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The Best Foolproof Royal Icing Recipe for Perfect Cookie Decorating

A white bowl filled with stiff, perfectly piped white topping, resembling the texture needed for a royal icing recipe.
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This reliable royal icing recipe uses meringue powder to give you smooth, firm icing that dries hard, perfect for outlining and flooding sugar cookies. It is simple enough for beginners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 5 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
  • 6 to 8 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and 6 tablespoons of warm water to the dry ingredients.
  3. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer until the ingredients are just combined.
  4. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 7 to 10 minutes until the icing is very thick, bright white, and holds stiff peaks.
  5. Check the consistency. If the icing is too thick for piping, add the remaining water, one teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  6. To achieve piping consistency (for outlines), the icing should hold a soft peak when the beater is lifted.
  7. To achieve flooding consistency, add more water, one teaspoon at a time, until the icing flows smoothly off the beater and settles back into the bowl in about 10 seconds.
  8. Divide the icing into separate bowls for coloring, if desired. Cover all unused icing with a damp cloth or plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent drying.
  9. Use immediately for decorating sugar cookies.

Notes

  • For the smoothest results, always sift your powdered sugar before measuring.
  • Meringue powder provides stability and a reliable, hard finish, making this recipe ideal for durable cookie decorating.
  • If you need to thin the icing for flooding, add water very slowly; it is easy to add more but difficult to correct if you add too much.
  • This icing dries firm and glossy, making it perfect for stacking and gifting cookies.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://frostedfancies.com/royal-icing-recipe/