Last Updated: May 10, 2023 @ 11:15 am.

What is the best meringue powder? And why would you want to use it? We tried out meringue powder from 8 brands to find the best bets—we made swiss meringue buttercream icing and then did a blind taste-test. Which made the best royal icing? Sugar decorations? Which is vegan-friendly? Here are the meringue powders we thought tasted best.

FYI: We've been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. To keep things independent, we don't take money or freebies from brands we review! Our work is 100% reader-supported!


Best Meringue Powder: Advice & Tips

Used instead of eggs, meringue powder is an essential ingredient for making royal icing, sugar skulls (think dia de los Muertos), meringue buttercream and yes, meringue.

Take the process of making meringue buttercream icing. Without the powder, you’d have to whip egg whites and then gradually add a hot sugar mixture . . . so you don’t cook the eggs. Then you must add in room-temperature butter.

With meringue powder, you avoid all that fuss.

There are also vegan-friendly versions of meringue powder, for those wanted to avoid eggs (made from chickpeas).

Here is some advice and tips for working with meringue powder:

• Shelf stable. Most meringue powder is shelf stable, so it can be stored in a cool dry place for months before you need it.

• Add a bit of extra meringue powder to your recipe if you live in a humid climate. The extra moisture content in the air makes this a necessary step.

• Don’t overmix. Use the lowest speed on your mixer (when making royal icing). You don’t want too much air in the mixture.

After trying out several brands in batches of meringue buttercream icing, we think these are the best bets.

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Best Tried & True Brand

Made in the USA
Easy to use, this brand scored at the top of our taste tests. Works great for royal icing. A few dissenters didn't like all the extra ingredients (silicon dioxide?) and artificial flavoring.
$20.19 ($1.26 / Ounce)

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Best Budget-Friendly

Gluten free
We loved the clear directions and overall taste of this powder—at a price that doesn't break the bank. Made in the USA, this powder is Kosher and made in a facility that doesn't process nuts.
$14.99 ($1.31 / Ounce)

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Best Vegan-Friendly

Instead of egg whites, this meringue powder is made from aquafaba (chickpeas). And we thought the taste was quite good. It worked well in royal icing, although it is a bit pricey.
$13.79 ($2.30 / Ounce)

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Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!

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