Tested Vegan Royal Icing Recipe with Aquafaba
This Vegan Royal Icing is completely egg-free, easy to make, and wonderful for decorating cookies. Made with aquafaba, it pipes, floods, and dries similarly to traditional royal icing, creating a smooth finish on cookies. In this post, I also share a few fun science bits explaining how humble bean water transforms into decorating icing. Ready to see bean water work its magic? Let’s spill the beans.
Featured Comment ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- “This was the best recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. My daughter (who is recently vegan dairy-free) and I made this recipe this Christmas and had a great time. The tips were so helpful, and the cookies tasted fabulous! Who knew you could use chickpea brine? Brilliant! Thank you so so much!! Love following all of your creative ideas and recipes!! ” Lynne
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Sets like traditional royal icing – Icing made with bean water hardens just like traditional royal icing. It dries shiny and can be beautifully colored with gel food coloring. Once dry, cookies are packaged, stacked, or frozen for later
- No eggs required – this recipe is great for those who are allergic to egg whites or are following a vegan lifestyle.
- This royal icing is made without eggs! Instead, it relies on the magic of Aquafaba, which mimics many of the whipping qualities of egg whites, making it a wonderful vegan alternative to royal icing.
- Once whipped, it forms a stable foam that, when combined with powdered sugar, produces a glossy icing remarkably similar to traditional royal icing.
- Honestly, it still baffles me that something as humble as ‘bean water’ can be whipped up into such a beautiful decorating icing.
- Canned chickpea brine – No need to make your own aquafaba. Based on this study, brine from commercially processed beans has a higher protein concentration and therefore a more reliable foaming ability than homemade versions.
- No bean taste – I hear this all the time – “Will it taste like beans”? Despite using chickpea brine, the icing does not taste like beans. I use vanilla, almond, and lemon extracts to help round out the sweetness while completely masking any trace of chickpea flavor.
- Works for piping, flooding, and transfers – I’ve used this icing for outlining, flooding cookies – Vegan Shamrock Cookies, and making decorative royal icing transfers.
- Make-ahead-friendly – The icing keeps well in the refrigerator for several days and freezes beautifully for future decorating projects. If you’d like detailed tips on how to freeze, thaw, and use frozen royal icing, I share the full process in my dedicated post about freezing royal icing.
EGGLESS ROYAL ICING FACTS
- Vegan royal icing is slightly sweeter and a bit less flexible than traditional egg-white royal icing. It’s made with bean water, cream of tartar, powdered sugar, and flavorings.
- I like to use several drops of white food coloring per batch to make it more opaque. It helps to brighten and accept the coloring better.
- Plant proteins and polysaccharides naturally present in bean water can cause aquafaba royal icing to crust a little faster than traditional egg-white icing. To help slow this down and give you more time to work while decorating, you can add a small amount of corn syrup – about 1 tablespoon per batch does the trick.
CHICKPEAS BRINE/AQUAFABA
Did you know that Aquafaba’s remarkable whipping ability was discovered in 2014? And ever since, it has become a global sensation in the culinary world of vegan recipes. But what exactly is aquafaba? It’s a viscous legume brine (‘bean water’) produced during pressure cooking. What is fascinating is that once whipped, it behaves much like egg whites, forming a fluffy white foam that traps air and creates structure. The foaming secret lies in the naturally occurring proteins released from the chickpeas during processing.
Does the brand of canned chickpeas matter?
Yes, it does. Different brands use slightly different canning processes, and that can affect the quality of the aquafaba, especially its protein content and foaming ability. Research also shows that added salt in the cooking process plays an important role. It can reduce viscosity and weaken foam stability, which may impact how well the aquafaba whips and holds structure. Aquafaba with higher viscosity whips better. So what should you look for? Look for consistency similar to egg whites. If your bean water is too watery, simmer it for 10 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened. Let it cool completely and use it in the recipe.
Strain the aquafaba
Make sure to drain the chickpea brine through a fine mesh sieve. Just in case there are some bean bits in the aquafaba. You don’t want those in your icing.
CREAM OF TARTAR
To help stabilize the foam, I use cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate). Aquafaba naturally sits around a neutral pH of 6, and cream of tartar lowers the pH slightly, helping the proteins form a more stable structure that holds air better and whips into a glossy foam much like meringue.
FLAVOR ICING
To flavor icing, I like to add the holy trinity of extracts: vanilla, lemon, and almond. I know it seems like an odd combination of flavors, but it really works. Of course, nothing is set in stone and you can experiment with other flavors. However, I’d recommend sticking with Vanilla Extract. You can then add other flavors of your choice, but avoid oil-based flavorings; use either alcohol-based extracts or water-based bakery emulsions.
COLOR ICING
I use gel food colors to color royal icing. Check with the manufacturer if you have further questions about the contents of the gel food colorings you are using.
SUCCESS TIPS & FAQ
- can you taste the bean flavor in vegan icing?
- why isn’t my aquafaba whipping?
- how long do cookies decorated with vegan icing last?
- why is my vegan icing translucent?
- why is it crusting so quickly?
- does it dry matte or shiny?
Can you taste the bean flavor in vegan icing?
No. I haven’t noticed the bean taste.
Why isn’t my aquafaba whipping?
This issue is usually caused by weak aquafaba, a bowl with traces of grease, or skipping a stabilizer like cream of tartar. If the bean water seems too thin, you can gently simmer it for about 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate it, which often improves its whipping ability. For the most consistent results, I recommend sticking with canned chickpeas, as their brine tends to be more stable and reliable for whipping.
How long do cookies decorated with vegan icing last?
Decorated vegan cut-out cookies generally keep well for about 10–14 days, though I find they tend to dry out slightly over time and become a bit crunchier as they sit. I had a batch of decorated vegan cookies last up to three weeks- they were still pleasantly crisp and enjoyable. To help keep them softer for longer, you can also add a touch of invert sugar to cookie dough, which helps retain moisture and slows down drying.
Why is my vegan icing translucent?
This usually happens when the icing hasn’t been mixed thoroughly or when the liquid-to-powdered sugar ratio is a little off. To fix it, adjust the consistency as needed and mix until smooth. If the icing looks too translucent, a few drops of white food coloring can also help make it more opaque and give it a more polished finish.
Why is it crusting so quickly?
Vegan icing tends to crust a little faster than traditional royal icing because the plant proteins and polysaccharides in the bean water encourage quicker drying. To slow this down and give yourself more decorating time, you can add about 1 tablespoon of corn syrup to the icing. It also helps to avoid decorating in a drafty room or under a running fan, since airflow and warmer ambient temperatures can speed up the drying process.
Does it dry matte or shiny?
Icing dries hard with a subtle sheen.
Vegan Royal Icing
Ingredients
Vegan Royal Icing
- 6 tbsp strained canned chickpeas brine 90ml
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar 480-600 grams
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- 3 drops white food coloring
Instructions
Vegan Royal Icing
- Open a can of store-bought chickpeas, drain and strain the brine through a fine- mesh sieve.
- Measure chickpea brine (6 tablespoons, 90 milliliters) into a bowl of your stand mixer. Add cream of tartar (1/2teaspoon). Beat with a wire beater until the mixture is foamy. Add all powdered sugar (4-5 cups, 480-600 grams) and continue beating on low speed until thick.Beat in Vanilla Extract (1/2tsp), Lemon Extract (1/2tsp), and white food coloring (3drops). Beat until thick, 5-8 minutes.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container, covered with plastic wrap, and sealed with a lid in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before using.Thin the icing with room temperature water to the desired consistency for decorating.
Color Vegan Royal Icing
- Vegan royal icing can be colored with gel food colors.
Video
Notes
- Can I use homemade chickpea brine? – For the best results, use brine from drained store-bought chickpeas. It isn’t easy to control the concentration of homemade chickpea brine.
- My icing is not drying; what happened? I see this happen when too much food coloring is added. As with all royal icing recipes, adding too much food coloring can result in excessive drying times. Allow icing to dry overnight.
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Hi, I’m Hani
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting Haniela’s. On my blog, you’ll find delicious sweet & savory recipes made with simple ingredients. Why not start a new adventure? Discover a world of cookie decorating with my step-by-step tutorials.
Hi, I’m Hani
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting Haniela’s. On my blog, you’ll find delicious sweet & savory recipes made with simple ingredients. Why not start a new adventure? Discover a world of cookie decorating with my step-by-step tutorials.
Worked out great! I did a marble effect on Christmas cookies: used anise and vanilla extracts. I also used aquafaba from my Rancho Gordo chickpeas, and it turned out perfectly. So happy to find a vegan option. It’s also great when you’ve forgotten to buy eggs/egg whites!
Hi Carrie,
that is fantastic.
Merry Christmas!
Hi Hanielas
I am baffled I’ve been making the aquafaba icing but can’t overcome the bleeding of colour I’ve tried letting the base dry overnight and just allowing to crust. I am especially struggling with black and red colour. I don’t know what to do. Please help
Hi Marx,
have you tried using white gel color? What kind of food colors are you using?
Hi Marx,
have you tried adding white gel color? What kind of food colors are you using?
Do you let colored icing rest/mature?
Is it very humid where you are?
Why is the amount of powdered sugar vague? Should it be 4 or 5 cups?
Hi Jocelyn,
If you need to make it a bit stiffer you can add more powdered sugar.
Hi Hanni again! Uhm I was so sure that somewhere in ur page, saw that the vegan royal icing can be stored in the freezer, right? If it’s like that… uhm, in what way u put in in a container, how long lasts? All the tips, because I’m gonna travel soon, but not for so long & I want my icing to be ready to use when I’m back…
Please help ♡
Thanks :)!
Hi Charlotte,
yes, you can store it in the freezer. Let it come to room temperature and check the consistency, if needed add a little powdered sugar to
restore the stiff consistency.
Excuse the language but what mfing sorcery is this!? Fabulous! Thank you for sharing Haniela 💗
Hi Gigi, thank you. I’m glad you like it.:-)♥
Hey, thanks for this!
So far I’ve tried making royal icing using aquafaba, egg replacer powder, I’ve tried adding lemon juice or cream of tartar and whatever else I can find- but it’s taking upwards of four days to dry. It crusts very quickly, but then just stays gooey under the surface…. What am I doing wrong?! I’m following very well known recipes, not eyeballing it.
Hi G,
Where do you source aquafaba? Do you make it yourself or strain it from the canned chickpeas?
Also, please make sure the tools and mixer are grease free. I usually have an opposite problem, where it’s crusting and drying quite fast.
Have you tried working with a vegan royal icing mix to see if you experience the same problem? It’s hard to figure out what could be causing this without
seeing you make it.