Meringue powder makes all the difference when you’re making Christmas cookies. The royal icing effect is second to none, but the only problem is it requires meringue powder, an ingredient that can be hard to find at the store. Learn how to make homemade meringue powder for royal icing with this easy tutorial.
Meringue powder makes all the difference when you’re making Christmas cookies. The royal icing effect is second to none, but the only problem is it requires meringue powder, an ingredient that can be hard to find at the store. Learn how to make homemade meringue powder for royal icing with this easy tutorial.
Why We Love Homemade Meringue Powder
Christmas time is upon us and this year I’m most looking forward to cookie decorating with my daughter. She loves to decorate (and eat) frosting, which makes me more motivated to make it homemade so it’s a bit healthier.
When I am at the store and I see frosting with food coloring or cookies with processed oils and sugars, I’m not too eager to take them home.
If I can turn organic store-bought sugar into a yummy treat at home, I’ll take it.
For meringue cookies, it wasn’t actually the desire to keep things from scratch that drove me to learn how to make my own. Instead, it was the fact that I never had meringue on hand when I needed it, and my local stores didn’t either.
It’s amazing how expensive meringue powder is too, so making it myself and saving money is a much better option!
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Tools Needed to Hand Make Meringue
Stand-up mixer with whisk attachment (or large bowl with hand beaters)
Baking tray with parchment paper
Homemade Meringue Powder Ingredients
4 egg whites at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar or maple syrup
2 tsp lemon juice (you can also use 2 drops of lemon essential oil)
How to Make Meringue Powder for Royal Icing
Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a stand-up mixer with the whisk attachment, add all the ingredients. Mix the ingredients together on high until a thick icing forms, about 10-15 minutes, occasionally wiping the sides of the bowl down with a silicone spatula.
Pour the meringue onto the parchment-lined baking tray, smoothing it out with a silicone spatula until it is under 1/2 inch thick. Bake at 200 degrees F for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The meringue is done when the center is hard to the touch. You want to lightly tap around the entire meringue spread and if any part is still a bit squishy, it needs more time.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Break up the hardened meringue and put it into a food processor. Pulse until a powder forms.
Store in a dry, air-tight container for up to 1 month and use in royal icing (recipe below). PS – giving the extra to friends or relatives is a great gift idea!
Royal Icing with Homemade Meringue Recipe
3 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tbsp room temp water
3 tbsp homemade meringue powder
How to Make Royal Icing with Homemade Meringue
Add the royal icing ingredients into a stand-up mixer with a whisk attachment. Combine on medium speed for 4-6 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally with a spatula, until a consistent icing forms.
Spread on cooled cookies and enjoy.
FAQs:
Can you hand make meringue?
You can hand make meringue by whipping up egg whites, baking them, and processing them into a powder. With just sugar and lemon, homemade meringue powder is incredibly easy to do.
Do you need cream of tartar for meringue?
You do not need cream of tartar for meringue. You can use lemon to add acidity, which helps preserve and keep the structure of the meringue.
Can I use lemon juice instead of cream of tartar?
Yes, I actually prefer lemon juice or lemon essential oil when making homemade meringue.
How do you make meringue icing for cookies?
Meringue icing for cookies is made with meringue powder (egg whites, sugar, and lemon juice), powdered sugar, and water.
More From-Scratch Recipes from the Homestead
Chewy Homemade Gingerbread Cookies
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Homemade Meringue Powder for Royal Icing
Meringue powder makes all the difference when you're making Christmas cookies. The royal icing effect is second to none, but the only problem is it requires meringue powder, an ingredient that can be hard to find at the store. Learn how to make homemade meringue powder for royal icing with this easy tutorial.
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar or maple syrup
- 2 tsp lemon juice (you can also use 2 drops of lemon essential oil)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a stand-up mixer with the whisk attachment, add all the ingredients. Mix the ingredients together on high until a thick icing forms, about 10-15 minutes, occasionally wiping the sides of the bowl down with a silicone spatula.
- Pour the meringue onto the parchment-lined baking tray, smoothing it out with a silicone spatula until it is under 1/2 inch thick. Bake at 200 degrees F for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The meringue is done when the center is hard to the touch. You want to lightly tap around the entire meringue spread and if any part is still a bit squishy, it needs more time.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Break up the hardened meringue and put it into a food processor. Pulse until a powder forms.
- Store in a dry, air-tight container for up to 1 month and use in royal icing (recipe below). PS - giving the extra to friends or relatives is a great gift idea!
Notes
Royal Icing with Homemade Meringue Recipe
3 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tbsp room temp water
3 tbsp homemade meringue powder
How to Make Royal Icing with Homemade Meringue
Add the royal icing ingredients into a stand-up mixer with a whisk attachment. Combine on medium speed for 4-6 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally with a spatula, until a consistent icing forms.
Spread on cooled cookies and enjoy.
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