Making Meringue Powder at Home
Meringue powder is a shelf-stable mixture of dried egg whites, cream of tartar, and a small amount of sugar or cornstarch to prevent clumping. By dehydrating fresh pasteurized egg whites and grinding them into a fine dust, you create a stabilizer that can be reconstituted with water to form stable peaks for royal icing or delicate toppings.
Consistency is your only metric here.
The secret is ensuring the egg whites are completely bone-dry before grinding; any residual moisture will ruin the shelf life of the powder.
- Dehydrator or oven set to lowest temperature
- Silicone baking mats
- High-speed blender or spice grinder
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Airtight glass jar
What goes in.
- 6 largePasteurized egg whites
- 1 tspCream of tartar
- 2 tbspCornstarch
Complete Moisture Removal
Spread the egg white mixture as thin as possible on the silicone mat. The whites should shatter like glass when tapped, not bend or feel tacky, before you move to the grinding stage.
The method.
Prepare the egg whites
Whisk the pasteurized egg whites with the cream of tartar until just combined. Do not whip them into foam.
Spread and dry
Pour the mixture onto silicone mats in a thin, even layer. Place in a dehydrator at 135°F (57°C) or an oven on the lowest setting (door propped open) for 8 to 12 hours.
Check for brittleness
The whites are ready when they peel off in brittle, translucent shards that crack immediately under pressure.
Grind and sift
Add the brittle shards and cornstarch to a spice grinder. Process until a fine, uniform powder forms. Sift through a fine-mesh sieve to catch any unground fragments.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use pasteurized whites for safety, as they are safer for raw consumption.
Store the finished powder in a cool, dark cupboard with a silica gel packet to keep it dry.
If using an oven, place a wooden spoon in the door to allow humidity to escape.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know if the powder is fully dry?
If the shards bend at all when you try to snap them, they need more time. Moisture is the enemy of shelf-stable powders.
How do I use this to make royal icing?
Whisk 2 tablespoons of this powder with 3 tablespoons of warm water until it reaches the consistency of fresh egg whites, then proceed with your icing recipe.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe