Royal Icing Recipe
This royal icing recipe is made with meringue powder instead of raw egg whites, so there's no risk of salmonella and no separating eggs. Four ingredients, about 8 minutes in a stand mixer, and you get a smooth, hard-drying icing that works for outlining, flooding, and detail work on sugar cookies.
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Ingredients
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons (20 g) meringue powder
- 5 tablespoons (75 g) water - plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract - or almond extract
- AmeriColor gel food coloring - for decorating
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Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons (20 g) meringue powder, 5 tablespoons (75 g) water, and 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract.
- Mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated. This will help ensure you also don’t get a big cloud of powdered sugar all over your kitchen.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until the icing is thick, white, and has increased in volume with a relatively matte finish. If using a hand mixer, this will take closer to 8 to 10 minutes.
- This is your base consistency. It will be thick with stiff peaks. Keep it covered with a wet paper towel at all times to prevent it from drying out, unless it's in a pastry bag.
- To thin for outlining or flooding, add water half a teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. I use a 15-second rule as my guide for outline and flood icing: drizzle the icing with a spoon or spatula over the bowl and it should hold its shape for 15 seconds before melting back in. For intricate detail work, use 20 to 25-second icing, which is slightly thicker. For gingerbread house assembly, stay closer to the base consistency so the walls hold. Depending on how thin you need it, you may add anywhere from 1 to 4 more tablespoons of water total. Go slowly, adding half a teaspoon at a time, as it's much easier to thin out icing than to thicken it back up.
- Add AmeriColor gel food coloring a little at a time if using. The color will deepen as the icing dries, so start with less than you think you need.
Notes
- Meringue powder: I use AmeriColor brand, which is gluten-free. Wilton is another common option available at most craft stores.
- Extract: Use pure vanilla or almond extract, not imitation. Artificial flavoring can leave a chemical aftertaste in an uncooked icing.
- Food coloring: Use gel food coloring, not liquid. Liquid food coloring will thin out your icing and give you less vibrant color. I use AmeriColor, which is gluten-free and comes in a squeeze bottle instead of a screw-top lid, which is so much less messy when you're in the middle of decorating.
- Piping bags: I use tipless piping bags 90% of the time. Just cut a small hole at the tip and pipe from there. I only use a piping tip when I want a specific shape for detail work, like a leaf tip or small star tip.
- Consistency: It is much easier to thin out royal icing than to thicken it. Always add water gradually, half a teaspoon at a time.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and re-whip before using.
Nutrition
Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 20g | Calcium: 0.3mg | Iron: 0.01mg
