Royal icing texture can change depending on how much water you add to the mix. It dries hard, making it perfect for creating detail when icing sugar cookies. In my next blog, How to Decorate Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing, I will go over the different textures needed to create beautiful, artistic details on your cookies.
Meringue powder can be found at most craft stores and cake decorating supply stores. To purchase online, click here.
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Royal Icing
Learn to make Royal Icing for Sugar Cookies with meringue powder, powdered sugar, flavoring and food coloring. Kosher, holiday cookies, Hanukkah.
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Email Me RecipesServings: 24 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1 pound powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon clear extract flavoring (ex. vanilla extract)
- 1/3 cup warm water, or more as needed
- Food coloring (amounts will vary)
Instructions
- Meringue powder is used as an egg white substitute in recipes. It is made primarily from dried egg whites, with corn starch and food-based stabilizers added to help it bind together. It adds stability and texture to the royal icing, and can be used in the place of raw egg whites.
- Combine all ingredients except for food coloring in a large mixing bowl.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the ingredients together for a few minutes. Make sure your mixer’s beaters are completely clean and grease-free before starting, to avoid texture issues with the icing.
- Start on a low setting, scraping the edges of the bowl periodically, until the mixture is fluid and all the dry ingredients are incorporated.Continue to beat on a higher speed until stiff peaks form. It may take some time for this to occur.
- Once stiff peaks form, add food coloring to the icing. Add color a few drops at a time, blending between each addition, until the proper color is achieved. I use Wilton kosher food coloring, it adds vivid, beautiful color and you only need a very small amount- you can purchase it here . Use your mixer to mix the color into the icing until well distributed throughout. Keep in mind that color will deepen over time. Let the icing sit covered with plastic wrap for at least 30 minutes to allow color to develop before using. If icing cookies, you will need to thin out the icing to a different texture before starting. Check out How to Decorate Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing for more details.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Royal Icing
Amount Per Serving
Calories 75
% Daily Value*
Sodium 6mg0%
Potassium 5mg0%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Sugar 18g20%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
Roughly how many cookies would you say this covers? I’m trying to figure out how much I will need to make for the tons of Christmas cookies I’m doing this year.
It depends on what texture you are aiming for. For flood icing, this recipe should make enough to ice about 24-30 cookies. With the thicker detailing texture, it depends on how much detailing you are planning on.
I’m making this recipe right now and there are a few edits I’d suggest. First, you say combine ALL ingredients but then you say add food colouring later. I caught it but it should be clearer. Second you give no sense of timing. It takes a VERY long time to get to ‘stiff peaks’! Which can be worrying. Unless maybe I’m never getting there!
Thank you for the feedback Deborah! I have adjusted the recipe wording to make that clearer. 🙂
How long in advance Can I make the icing?
Hi Marilyn, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. I would strongly recommend making the icing just before you’re ready to use it because the consistency is very important.
Can this be used to icing a wedding cake how long before eating will it last.
This recipe is meant to ice cookies, not cake. It is too firm for cake icing.
How far in advance of my party can I make and Ice the cookies, and still have them be fresh and delicious? Couple of weeks? I month?
Hi Annisa, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. You can make these cookies two weeks in advance for best results.
Can you add flavor like Anise, to the meringue mix?
Hi, I live far away from a major grocery store and I do not have meringue powder, how many egg whites can I use in place.
Hi Lisa, Tori’s assistant Ashley here! There is some helpful information online regarding using egg whites in place of meringue powder, though unfortunately we have not experimented with that method in this recipe and cannot be sure how much to use or how well it works.
You can always order on line so you will have it for the next time.
Happy baking.
This is my first time
Using the meringue powder otherwise I have always used go whites.
1 egg white
1 cup of sugar
Lemon extract
It works perfect and my cx loves my cookies.
I’ve never added almond to my royal frosting before and it makes a huge difference in the taste. Delicious! Thanks!
Can yu tell me the recipe replacing meringue powder with egg whites, pls.
I read elsewhere to Use 2 teaspoons meringue powder and 2 tablespoons water for each egg white. Hope this helps.
can you add lemon juice instead of vanilla please?
Hi Pia– to achieve a lemony flavor use lemon extract, not lemon juice, otherwise the icing may not set. A combination of vanilla extract and lemon extract is lovely.