When it comes to decorating holiday cookies, I’m always in need of a super easy icing. This royal icing recipe is quick, it tastes good, and it hardens to a nice texture. With only 4 ingredients and a mixer, you’ll have a gorgeous icing to decorate with. You can use this hard-setting icing on sugar cookies, cakes, or gingerbread houses.
What’s in This Royal Icing Recipe?
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the icing and helps determine its consistency. For a softer icing, use less sugar; for a stiffer icing, use more. Meringue Powder: Helps the icing harden. You can use egg white powder (in an equal amount) or 4 pasteurized fresh egg whites in place of the meringue powder, but you will need to store leftover icing in the refrigerator. Water: Helps thin the icing to the correct consistency. I prefer water over milk since I have found that milk takes away from the vanilla flavor. Vanilla Extract: Adds classic vanilla flavor to the icing. Use clear vanilla to keep the icing white. Try citrus, almond, or peppermint extract for a different flavor. Food Coloring: I like to color my icing with gel food coloring to create vivid decorations.
How to Store
Store leftover royal icing in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer indefinitely. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and beat it using a hand or stand mixer at a low speed to make the icing smooth and shiny before using.
Serving Suggestions
I use this royal icing recipe to decorate all of my favorite Christmas cookies and holiday treats. It’s perfect for Christmas sugar cookies or gingerbread cookies. When it’s extra thick, it makes a great glue to hold a gingerbread house together or to pipe royal icing flowers. Or you can thin it out and use it to ice cinnamon rolls or a lemon loaf cake.
How to Make Royal Icing Step by Step
Whisk the Dry Ingredients: Add 4 cups of powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of meringue powder to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whisk to combine.
25+ Favorite Christmas Cookies
Baking and Christmas go hand in hand. See our guide for our fave recipes + tips and tricks for perfect cookies. Pour in the Water: Pour in 8 tablespoons of warm water and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Whip to Soft Peaks: Turn the mixer up to medium-high, and mix until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Thin to Desired Consistency: Slowly add more water (1 teaspoon at a time) until you reach your desired consistency. To create a royal icing that works well for outlining and flooding cookies, lift up the whisk and let the icing drip back into the bowl. It should take 10-15 seconds to smooth out. If it is smoothing out too quickly, beat the icing for another minute. If it is taking longer to smooth out, add a little more water. Divide and Color: Divide the icing into small bowls and add gel food color, making as many colors as you would like. Decorate Your Cookies: Fit piping bags with a Wilton #3 or #4 tip. Fill the bags with icing and decorate your cookies as desired.
