Royal Icing Recipe
Royal Icing Recipe
Servings
3-4 cups
Prep Time
10 minutes
Bake Time
0 hours
This is a classic royal icing made with meringue powder. It’s easy to work with, sets quickly, and dries firm while staying soft inside. The vanilla base tastes great, and it’s perfect for both flooding and outlining your sugar cookies. We hope you have as much fun making this as we do!
Ingredients
- 455 g (1 lb / 3¾ cups) powdered sugar, sifted, plus more as needed
- 20 g (2 Tbsp) meringue powder
- 90 ml (6 Tbsp) warm water, plus more as needed
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
-
1½ tsp clear or regular vanilla extract (alcohol or water-based only)
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20 g (2 Tbsp) light corn syrup (optional, for a softer finish)
-
½ tsp white gel food coloring (optional, helps prevent color bleeding)
-
Optional flavors: ½ tsp flavored extract or emulsion like lemon, orange, maple, peppermint, almond, etc. (alcohol or water-based only)
- Gel food coloring, as needed
Royal Icing
Base for Icing
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), combine the meringue powder, cream of tartar, and water.
- Mix on low speed until fully dissolved and frothy, about 30–60 seconds.
- Add the powdered sugar, corn syrup (if using), extracts, and white gel food coloring.
- Mix on low speed until fully moistened and no dry pockets remain, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Increase speed to medium-high and beat just until the icing is thick, bright white, and forms medium peaks that hold their shape, about 2–3 minutes.
- Check consistency by lifting the paddle: the peak should hold and gently bend over at the tip.
- If the icing is too stiff or dull, add water 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing on low between additions until smooth and slightly elastic. If too soft, mix on low for 1–2 minutes more. Avoid overmixing, which can introduce excess air and cause dull or overly hard icing once dry.
- For outlining or flooding, divide icing into small bowls. Mix in gel colors first, then thin with water ¼ teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Stir gently with a rubber spatula to minimize air bubbles.
- Transfer to piping bags and keep sealed when not in use. Cover leftover icing tightly with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel to prevent crusting.
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Notes
- Yield: About 3-4 cups (roughly 700–850 g).
- Storage: Store at room temperature for several hours, tightly covered with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface, in a sealed piping bag, or with a damp paper towel covering the bowl. Refrigerate for up to 7 days in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2–3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and briefly rewhip before using.
- Decoration: This icing goes great with our classic sugar cookies!
- Mixer: A stand or hand mixer is best; a whisk by hand won’t work well for royal icing.
- Using Egg Whites: If you cannot find meringue powder or prefer raw egg whites, replace both the water and meringue powder with 3 large pasteurized egg whites so it’s safe to eat (see note below). Ensure all bowls and utensils are grease-free, or the icing may not reach medium peaks.
- Eatability: Royal icing made with meringue powder is safe to eat. If using raw egg whites, use pasteurized eggs only which are treated. Do not use fresh egg whites.
- How to Thicken: If your icing becomes too thin, fold in additional thick icing that hasn’t been thinned to restore stiffness or mix in small amounts of sifted powdered sugar, as needed.