Old-Time Penny Candy Buttons

While using royal icing, I saw how it peeled off parchment paper just like the candy buttons from the 1950's. This inspired me to give candy buttons a try. As a child it was a good buy for a penny, and quantity was important.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 104 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup water
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 12x16 pieces of parchment paper
• 4 ½ teaspoons meringue powder
• 1 drop pink, yellow, and blue food coloring paste, or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cut 10 strips of parchment paper, 2-inches wide by 16-inches long.

Step 2

Sift confectioner's sugar and meringue powder together in a bowl; beat in water and vanilla extract until smooth.

Step 3

Divide sugar mixture evenly into three bowls; beat in small amounts of different food coloring paste into each bowl until desired color has been achieved.

Step 4

Place a #3 pastry tip into end of pastry bag; fill with one of the tinted sugar mixtures. Pipe buttons about the size of a penny onto parchment strips, 3 rows across. Repeat with remaining tinted sugar mixtures. Dry until buttons are hard, about 8 hours.