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Foolproof Royal Icing Recipe for Perfect Cookie Decorating

Close-up of a sugar cookie topped with thick, multi-toned royal icing recipe frosting in pink, blue, and white.
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Make smooth, professional-quality royal icing that dries hard using this easy recipe with meringue powder. This formula is perfect for flooding and piping sugar cookies.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup warm water (approximately)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the meringue powder and sifted powdered sugar.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and half of the warm water. Start mixing on low speed with an electric mixer until the ingredients are just combined.
  3. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 7 minutes until the icing is very stiff, white, and holds firm peaks. This incorporates air for a strong finish.
  4. Check the consistency. If the icing is too thick for piping or flooding, add the remaining water, one teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition until you reach the desired texture.
  5. To achieve flooding consistency, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water until the icing flows smoothly off the mixer beater and levels out in the bowl within 10 seconds.
  6. To achieve stiff consistency for piping details, use the icing as is or add just a few drops of water if needed.
  7. Separate the icing into bowls for coloring, if desired. Cover all unused icing with a damp cloth or plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent drying.

Notes

  • For a glossy cookie icing finish, avoid over-mixing once the desired consistency is reached.
  • If you do not have meringue powder, you can substitute it with 2 large, fresh egg whites, but the icing will have a shorter shelf life.
  • This icing dries hard, making it ideal for stackable holiday cookie icing projects.
  • If the icing seems too thin for piping, add more sifted powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookincorner.com/royal-icing-recipe-for-perfect-cookie-decorating/