, I think people use melted chocolate quite a bit. I haven’t made many of them, so maybe you’d like to chat with Niner Bakes, who makes them a lot.
http://www.ninerbakes.com/
heila says
hi , i am making cone clowns, and need to stick the smarties en jellytots on the cones, asw ell as the biscuit and marshmaoolows, you are talking about icing. how much icing and how much water do i use to make this kind of glue?
Briana says
Hi!
I’m setting up a “Guess how many Jellybeans are in this container” type contest and I wanted to “glue” a little design (outline of a cat) on the inside of the container. I would then pack the remaining Jellybeans in the rest of the container space.
Would this glue be able to hold the Jellybeans to the plastic – at least until the other Jellybeans are added? (which will help support the design).
I was thinking about using royal icing, but I was looking for something more translucent.
Thanks!
Sandra Starkey says
Wear can I get the tylose powder
Miss Walsh says
Does shop bought edible glue stick to hard melted chocolate and also Haribo sweets? Makin a sweet tree & need advice! Thankyou!
Paul says
Hello Marian…Will this stick to coffee filters so i can make my own pre made filter pack with coffee in them to just pop them into the coffee maker in the morning to save time…Thank you…!
marian says
Hi Paul,
It might make the coffee filters a bit wet where you try to use the edible glue as the filters are so delicate… I’m not sure it would work, sorry!
Donna says
Hi I am making a cake which is sweet themed as in harribo ang jellies etc what would u suggest using to stick sweets to icing, I was thinking glue, would it be strong enough ?
Thanks Donna
Claire says
hi
I’ve made some chocolate lollipops from a mould but wanted to decorate with sprinkles etc – would this work as glue to stick them?
Thanks
Linda Billingsley says
Can this be used for wiring fondant grapes?thank you linda
paige says
hi im guna make a cake with teddy figurines what glue do i use to make figurines together
thanks
Aabiha siraj says
can’t we make it without tylose powder
Lorraine says
Hello will edible glue stick flowers made from icing ontoo the sides of a wedding cake.
Jenna says
Hi
Can I use it to stick jellybeans on a plastic ball?
christina says
Would edible glue work on pretzels
Annie says
How long will the glue be good for ? Also can it be stored at room temp or must it be refrigirated ?
Thx
Pamela says
Can tylose glue be used to glue sugar and chocolate ornaments to buttercream icing as well as fondant