Royal Icing
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This royal icing is perfect for decorating holiday cookies, creating intricate designs, or making letters or flower decorations.
Royal icing is a classic, hard-drying icing made from softly beaten egg whites and confectioners’ sugar, drying to a smooth, matte finish that’s perfect for decorating cookies. It’s great for everything from detailed designs on cookies to creating sturdy decorations for a gingerbread house. Whether you’re decorating for the holidays or adding charm to everyday cookies, this icing brings that polished look and is the perfect foil for my cut-out sugar cookie recipe.
“Loved this royal icing recipe! Used it at Christmas to decorate my holiday cookies and now pulling it out again for my Easter biscuits. The ingredients are simple, and it’s so versatile for any occasion!”
What You’ll Need To Make Royal Icing
- Pasteurized Egg Whites: Provide the necessary structure and help the icing dry to a smooth, hard finish. If you’d like to avoid raw egg whites, feel free to use meringue powder, which is sold in the baking aisle of most large supermarkets or craft stores.
- Confectioners Sugar: Adds sweetness and creates the smooth texture essential for royal icing.
- Food Coloring (Optional): Adds color to the icing, enhancing decorative designs. I prefer gel food coloring as it provides a vibrant, concentrated color to the mixture without adding excess liquid.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer with beaters), begin by whipping the egg whites until foamy.
Add the confectioners’/powdered sugar.
Whip on medium-low speed until thick and shiny, 3 to 5 minutes.
Using a spatula, divide the icing up into bowls depending on how many colors you plan to use. Use food coloring to tint the icing and then add water, little by little, to get the right consistency.
For decorating cookies with a smooth layer of icing like the ones pictured here, you’ll need to thin the icing with water to a flooding consistency, which means the icing should hold a ribbonlike trail on the surface of the mixture for about 15 seconds until smoothing out on its own.
Go slowly until you reach the desired consistency—you don’t want the icing to be so thin that it runs off the edge of the cookies. (If you’ve added too much water, you can add a spoonful of stiff icing to thicken it back up; always reserve a little white stiff icing just in case!) For decorating, you’ll need a piping bag and a piping tip to get the best control over intricate designs.
Adding different flavors to your royal icing can really take it up a notch and complement your cookies. Try a dash of vanilla extract for that classic sweetness, a splash of lemon juice for a refreshing zing, or a touch of almond extract for a nutty, fragrant twist. Each one brings a unique touch that makes your cookies even more delicious. Happy decorating!
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
If not using within 2 hours, cover the bowls tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate (Icing may also be kept in airtight squeeze bottles) for up to 3 days.
You May Also Like
Royal Icing
This royal icing is perfect for decorating holiday cookies, creating intricate designs, or making letters or flower decorations.
Ingredients
- 3 pasteurized egg whites or 3 oz (6 tablespoons) pasteurized egg whites from a carton (see note)
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or beaters. Beat on medium speed until frothy.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed until blended. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat until the mixture is thick and shiny, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide the icing into bowls depending on how many colors you plan to use. Use food coloring to tint the icing and then add water, little by little, to get the right consistency. Use a thicker icing for details and outlines and a thinner icing for "flooding," or fully covering the surface of the cookies. Place a damp paper towel directly on top of the icing to keep a skin from forming on top. If not using within 2 hours, cover the bowls tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate (Icing may also be kept in airtight squeeze bottles) for up to 3 days.
- Note: If you're concerned about using raw eggs, feel free to use meringue powder, which can be found in the baking aisle of most large supermarkets or craft stores. Reconstitute the powdered egg whites according to the package instructions, making sure the powder is completely dissolved, and proceed with the recipe.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Do you have problems with this recipe being so brittle when it dries that it’s hard to bite into or eat? I’m trying to find a way to make my icing (where i use egg whites only) less hard to eat. Thanks for any tips!
Hi Erin, I know the icing, when dry, is on the crunchy side, but I don’t have problems with it being too hard. I wish I had some suggestions, but that’s just the nature of this icing – sorry!
Great royal icing recipe! The simplest one yet. But the quantity was too much haha.
May I know how long can this be kept?
Hi Yf, Glad you like the recipe. It should keep nicely in the fridge for up to 3 days.
My icing did not come out. any way to salvage the grainy icing???
Hmmm… it definitely shouldn’t be grainy. Did you, by any chance, use regular/granulated sugar?
If i want to use raw egg whites what will be the measurements?
Hi Elizabeth, you’d need 3 oz (6 tablespoons).
Hi! I love every single recipe I have tried- thank you! I would like to ask if I need to refrigerate the decorated cookies after and how to keep them fresh and safe for kids ..(?) the pasteurized egg whites that I am using are refrigerated.. xxxxxx
Hi Joanna, they can be safely stored in an airtight container and don’t need to be refrigerated. Hope everyone enjoys!
Wow, beautiful cookie decorating!
I love all of your recipies, I have never been disappointed with the many ive tried. Your Chai banana bread is one of my kids favorite, just uplifts banana bread to something more special.
This recipe is so easy to make and gives so much control over the icing. I used it for sugar cookie snowflakes for Christmas, and I just did a batch of hearts and flowers for Valentine’s Day. The trick is to add milk/cream to get the right texture for filling or outlining.
Happy Christmas.for your family members
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Your cookies look incredible! Professional! How do you get red icing? We always seem to end up with pink when we add red dye. Even when we add tons of it. Is there a special brand that you like?
Hi Amy, I buy the red color from Wilton – you can get it at craft stores. Remember, it gets darker as it dries.
Do you have any recommendations or suggestions for best quality food coloring. Maybe I have a sensitive palette. I seems I get I chemical taste especially with the red coloring.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Peg, I can taste it too – I use Wilton “no taste” red. You can get it at most craft stores. Enjoy!
Just a question – I have made royal icing with the whites of pasteurized eggs and powder meringue. What I find that when the icing dries it no longer has a shine, and is quite matte. Does this recipe have a little shine when it has dried on the cookies?
Hi Cindy, Not really – royal icing has a matte finish. Sorry!
Try adding a little bit of corn syrup. Gives it a nice shine!