Vegan Royal Icing

Here is the perfect standard vegan royal icing recipe with an Aquafaba base.
This is my go-to Vegan Royal Icing recipe I use when making frosted sugar cookies, gingerbread cookie decorating, and even making gingerbread houses or gingerbread constructions of any kind.
How to Make Vegan Royal Icing
Traditional royal icing is a mix of whipped, raw egg white (or powdered egg white) and powdered sugar. Making the icing with raw egg white always creeps me out! I think everyone should make royal icing the vegan way so that no one consumes the yucky raw egg anymore.
Vegan Royal Icing is made by whipping the liquid from a can of beans, canned chickpeas being the best option, and then mixing in powdered sugar and vanilla. Plus any coloring you’d prefer.
How long to Whip the Aquafaba
I prefer to whip the aquafaba to soft peaks, so that the aquafaba is foamy and white. Once it achieves gets to soft peaks, then I add the powdered sugar. You can make a more liquid mix by adding less powdered sugar, or a thicker mix by adding more powdered sugar.
Vegan Royal Icing will dry to the consistency you’d expect from royal icing. It will harden perfectly for decorated cookies, and it will allow any gingerbread constructions to stand strong.

Vegan Royal Icing
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Aquafaba liquid from 1 can of chickpea/garbanzo beans
- 1 lb Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Plant Milk as needed to thin if desired
- Food Coloring optional
Instructions
- Pour the aquafaba in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Using the balloon whisk, whisk on medium speed until the aquafaba is frothy or foamy.
- Turn off the mixer and add a cup of powdered sugar and the vanilla extract
- Turn the mixer back on to low and add in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Depending on how you want to use the icing, add more powdered sugar for a thicker, more robust icing for gingerbread house construction. Or thinner, incorporating plant milk 1 tablespoon at a time, for a flooding icing for decorating cookies.
- To add colors, separate the icing in separate bowls and add desired food coloring and stir well to combine.
- Place icings in a piping bag or squeeze bottle.
- Store in an air tight container for up to 1 week, ensuring no air is reaching the icing and will dry it out before you're able to use it to decorate.
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