This dairy free icing is perfect for cookies, gingerbread houses, cakes, and so much more. Super fast to make, dries hard, and uses no corn syrup, egg whites or meringue powder so it’s completely vegan.
When you are looking for make dairy free sugar cookies, you need a topping to go onto the base. Some people choose to use vanilla frosting, while others want a more traditional royal icing that hardens, allows for more decorating creativity, and can be stacked.
Alternatively, it’s perfect for adhering pieces to a gingerbread house. Both the housing pieces and the candy that you decorating with are easily adhered with this dairy free icing recipes.
For detailed pieces or drips on cakes, this dairy free icing would be absolutely perfect as well. You are able to customize in so many ways.
A traditional royal icing recipe uses powdered sugar and either egg whites or meringue powder. Some recipes call for corn syrup, vanilla extract and may or may not call for water.
This vegan icing recipe is:
- dairy free
- egg free
- corn free
- can be made nut free
What Ingredients do you need for a Vegan, Dairy Free Icing recipe?
For this dairy free icing recipe, we wanted to ensure that it was vegan. This recipe can also be made to be a Top 8 Allergen Free icing free. In order to do that, the ingredients for this dairy free icing are:
- aquafaba
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- almond extract
- water (optional)
*If you are allergic to nuts, you can just use full amount as vanilla extract only.
What is Aquafaba?
Aquafaba is a recently new discovery. Only within the last 5 years have people started using aquafaba. So what is it exactly? Aquafaba is the cooking liquid from certain beans or legumes, such as white beans and chickpeas that has been whipped to resemble egg whites.
The easiest way to get aquafaba is to use the juice from a can of chickpeas. You could also make it yourself by making a pot of dried garbanzo beans and then after cooking the beans, continue cooking until liquid is reduced in half. Cooking the later way isn’t as easy because you have to make sure the consistency is the same as it would be from a can.
Contrary to what you may be thinking, it actually has a very neutral taste and, when whipped, goes from tannish in color to completely white.
How do you make a Dairy Free Icing recipe?
The first thing that you’re going to do is whipped your aquafaba. Then, add in the powdered sugar and extracts. It’s literally that simple to make this vegan royal icing recipe.
There are some tips though that will help make it easier for you. Aquafaba will whip faster in a smaller bowl versus a larger bowl where it is spread out more. It typically takes 5-7 minutes to whip completely to get the peaks you’d traditionally see with egg whites.
After you have whipped the aquafaba to make your dairy free icing, you then add in all the powdered sugar and both extracts. This will make a thick whipped icing. If you are making a cake, then you could icing right away. If you are decorating cookies or intricate details on a cake, you’ll want to thin it out with one tablespoon of water at a time, but no more than 3 tablespoons of water for this vegan icing recipe.
How can I dye my dairy free icing recipe?
If you are looking for colorful dairy free royal icing, then you can do it at this point. You’ll want to separate the vegan icing into smaller containers and then add the dye of your choice until you reach the color that you want.
The most easily available way to dye royal icing is to use Gel Food Colors. Gel food dye will not change the consistency of the icing like a liquid food dye would so it’s best for this dairy free icing recipe.
If you are looking for a dye free icing route in which to dye your royal icing you can look for Watkins dye free food coloring without artificial colorings.
How to naturally dye vegan icing?
If you are looking for an even more natural route to dye dairy free icing, then there are a few more options for you.
- One of our favorite ways to naturally dye icing is to use Color Kitchen. They are natural food dyes that are ready to go. Each dye powder packet is non-gmo, plant based, and gluten free.
- Another option is to buy freeze-dried fruits or vegetables and then process them in a food processor or spice grinder until a fine powder is formed. Then, add the powder to the dairy free icing. You could also just purchased fruit powders for some. This option is great because you can get a variety of colors like dried strawberries for a red/pink color, Acai or Blueberry for a purpleish color or Mango for a yellowish tint.
- Another popular option is using spirulina powder. Spirulina is a superfood made from algae but don’t worry it won’t affect the taste. Spirulina is available in green or blue powders.
What can I use this dairy free icing on?
Now that you’ve made your vegan royal icing recipe, you may be wondering what to do with it.
One of our favorite ways to use it is to decorate dairy free sugar cookies. You can use cookie cutters for any time of the year and the decorate them beautifully with this dairy free icing.
You can also use this vegan icing recipe to decorate a triple layer dairy free chocolate cake or dairy free vanilla cake.
Dairy Free Icing
Ingredients
- 3 oz aquafaba
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract*
- water (optional: see notes)
Instructions
- In a bowl, whip the aquafaba until peaks form, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add in the powdered sugar and extracts and beat to combine together.
- Add water 1 tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached, but no more than 3 tablespoons. See tips in post above for consistency.
- If color is desired, separate into bowls and add dye. Stir to combine.
Notes
*If you are corn free, ensure you get a corn free powdered sugar like the one we linked.
Ruby
Just made this! Super easy to make and yummy. Thank you!
LarishaBernard
So happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for leaving a review!