Eggless Royal Icing Recipe
Today, we’re diving into the world of royalty—eggless royal icing, that is! Now, I want to be clear: I’m no cookie-decorating expert (not by a long shot!).
But here’s the thing… My daughter absolutely loves decorating cookies! The challenge? Most royal icing recipes—both homemade and store-bought—contain eggs. So, a few years ago, I set out to find a solution. I tweaked a classic recipe to make it egg-free, and it’s been a game-changer ever since!
What Is Royal Icing?
If you are unfamiliar, Royal icing is a thick white icing used to decorate mostly cookies. It dries hard and is very versatile. There are many techniques to work with this icing, depending on the consistency and what you want to achieve.
The Eggless Royal Icing recipe I’m sharing today has a thick consistency, which makes it best for detail work, such as piping borders, drawing decorative shapes, or gluing together a gingerbread house.
Of course, you can thin the icing out with water, depending on how thick you want it.
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Confectioner’s sugar – also known as powdered sugar.
- Water
- Light corn syrup—If you don’t like corn syrup, I offer an alternative recipe that uses aquafaba and cream of tartar instead. The details are in the recipe card below.
- Lemon juice
Process Overview: Step-by-Step Photos
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Mix the confectioner’s sugar and water in a glass bowl until there are no lumps. Note: You can make this icing by hand, but using an electric or stand mixer makes the mixing process a breeze.
- Add light corn syrup and mix until incorporated.
- Stir in lemon juice and mix until incorporated.
- Use the white icing as it is, or divide it into several bowls and add gel food coloring.
Tips & Tricks to Make Eggless Royal Icing
- The consistency of this icing is best for detail work, such as piping border, drawing decorative shapes, or gluing together a gingerbread house. To thin icing for flooding a cookie, add more water, about one teaspoon at a time, stirring slowly. Be careful not to stir vigorously, or you will add air to the icing, and it won’t flood evenly.
- If you need thicker icing, mix in a little more confectioner’s sugar.
- If you need thinner icing, add a few more drops of water.
- The lemon juice helps harden the icing, but you could substitute vanilla extract if you prefer for flavor purposes.
- Keep all utensils completely grease-free.
- To add color, divide royal icing among several small bowls and stir in a few drops of gel paste.
Eggless Royal Icing Flavor Ideas
Feel free to add 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite flavored extracts, such as almond, lemon, coconut, orange, maple, or peppermint.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Royal icing can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can freeze eggless royal icing for up to a month. However, you may find an unpleasant texture change in your icing after frozen, so I recommend using it within the first three days.
Frequently Asked Questions
The biggest difference between regular sugar icing and royal icing is texture: regular sugar icing is creamy and soft; royal icing hardens after it dries.
Royal icing is used to decorate gingerbread houses, sugar cookies, and many other sweet treats.
Royal icing can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can freeze eggless royal icing for up to a month. However, you may find an unpleasant texture change in your icing after being frozen, so I recommend using it within the first three days.
These Eggless Royal Icings are completely dry in about 4-6 hours at room temperature. I always let them dry overnight to be on the safe side. The cookies need to be left out in the open to dry properly. If you’re layering royal icing o
After mixing the ingredients, drag the tip of a butter knife through the surface of your icing. If it takes 8 – 10 seconds to settle flat, you are good. If it’s too thick, add more water (about a teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar. Continue adding more until you reach the consistency you’d like.
This Egg-Free Royal Icing Is Perfect On:
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Recipe Card
Eggless Royal Icing
Ingredients
RECIPE #1
- 2 cups (240 g) confectioner's sugar
- 4 – 5 teaspoons (20 – 25 ml) water
- 4 teaspoons (20 ml) light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon juice
RECIPE #2
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) aquafaba
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 cups (240 g) confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon juice
Important
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Instructions
RECIPE #1
- Mix confectioner's sugar and water in a glass bowl until no lumps. Note: You can make this icing by hand but using an electric mixer or a stand mixer makes the mixing process a breeze.
- Add light corn syrup and mix until incorporated.
- Stir in lemon juice and mix until incorporated. NOTE: Check consistency; after mixing the ingredients together, drag the tip of a butter knife through the surface of your icing. If it takes 8 – 10 seconds to settle flat, you are good. If it’s too thick, add more water (about a teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar. Continue adding more until you reach the consistency you’d like.
- Use the white icing as it is, or divide the icing into several bowls and add gel food coloring. See notes for different consistencies.
- Use immediately, or store in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the icing for up to 3 days. Stir gently with a spatula before using.
RECIPE #2
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the aquafaba and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until it reaches medium peaks, 5 to 8 minutes
- Add confectioner's sugar; mix until well incorporated.
- Add lemon juice and mix to incorporate. NOTE: Check consistency; after mixing the ingredients together, drag the tip of a butter knife through the surface of your icing. If it takes 8 – 10 seconds to settle flat, you are good. If it’s too thick, add more water (about a teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, add a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar. Continue adding more until you reach the consistency you’d like.
IMPORTANT: These Eggless Royal Icings completely dries in about 4-6 hours at room temperature. I always let them dry overnight to be on the safe side. The cookies need to be left out in the open to dry properly. If you’re layering royal icing onto cookies for specific designs and need it to set quickly, place cookies in the refrigerator to help speed it up.
- For Thicker Icing: If you need a thicker icing, mix in a little more confectioner’s sugar.
- For Thinner Icing: If you need thinner icing, add a few more drops of water.
- This icing consistency is best for detail work, such as piping border, drawing decorative shapes, or gluing together a gingerbread house.
- The lemon juice helps harden the icing, but you could substitute vanilla extract if you prefer for flavor purposes.
- Keep all utensils completely grease-free.
- Be careful not to stir vigorously, or you will add air to the icing, and it won’t flood evenly.
- To add color, divide royal icing among several small bowls and stir in a few gel or paste food coloring drops.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Originally posted in December 2017, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in September 2021.
Thank you for this! I made the first recipe and it worked well for a gingerbread house. In case anyone has the same experience I did, when mixing the confectioner’s sugar with the water it never got smooth- it looked like pebbles. I just squeezed the lumps with my fingers to make sure they were moistened and went ahead to add the corn syrup then the lemon and it turned out fine!
Hello Ladi! Hi there! Thank you so much for your feedback—I’m so glad the recipe worked well for your gingerbread house! 🏠🍪 Sometimes those lumps can be stubborn, but it sounds like you handled it perfectly. I’m thrilled it all turned out in the end. Happy decorating, and thank you for sharing your experience!
Hi, can I just omit the corn syrup as we don’t have that in the UK? Thanks.
Hello Gemma! Corn syrup helps give the icing its sticking power and creates a lovely sheen once it dries. While I don’t recommend skipping it, you can omit it if necessary. Just keep in mind that the icing might not set or dry as well without it. If you’re looking for a substitute, liquid glucose is a great option and works similarly in both consistency and sweetness, and it’s commonly available in the UK. I hope this helps—happy baking!
Hello.
The recipe states that it is the lemon juice which causes the icing to harden. You offer flavoring substitutions, using ingredients such as vanilla extract.
However, the flavoring substitutes are HALF the volume of the lemon juice.
Two questions:
Without using lemon juice, will the icing harden?
Why are the other flavorings half the volume of the lemon juice?
Many thanx.
Hello there! The lemon juice in the original recipe serves a dual purpose of flavor and acting as an acidic component, which contributes to the icing’s ability to harden. When you replace it with other flavorings like vanilla extract, the acidic property is diminished, which is why we suggest using half the volume. This adjustment helps maintain the right consistency for the icing to set properly. If you choose not to use lemon juice at all, the icing will harden but it will take more time to set/dry. I recommend experimenting with different flavorings and their quantities to achieve the taste and texture you prefer. It’s always fun to customize recipes to your liking! I hope this helps.
oh come on. my da is highly allergect to lemon and wanted an eggless icing and than i read the reviews and i aparently have to put the lemon in if i want it to hold.[ aaaaaaaaahhhhhh. what could i replace the lemon with?
Hello Molly! you can use water instead.
hello! I am so excited to make an eggless gingerbread house for my daughter, do you have a recipe you recommend? thank you!
Hello Brittany! Yes, I use my egg-free gingerbread cookie recipe > BEST Eggless Gingerbread Cookies If you gonna make a gingerbread house, I recommend baking for 2 – 3 more minutes. Also, when you remove from the oven and allow shapes to cool completely on the baking sheets or on the counter. A flat surface is VERY important for cooling, so the gingerbread house edges won’t curl up. You can make them a few days in advance, cover them tightly and store them at room temperature or in the refrigerator. I hope this helps! Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it … Happy Holidays =)
Love this recipe! Wondering if it can be doubled or even tripled?
Hello Holly! Yes, you can double, triple or quadruple it as you wish. Happy Holidays!
Can you freeze the cookies all decorated with this eggless icing?
Hello J! Yes, you can. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
I really appreciate your recipes and can’t wait to try many of them. I am, in addition to eggs, also allergic to soy and chocolate. Also, I’m diabetic. Is it possible to substitute Spends brown sugar or regular Splenda for at least some of the sugar. I made your egg less cheesecake last weeK, and thus family loved it. I loved it too, but the sweetened condensed milk gave me a diabetic issue I’d not want to repeat. I found a recipe to make a replacement for the Eagle brand, so hopefully next time it will work better for me too.
Hello Patricia! I am so sorry to hear that. Let me know how the sugar-free version turns out. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
Icing with egg is more shining then eggless.
I tried with aquafaba..Will the corn syrup be more shining like egg icing?
Hello Seema! Yes, the corn syrup adds a little shine to the icing. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know!
Hi! I bought your book from Amazon! I love it! I made your German chocolate cake for my husband’s birthday he loved it! We don’t eat meat or eggs but we eat dairy. I am going to make your sugar cookies and royal icing!! Thanks for this wonderful book! It is perfect for our diets!!
Hello Sukhi! Thanks so much for your support =) I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
Hey! Is this okay to store in the refrigerator? How long?
Hello Shelby! I recommend storing it at room temperature for up to 3 days. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)