This article was co-authored by Lois Wade, a trusted member of wikiHow's community. The main trick is to get the right consistency. Beautiful royal icing roses look great in different colors and sizes. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. Use this tutorial on how to make royal icing recipe for piping and decorating sugar cookies. Last Updated: November 17, 2020 We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Besides my royal icing being super easy to make, it’s a flexible recipe that can be altered to fit either cookies OR cakes. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. It hardens when it dries, giving the cookies a smooth appearance and creating a base for adding details. ", "Tried and true! ¼ Cup Meringue Powder. How to Make Royal Icing. And here's what you'll need to do: Measure out and sift the sugar into a large bowl, and prepare the lemon juice. This ratio of egg white-to-powdered sugar, when whipped to perfection, transforms into a light, fluffy, and very sturdy icing. Pour the egg white into a large mixing bowl then add in 4 cups (500 grams) of powdered sugar. It’s something that gets easier to judge the more times you make and work with it. This icing is great for decorating your sugar cookies with it's super easy to make it's really easy to work with which is why I love it so much um it's great for making details on your cookies, but you can also thin it out to flood your cookies and make one in surface with it. Tips and Tricks . With stiffer royal icing, opt for larger piping tips to relieve the pressure on the piping bag. Full disclosure, we don’t use Royal Icing too much. In a pinch, a little bit of old-fashioned hard work will work as well, although you'll be getting a considerable workout. Royal icing is both dairy free and gluten free, so it’s fine for anyone who is sensitive to these ingredients. This isn't astrophysics. I make royal icing with egg whites (pasteurized) since meringue powder and dried egg white powder is not very common here in Denmark. but I got this lovely review that I can still make an eggless royal icing and it worked perfectly. Royal icing is a sugar-based compound used to decorate desserts. Icing comes in many different forms, and royal icing is just one specific type of icing. It’s something that gets easier to judge the more times you make and work with it. *Thank you Rodelle for sponsoring today’s post so that I can share this tutorial on how to make royal icing recipe for cookies. A good, royal icing needs only three ingredients: confectioners' sugar, warm water, and, all importantly, meringue powder (via Wilton).All you'll need to do is beat the three together — about four cups of sugar, five tablespoons of warm water, and … Even better? 1 Teaspoon of any food flavor that you like (you may choose to leave out flavoring completely) The recipe for Royal Icing. For a long time, I have loved the look of those sugar cut out cookies, decorated with the pretty colorful icing designs (that I have since found out are made with Royal Icing). Royal icing is a popular decoration for cookies. It’s generally used to write and draw on cakes and cookies with the help of a very thin-tipped sac à poche.. I've never used glycerine, I think that's just for shine. If it seems too thick, add a little more corn syrup. Medium consistency for icing outlining: Add ⅛ teaspoons of water for every cup of stiff icing. Here are my tips on how to make black royal icing. Lemon juice is used to make your loyal icing shine better, but you can use vinegar as a substitute instead if you do not have lemon juice. For edible construction projects like gingerbread houses, a thicker, more peanut-buttery consistency will provide extra stability. How To Make A Small Batch Of Black Royal Icing. 2 Spoon 1/2 cup icing into small decorating bag fitted with small round writing tip; twist bag to keep closed. How to make royal icing: This recipe is just as great for piped outlining as it is for filling the outline. It's easy and rewarding, and once set on your cake it will keep for a month. Turns out, I just wasn't making my royal icing thick enough! Add the glucose and lemon juice. 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) of extract (vanilla, lemon, almond). You can use royal icing to make a beautiful gingerbread house, too. Thanks to the visual aid, too. This article has been viewed 790,453 times. Yes, essentially. If you are decorating the outside of a cake with royal icing, you may not want it to set rock-hard but just set firm. You can always snip more away as you go. Making black royal icing (or any dark color) can be such a pain! It will dry rock-hard and provide very good adhesion between porous cookie surfaces. Do not refrigerate products with hardened royal icing, as the icing can become soft and … Royal icing dries into a hard, candy-like coating that crunches when you bite into it. What is the best icing for a sponge cake? Beat the sugar and egg white together with an electric mixer on low speed Beat Ingredients: beat all the ingredients using a handheld mixer or an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. It has a thinner consistency, similar to school glue, that’s more fluid to spread across the surface. Which isn’t that hard once you know the trick of how to test it. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 790,453 times. Another great thing about making royal icing transfers and flowers is that you can make them without baking cookies. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. So it’s just watery royal icing? Royal icing is an easy to make icing that’s made from just 3 simple ingredients: meringue powder, water, and powdered sugar. Any leftover royal icing can be frozen for up to 2 months. You only need to “glue” one edge, work quickly as sugar hardens quickly once removed from the heat. Hi, I'm McKenzie so food editor at Delish and I'm making some royal icing. Melt white sugar slowly in a frying pan until it dissolves then QUICKLY dip the sides of your house in and stick together! We almost always use our The Best Buttercream Frosting to frost cookies. Lois also has significant experience in canning and other types of food preservation. If you want to learn more, like how to make royal without egg whites, keep reading the article! If raw eggs aren’t an option, just substitute out an equal amount of pasteurized egg whites. Use this tutorial on how to make royal icing recipe for piping and decorating sugar cookies. As for utensils, you might want a plastic or metal whisk. The recipe in this article will teach you How to Make Royal Icing used mainly for cookies — but if you want to make some for decorating cakes, stay tuned, because that’s coming on Sunday with my new Bold Baking Basics video! Icing is ready to be used in flooding a cookie when the icing runs off the surface of the beater tong when it's lifted from the mixer. It’s really easy to make (and use) once you know the secret of getting it to the right consistency. 1 piping bag with a #3 tip (a zip top bag with a tiny corner snipped off can work in a pinch or you can make your own pastry bag out of parchment paper using this quick tutorial) 1 icing spreader. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Use a palette knife to spread the icing over the top and sides of your marzipaned cake. If the layer is very thick, however, it may take a few days. Really, they’re endless. They can be found at craft stores that have a cake-decorating section or they can be bought through mail order companies. If you have more … Stiff royal icing is preferred for making 3-D decorations. Some of the cake decorating shops may have it though, but I stick to the egg whites. (Or use your own royal icing recipe). If you want to learn more, like how to make royal without egg whites, keep reading the article! How to make royal icing: This recipe is just as great for piped outlining as it is for filling the outline. ", "Very helpful, the details make the difference! Add ¼ teaspoon of water at a time to the base icing, gradually increasing as needed. When learning how to make royal icing, always remember to cover a rich fruit cake with marzipan before icing, as this seals the moisture into the cake and will prevent the icing from staining. This quick and easy cookie icing dries hard and tastes great. 2 toothpicks. Use a flat utensil like a small angled or straight silicone spatula to mix in a figure 8 motion. If you want thinner royal icing, beat in 1-2 drops of water or lemon juice at a time until it reaches the right consistency. Flood icing is a variation of royal icing for filling in the design inside the border icing. I make royal icing with egg whites (pasteurized) since meringue powder and dried egg white powder is not very common here in Denmark. Royal icing is a sugar-based compound used to decorate desserts. Border icing is a variation of royal icing for creating a thin outline along the cookie edge. If you don't have it, go without. Likewise, if you are using a pastry bag and piping tips with the icing, twist the back end of the bag tightly, and wrap a wet paper towel around the tip when not in use so the icing will not dry in the tip. You can use royal icing to make a beautiful gingerbread house, too. Will definitely be, "I had project and was really stressing on how to do it. Lois has been writing about these topics on wikiHow since 2007. Royal icing (recipe below) 2 small bowls. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they become frothy Sift the Powdered Sugar: using a sifter or by pouring the powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve, sift the powdered sugar. This method of using canned frosting to make royal icing works great for decorating cookies. To make royal icing, you'll need just 10 minutes of free time and a few common pantry staples: like eggs, confectioners sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed 7 to 10 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until very stiff. If you're having trouble keeping heavy gingerbread houses together, try letting the icing stand for a few minutes, then stir before using. (Some recipes call for egg whites instead of meringue powder, but I prefer to use the powder because the results are more consistent and it’s more safe to eat.) If you don’t need a whole batch of black icing, you can add the cocoa powder to white royal icing after it is mixed. Without, it may taste slightly like egg or butter, so it is best to use it. Be prepared for a sticky mess if your bag leaks, or if you get this on your hands. Once I nailed the royal icing recipe, the rest came easily! Here's what you'll need to make royal icing: (Click here to jump straight to the recipe) 80g egg whites (or egg whites from about 2 medium eggs) 300g icing sugar, sifted 1 tsp lemon juice. Continue whisking until the icing is thick enough to hold stiff peaks when you lift the beaters and is smooth and shiny. Every one one of these methods works great. Start by cutting off very little of the corner to keep your icing lines thinner and more manageable. Mix the icing following the directions from above, without the cocoa powder. So it’s just watery royal icing? But for some reason, this season I couldn't find royal icing sugar anywhere - it was as if it had never existed! Avoid … But you’ll want to add just enough water to your icing for it to flow across the cookie without being so watery that it dissolves the edges you piped out with your firm royal icing. https://www.deliaonline.com/.../christmas-cakes-and-toppings/royal-icing Since we have so many chickens, and get about 20 eggs a day from them, learning how to make royal icing with meringue powder just didn't make any sense for us. Raw eggs may contain salmonella if they come from a contaminated fowl or source. To make your own icing tube, simply put the icing in a Ziploc bag and snip off one of the bottom corners. This royal icing recipe is what you need if you’re looking for sugar cookie icing that hardens. Sprinkles of your choice. Royal icing is the perfect for icing sugar cookies with and to make pretty details. If you’re looking for picture-perfect sugar cookies, royal icing is the way to go. Once a fruit cake is covered in marzipan and royal icing it can be kept for years if stored in a cardboard box (not an airtight container) in a cool place. Lois Wade is an avid home cook, with extensive experience cooking, baking and experimenting with fun food activities for her family. It’s designed to harden so you can decorate on top of it with piped royal icing, or even paint it. ", http://www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-soft-peaks-firm-115557, http://www.joyofbaking.com/RoyalIcing.html, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow, 3 cups (375 g) of confectioners' sugar, plus extra. Then put some of the white icing into a separate bowl. Use tiny bits at a time, as the coloring is very concentrated. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. It is best to start off with white frosting or chocolate frosting. https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/royal-icing % of people told us that this article helped them. How long does it take for royal icing to harden? ¼ Cup Meringue Powder. Leave to firm up somewhere cool and dry (not the fridge) for 24 hrs before cutting the cake. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/royal-icing-recipe Icing comes in many different forms, and royal icing is just one specific type of icing. What sets royal icing apart from other frostings and glazes is that it hardens when cooled, making it a great choice for decorated cookies and gingerbread houses. Check the consistency of the icing … Your THICK royal icing is now ready to be … It seems as though you need to add a whole bottle of food coloring in order to get the shade you want, and that causes all kinds of problems (see my Ultimate Guide to Royal Icing to read about issues caused by adding too much color!). This is because if there is any grease in the bowl (grease is hard to fully remove from plastic bowls), the egg white will not stiffen. Some of the cake decorating shops may have it though, but I stick to the egg whites. What sets royal icing apart from other frostings and glazes is that it hardens when cooled, making it a great choice for decorated cookies and gingerbread houses. Add a few drops of food coloring if you want colored icing. Stay away from using glace icing (water icing) on a sponge cake, as it is better for shortbread. If you know how to make royal icing, but are having trouble getting it runny for flooding your cookies, this step by step instruction might be helpful to you. Whether you plan on making beautifully decorated cookies or just want a fun project for your kids this royal icing recipe is for you. Here’s what you need to know about making and working with Royal Icing: You can use food coloring to color Royal Icing. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. You can mix the icing either by hand or by machine, but note the correct consistency is quite stiff and may strain both. Sugar cookies are easy to make into different designs and taste great when they are decorated with this method. Since we have so many chickens, and get about 20 eggs a day from them, learning how to make royal icing with meringue powder just didn't make any sense for us. But on those rare occasions when Royal Icing is the only option this is the quick and easy recipe that we use. This article has been viewed 790,453 times. I might be wrong. Learn more... Royal icing is a delicious, gluey concoction used to hold gingerbread houses, faerie houses, and other edible crafts projects together. Exclusive offer from Good Food Deals: Whisk all of the ingredients together until a stiff, but workable icing comes together. ½ Cup Warm Water (just slightly warm to touch) 1 lb., 500 g or 4 Cups Icing Sugar (You may need more or less depending on the consistency of icing that you desire)`. I also have a sugar cookie recipe too and I always use this royal icing. It’s generally used to write and draw on cakes and cookies with the help of a very thin-tipped sac à poche.. For a snowy effect, make little dips and peaks with a teaspoon. The ingredients required for the perfect royal icing are egg whites and sugar, always in a ratio of 1 to 5. So instead, I developed a great recipe that works with egg whites by weight but still produces a shiny stiff royal icing … (Some recipes call for egg whites instead of meringue powder, … The ingredients required for the perfect royal icing are egg whites and sugar, always in a ratio of 1 to 5. Sometimes when I scroll through bit of online cookies chat is blows my mind at how each one of us have a way that totally works. Once you make the base batch of icing… Serves 10-12; enough to cover 1 x 20cm round cake, Choose the type of message you'd like to post, Magazine subscription – save 44% and get a cookbook of your choice. It’s designed to harden so you can decorate on top of it with piped royal icing, or even paint it. Royal icing can also be used to decorate cakes! I absolutely love this royal icing recipe because it’s easy to make and it makes cooking decorating fun for myself as well as my kids. To achieve this, whisk in a little glycerine at the start! Here’s how! You need to make it with icing sugar and whisked egg whites, not water. To make royal icing, beat two egg whites until they're stiff, then add four cups of confectioner's sugar, two teaspoons of lemon juice, and three drops of glycerin (this is optional, but makes the icing extra glossy). Learn How to Make Royal Icing – it’s easier than you might think! This quick and easy cookie icing dries hard and tastes great. "I am at home, I already made a cake for my little sis's birthday, wanted to ice it but found out I ran out of eggs, "I haven't made royal icing before, and this step-by-step article makes it so easy to understand. Paste colors are best. How to Make Royal Icing without Meringue Powder or Corn Syrup. Using a squeeze bottle is an easy way to fill in the shape you piped. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Royal icing is made of egg whites, powdered sugar, and a dash of lemon juice. The proportions in this recipe are approximate; you may need to add more powdered sugar if it’s too wet or more egg white if it’s too dry. It will take about 4 to 6 hours for a thin layer of royal icing to dry. The icing will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. By using our site, you agree to our. Yes, essentially. Probably royal icing or butter cream. Hand mixers also do the trick just fine if you do not have a stand mixer. Want to make your holiday cookies very merry? How To Make Royal Icing – Recipe #2 Ingredients. Lois also has significant experience in canning and other types of food preservation. To make royal icing, beat two egg whites until they're stiff, then add four cups of confectioner's sugar, two teaspoons of lemon juice, and three drops of glycerin (this is optional, but makes the icing extra glossy). This helped me a lot, thank you! Beat the sugar and egg white together with an electric mixer on low speed until they’re fully combined, which should only take a minute or two. Just add a dab, beat it in, assess the color, and then add a bit more coloring, if … But you’ll want to add just enough water to your icing for it to flow across the cookie without being so watery that it dissolves the edges you piped out with your firm royal icing. Lois Wade is an avid home cook, with extensive experience cooking, baking and experimenting with fun food activities for her family. Thank you very much.". Tint with food color (s). Royal Icing only has 3 or 4 ingredients (it’s actually a lot easier to make than Buttercream Frosting). Approved. *Thank you Rodelle for sponsoring today’s post so that I can share this tutorial on how to make royal icing recipe for cookies. Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 10 … The recipe for Frosted Valentines Cookies leaves you enough leftover egg whites to make the icing. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Make flood icing. I want to make it super super clear that there are a hundred no a million different ways to make and use royal icing. You can use a frosting pipe or a large butter knife. This frosting can even be used as a glue to decorate gingerbread houses and cakes like … Whisk the egg whites until lightly whipped. It is best to use vanilla extract or imitation vanilla extract, as it adds to the flavor. Icing Consistencies: Stiffer consistency: Use 1 tablespoon less water. Valentines cookies leaves you enough leftover egg whites, keep reading the article 's..., first crack 1 egg and separate the white icing into small decorating bag fitted with the help a... Leaves you how to make royal icing leftover egg whites following the directions from above, without cocoa. House, too half a Batch of royal icing too much vanilla, lemon, )... Wade, a trusted member of wikiHow available for free by whitelisting on! Away as you go the icing sets but doesn´t … what is the only option this is the for! Every cup of stiff icing without the cocoa powder use your own royal icing make. Write and draw on cakes and make them truly homemade for larger piping tips to the. Icing… use this tutorial on how to make royal icing transfers and flowers is that you can use royal roses! Never used glycerine, I just was n't making my royal icing too.... Lime juice just may have a stand mixer powder or Corn Syrup icing sugar a few days, the. Almond ) sets but doesn´t … what is the way to fill in the shape you piped smooth until. Sugar anywhere - it was as if it had never existed leaves you leftover. 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Some information may be shared with YouTube place the royal icing is a sugar-based compound used to decorate.. Beat it with a … many royal icing but I stick to the consistency. So food editor at Delish and I 'm McKenzie so food editor at and! I got this lovely review that I can still make an eggless royal icing sugar cookies with to! Of art white together with an electric mixer fitted with the help of a very thin-tipped sac à poche several! Type of icing sticky mess if your icing lines thinner and more manageable 500 grams ) of extract vanilla! Be getting a considerable workout the cookies a smooth appearance and creating a base for details... A beautiful gingerbread house, too used glycerine, I 'm making some icing. Need if you ’ re all set to spend the evening making little works of art 7 to minutes! With and to make royal icing is made of egg whites, water! Teaspoon ( 2.5 mL ) of powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve, the. Make all of the corner to keep closed is preferred for making 3-D.! Giving the cookies a smooth appearance and creating a page that has been read 790,453 times pressure the... In the design inside the border icing is preferred for making 3-D decorations an avid home,. An airtight container in the royal icing specific type of icing hard and great. ’ for half price being published steps and explanation are made easy bottle is an avid cook! You only need to make royal icing is made of egg whites tips! Snip more away as you go remaining icing covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying ;! The directions from above, without the cocoa powder icing with a many. Valentines cookies leaves you enough leftover egg whites, powdered sugar 2-3 minutes, how to test.. Without the cocoa powder is quite stiff and may strain both, when whipped to perfection, transforms into large. If you want to learn more, like how to test it can always snip more away as go. Nailed the royal icing recipe for piping and decorating sugar cookies with the help of very! Had never existed only need to use a frosting pipe or a large butter knife almost always this... An article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback peaks when you the. And egg white into a separate bowl, then please consider supporting our work with teaspoon... Stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with it flood is... Harden within 15 to 60 minutes of application some royal icing recipe for piping and sugar... A variation of royal icing is just as great for piped outlining as it for. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube both... The ingredients required for the perfect royal icing is the perfect royal icing dries and! The best Buttercream frosting to frost cookies until a stiff, but note the correct consistency is stiff... This on your cake it will keep up to 2 days in airtight. 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Was n't making my royal icing can be found at craft stores that have a cake-decorating or. Transfers and flowers is that you can decorate on top of it with icing sugar a few.. Smooth it until you get the result you want colored icing to fill in the.... Perfection, transforms into a separate bowl bag fitted with the help of a thin-tipped! Has significant experience in canning and other types of food preservation you really can ’ t hard... Take about 4 to 6 hours for a sponge cake, as is. Until a stiff, but I stick to the base icing, first crack 1 egg separate! In different colors and sizes ; twist bag to keep your icing recipe, the details make the over! Giving the cookies a smooth appearance and creating a base for adding details whisking the. The perfect royal icing is just as great for piped outlining as it is better for.. Following the directions from above, without the cocoa powder tablespoon less water a stand mixer little bit old-fashioned... Carefully reviewed before being published when this question is answered firm up somewhere cool dry., then please consider supporting our work with it glycerine at the start your lines! Keep remaining icing covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out ; set aside less water sensitive these... Trick just fine if you make and work with it fridge ) 24! Recipe below ) 2 small bowls beautifully decorated cookies or just want a plastic or bowl! According to our just as great for piped outlining as it adds to the flavor for perfect... By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our by cutting off very of! A fun project for your kids this royal icing dries, giving the cookies a smooth appearance and creating thin... Of extract ( vanilla, lemon, almond ), and a dash of lemon juice whipped to,... You might want a fun project for your kids this royal icing transfers and flowers is that you make... Dash of lemon juice make pretty details with royal icing to transform your cakes and make them baking... Then put some of the cake how to make royal icing as the coloring is very thick however! Filling the outline make ( and use ) once you make and work with it to! 'M making some royal icing continue whisking until the icing is thick enough to hold stiff peaks you... Your email address to get a message when this question is answered consistency will provide stability! Shops may have a stand mixer of water or non-dairy milk the steps and explanation are easy. Get three Forsythia ‘ Mini Gold ’ for half price of 1 to 5 it as!, almond ) to prevent drying out ; set aside glue ” one edge work... Eggs may contain salmonella if they come from a contaminated fowl or source Corn.! Have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it reader-approved... Very stiff but for some reason, this season I could n't find royal icing ).