It’s a question I get quite a bit:
Are there any other substitutes for meringue powder besides egg whites? Can you make royal icing with anything besides raw egg whites or meringue powder?
Having experimented with quite a few royal icing recipes has helped me find my favorite, but all my icing experiments either called for meringue powder or egg whites, so I turned to you on Facebook to ask for advice. Thanks for all of the responses! Here is the link to the answers.
I’ve put together a summary of all the information for you below. I haven’t tried these, so would love to hear your feedback if you have! Please feel free to share more info. in the comment section.
When making royal icing, is there a substitute for meringue powder or egg whites?
1. Create an egg white substitute with gelatin and hot water
Creating an egg substitute by dissolving unflavored gelatin in hot water, letting it set, and then using it in place of egg whites, is one option. This was of the first answers on Facebook by Bakes-A-Lot (Thank you!), who shared a link to Yahoo’s Answers, which in turn linked to Wilton.com’s discussion forum. I was unable to find the actual discussion on Wilton’s site, but the recipe and gelatin egg substitute recipe can be found here. (Thanks as well to Maria!).
2. Substitute meringue powder or eggs with dried/dehydrated egg whites
Instead of meringue powder, use dried egg whites. Thanks to Janice Wong for sharing the link to LilaLoa’s recipe. Thanks as well to Pamela, who shared that they’re called Actiwhite in South Africa. Also important to note, another name for powdered egg whites is egg albumin. (Thank you Estefania and Jeni Cakes).
3. Use pastuerized egg whites
Thanks to Tessa for sharing that she uses pastuerized egg whites in a carton for any meringue she needs. She adds a little cream of tartar or lemon juice to stabilize. Tessa, I’d love to hear more about this option. I have tried it before and found that my icing didn’t whip up as nicely. Would love to hear more feedback!
4. Use “No-Egg” Replacement Powder
Biscuit Bupkis has used “No-Egg” replacement powder for vegan biscuits & icing. Thanks for sharing!
5. Omit the binding/stabilizing agent altogether
Marie has made royal icing with just powdered sugar, flavoring and color (and I’m guessing water?). Thanks, Marie for sharing on Facebook. Looking forward to experimenting! Has anyone else tried this? I’m guessing it would work nicely for flood icing, but maybe not for a gingerbread house icing, which needs to be like a thick, sweet edible glue.
Notes:
- If you’re looking for a royal icing recipe with egg whites, here’s the one I use; Royal Icing Made with Egg Whites
- And with meringue powder; Royal Icing Made with Meringue Powder
- Depending on where you live, there may be similar products to meringue powder, with different names. For example, thanks to Casey on Facebook, and Belle of Belleissimo Cookies for sharing that they use a product called Pavlova Magic instead of meringue powder. Belle, who is in Australia and unable to find the meringue powder there, says:
I use a product called Pavlova Magic instead of meringue powder. It’s basically meringue powder, as its designed to make meringues (Pavlovas). I use a straight substitution for the same amount as the recipe calls for… It works great for me as I am in a small(ish) country town without any decorating supply stores and this product I can get at my grocery store.
Hope that helps!
Leave me a comment below, on Facebook, twitter, youtube or instagram, and share your findings about substitutes in royal icing – I love to hear what you’ve learned in your decorating journey.
Have fun baking!
xo,
Marian
p.s. If you’d like to never miss a post, and/or receive more tips on cookie decorating, click on this button below to sign up:
p.s.s.
p.s.s.s. Here are the Halloween cookies I made this year, inspired by American Craft Halloween stickers:
Agos says
Those ghost cookies are super cute!
I’ve made icing with just water and sugar before. It took longer to dry, but as long as you add enough sugar, I think you should be able to achieve a very similar consistency.
They also sell royal icing powder here, but I only tried it once and it tasted weird.
sylvia says
I tend to buy the pasteurized egg whites in a carton when I have recipes that call for multiple egg whites (although where are the corresponding “just yolks” containers?! What if a gal wants to make some lemon curd?!). I’ve never done a side-by-side comparison, and don’t make the recipes in question often enough to be able to comment on whether they are better or worse than regular egg whites, but they do whip up fine and I’ve never had a problem.
Also, as a vegetarian, just a reminder not to give cookies iced with the gelatin recipe to your vegetarian friends! 🙂
Linda says
Hi Marian
I am in Australia and a use a product called Royal Icing and it is made by Queen. It comes in 330g bags and is inexpensive and makes a great icing.
I have also made icing from albumin powder and it worked really well. It is super cheap and I buy it on Ebay.
Linda
Samara says
Thanks for sharing this! Its hard to find egg whites or meringue powder here in Australia – but Pavlova Magic I can get! I may have to give this one a go 🙂
Courtz says
The Bats are so cuuute!!!
Belle says
Thank you so much Marian! Great post 🙂
Belle says
@ Samara:
It really works well 🙂
Holly says
Thanks for this post! I have actually been wanting to experiment with making royal icing without egg whites or meringue powder for a while now but havent had the time to just experiment. My one son has several food allergies, one being eggs, and I feel bad he can not enjoy my cookies like his brother. I also have been trying to find a good cut out sugar cookie recipe that is wheat free and egg free…he is allergic to wheat as well, along with peanuts and tree nuts. So far the ones I have tried did not cook well…they spread sooooo much they were no longer a shape and instead just a very thin crisp. Hopefully one day he will grow out of these allergies but until then I still am on the hunt to find that perfect recipe for him.
Do you know if the above suggestions for egg free royal icings, if they harden up nice like regular royal icing or not due to habing no egg? That is my biggest concern too, that the icing will not dry.
Thanks again for this post!!
Tesei says
Marian, I hardly ever go in FB so never saw your request. But thank you as always for so many useful tips and ideas. I too have tried many different recipes, but recently found out I’m very pleased with the result and taste of your recipe with Meringue Powder. Yesterday I tried the same ingredientes and method using powdered egg whites (which in Spain is sold as “Albúmina en Polvo”) instead and it worked just as well. It hardens beautifully, only maybe too much for my likings, I like the icing to remain slightly soft to the bite. But if you’re a professional (which you are and I’m not), and you’ll need to package and ship your cookies, you might want them to be harder. If so, your own recipe using powdered egg whites in stead of Meringue Powder works wonders! I will definitely stop searching for new recipes and will continue using yours, I truly love the results!!!
Sue @ Cakeballs, cookies and more says
I brought some royal icing mix at mcalls, still have to get to using it though I am not brave enough to make the real thing. I’ll let you know how it goes;p
Marina says
Hi
I always use powdered sugar with some water and food colors when ever I color my cookies. sometimes also some flavoring.It is easy and cheap and the Kids love having there fun 🙂
marian says
Interesting, @ Agos, that the drying time was affected. Thanks for sharing!
Super, thanks @ sylvia! I know what you mean… it would be nice to have the option to buy the yolks! Thanks for your feedback on the pasteurized egg whites and gelatin/vegetarian point too! 🙂
Awesome, @ Linda: Thanks for letting me know. I’ll definitely direct Australian readers here to your comment if they ask. Good to know about the egg albumen powder too!
@ Samara: Good luck and have fun!
Thanks, @ Courtz!
@ Belle: And thank you for sharing the Pavlova info. with us!
I know, there seem to be quite a few people with the same concern as you, @ Holly. My nephew can’t eat eggs either, so I’ll be happy to try these options out. For your second question, I’m not sure yet, so hopefully someone answers that one.
Hi @ Tesei: Thanks so much for your kind comments!
Hey there @ Sue @ Cakeballs, cookies and more, I hope you do try it out! Have fun with it! 🙂 Thanks again for visiting and commenting here… I really do appreciate it!
marian says
Super, good to know, @ Marina! 🙂
Estefania Carrillo says
Last year i discovered royal icing. As i didn’t know a thing about it, i followed a course and we used pasteurized egg whites. This last month i followed an on line one with two wonderful girls that write their own blog “Mensaje en una Galleta” and they teached us how to use powdered albumin. The resulting royal icing doens’t break but is soft at taste.
They have their recipe in this post:
http://www.mensajeenunagalleta.com/web/2011/10/glasa-real-receta-mejorada/
As you can see it’s in Spanish but it’s very easy!!!
Great post Marian!!!
Maria Theresia says
for sure a great post,love all your Halloween cookies!
lots to learn from you and the comments.
ML
Melissa says
Ever since I was little, my mom and I used powdered sugar, milk and a dash of almond extract. I just made some cookies and used it to outline and flood my cookies and it almost works as well as royal acing. It tastes way better, but it takes longer to dry.
marian says
Thank you so much @ Estefania Carrillo for sharing!
I’m learning lots too, @ Maria Theresia. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. 🙂
That sounds delicious, @ Melissa, I need to try it! Thanks for your input!
Kathleen says
Hi Marian,
How did you get your black so black, without dumping a cup of black coloring in it?
niner bakes says
Ohmy Marian, I just love each and every single cookie!!!
Those stickers are awesome btw, bascially you can make anything into a cookie, it is so fun…and with the kopykake projector, it is even easier. Wish I had one.
Thanks so much everyone for all the tips and advice about royal icing. Thats so good to have many suggestions in one place =)
Many blessings sweetheart,
niner
xoxo + <3
Chelsea {Whatcha Makin' Now?} says
I always look looking at your creations. You are so talented! Great tips too; I’ll have to give them a try!
Marian says
Ha ha, @ Kathleen, by dumping alllmost a that much coloring in. Here’s a post on it for you:
https://sweetopia.net/2011/05/how-to-color-royal-icing-black/
Awww, thanks so much, @ niner bakes!! xo
I hope you do, @ Chelsea {Whatcha Makin’ Now?}! 🙂
Kathleen says
@ Marian: Thanks! 🙂
armnima says
Hi Marian..I really adore your cookies <3 I tried to make them for my daughter bday. the cookies were success and taste good, but I have trouble with the royal icings
how to make the royal icings look glossy and smooth?
because mine look rough and dull..I used the same royal icing recipe..
is it because of the sugar? or do I have to mix it longer?
Thank you…
Asli says
You are perfect, i love all of them..
Ruche says
Just wanted to mention that Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a fantastic resource for all things vegan baking (and cooking!) There’s no need to use eggs or any animal products for anything. Ener-g egg replacer, flaxseed meal, apple sauce, banana etc. For most things I just use Ener-g egg replaced as it doesn’t change the texture or color of what you’re making. (Also coconut oil in place of any margarines/butters is a healthy alternative!)
Samantha Lee says
I can’t get enough of these Halloween cookies! They are the best of all the Halloween cookies I have seen this year!
Annette Lathrop says
I only use the pasturised eggwhites that come in the carton. Although I bought a different brand once and it wouldn’t whip up. I can’t remember the name of the one I use…but I willl try to get back to you with it 🙂 I use lemon juice in my icing as well. I don’t really have a recipe I just eyeball it 🙂
Shay @ Whine Less, Breathe More says
Love these! Great colors, great shapes!
Lori says
@ Holly: I bake cookies for my bosses granddaughter who has a severe egg and dairy allergy. For sugar cookies I use the NFSC recipe but use Fleichmanns no salt margarine and one to two ounces of soy milk for the egg. Not quite as good as the real thing but the eight year doesn’t quite have the discerning palette we do. I have never tried wheat flour, sorry, can’t help you there. I make royal icing with powdered sugar and soy milk. This works but takes much longer to harden then regular RI. Plan an extra day (or two) to dry and dark colors will bleed to light colors with annoying regularity so I try to plan cookies that don’t have dark and light color placed together at the same time. i.e. I’ll flood with light color, wait for it to harden, pipe on colored details. I think I’m going to try the gelatin idea to see if that will help.
Moncler Jackets Kids says
I am totally going to try to do this. Such a great event – thanks for hosting!
Liz says
I always use pasteurized egg whites and the icing whips up just fine. Whip the whites until foamy, add in sifted 10x, then an acid (CoT or lemon juice) at the end. Voila!
Ajda says
My favorite icing so far is also using pasteurized egg whites. It is very easy, and pasteurized egg whites are also safe. It is very simple to make and I find it flows better, than other recipes I tried. I beat the egg whites with the whip attachment on very low for 10-15 seconds, because this helps the albumin proteins to unfold (think of them like a ball of spagetti), and then for 30 seconds on medium high, until foamy white.
Change the whip with the paddle attachment on the mixer.
I then sift the powdered sugar on top, and mix everything on the lowest speed, for 10 minutes. After first 5 minutes pass, I add the vanilla extract, and few lemon juice drops. This method gives me a very smooth icing, very stable, and with very very few bubbles.
I never measure any of those ingredients, which makes it very easy! I eyeball it. I add about 1/3 of cup of egg whites, then add about a pound of icing sugar, and while it is mixing on low I keep adding with a 1/3 of a cup measure, slowly, until the icing has the consistency I want. Getting the perfect consistency is also easy, just add more sugar! If by chance it gets way too thick, few drops of lemon juice, or water will fix that. Keep in mind the vanilla extract will also thin it out a little. what I like about this recipe, is that I can make how much or little icing I need, depending on how much egg white I add, and adjusting the rest of the ingredients accordingly.
When we beat egg whites, or whip cream, the proteins unfold as their hydrophobic parts rearrange to avoid water in favor of air or fat. The infolded proteins can then bond to one another to form stabilizing protein films that keep the new forms in the desired shape.
Because proteins have both acidic parts and basic parts, the acidity of the solution they are in changes their behavior. Acids release protons (hydrogen nuclei) and bases accept protons. In an acidic solution, the basic parts of the protein accept protons from the acidic solution and become positively charged. The positive charges repel one another, and the protein molecules are less likely to combine with one another. That’s why adding lemon juice or cream of tartar helps stabilize the icing.
I do prefer adding lemon juice instead of cream of tartar, seems more natural to me, and also love the flavor. If I need my icing much thiner, I keep adding lemon juice, as I love it if the frosting is a bit tart, it is a good flavoring too.
marian says
Hi @ armnima: Here’s a post for you:
https://sweetopia.net/2011/11/gluten-free-coconut-cupcakes-with-coconut-frosting-shiny-royal-icing/
@ Asli, @ Ruche, @ Samantha Lee, @ Annette Lathrop, @ Shay @ Whine Less, Breathe More, @ Lori, @ Moncler Jackets Kids, @ Liz, @ Ajda: Thanks so much for all your comments and input!!
Candice says
@ Holly:
Hi Holly, Candice here from biscuit bupkis, I was the one who suggested using “no-egg” replacement powder. The royal icing does indeed harden up just like normal royal icing, It is much stiffer to pipe than normal royal icing though, so I hope you have great hand/thumb muscles 🙂
marian says
Interesting, thanks, @ Candice!
MzBaker says
These are absolutely Amazing!! I never seen cookies done so well!!
Katherine says
I’ve done it with just water but I find that however think you make the icing, it ‘creeps’ more and you don’t get such a good finish. It also can make the cookies soft although I guess a bake in a very low oven might help to dry things out.
I’m in the UK and just buy Royal Icing Sugar in a box. It’s sugar, dried egg white and anti-caking agent. So fine if you are worried about raw eggs, not so fine if you want no eggs at all.
Missy Spark says
GOD BLESS YOU!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Em says
@ Holly:
Hey Holly,
You can try corn syrup icing – just google it. I’ve never tried it (yet!) Here’s a recipe I found. I saw on different websites that it’s a bit more finicky than RI, but useable:
1 cup powder sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1-3 drops lemon juice (optional)
Marian,
Have you tried this before?
Marian (Sweetopia) says
Thanks @ Katherine, for sharing!
My pleasure, @ Missy Spark!
Hi @ Em: I haven’t tried it, but would like to!
ChefMissy says
@Em … the corn syrup icing is delicious! I prefer it over royal icing, hands down. I got it from one of my chef instructors while I was in pastry school. I do have to say, though, that the colors will bleed into each other. What I do is fill the cookie with corn syrup icing and pipe the details with RI. Best of both worlds!
Chef Chris’s Recipe:
1 pound powdered sugar
3 TBSP corn syrup
3 TBSP milk
1 TBSP almond or vanilla extract or Grand Marnier (really any flavoring)
Mix gently to avoid bubbles. Dries in a few hours.
marian says
Thanks, @ ChefMissy!
Julie says
@ Holly:
Holly, have you tried using the vegan egg powder? I have not tried it for roayal icing, but I have used it for pancakes and cakes for my vegan husband. It is gluten free too. The product I have is called ENERG Egg Replacer. I think I may go try it right now to see how it works.
Good luck!
Julie
Joseph Bell says
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Ada says
@ Samara:
If you live in melbourne you can find white powder egg, there is a wedding cake shop in Niddrie, SUSIE Q Cake 4/372 keilor rd. Niddrie Vic. 3042 (03) 9379 2275
Serena says
Compliments, I’ve never seen cakes like this! I am from Italy and we have no cake design background… we’re just beginning creating cakes that are also good to look at! 🙂
Jolene says
HELP!!! PLEASE!!
I am following the recipe that is using the gelatin instead of meringue powder, but it isn’t very clear on how much of the gelatin to use instead of the powder? It says 1/4 tsp = 1 egg white, but I am used to making it with the powder, not pure egg whites.
I am trying to translate the royal icing recipe and bring it to Mumbai India with me in a couple weeks and need to find ingredients that are available there, no powdered egg whites, but gelatin is, so I desperate to make this work.
Caddie says
Ahh man! Your cookies are the cutest little things out there! I love the little ghost peering through the hole!
Bakes-A-Lot Sue says
Ha ha thanks so much for the mention..although I only delved into what other people had used! Thanks for the post, I know lots of people have egg issues so it’s always worth having information about an alternative x