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Foolproof Royal Icing Recipe That Dries Smooth and Hard

Close-up of snowflake-shaped sugar cookies decorated with bright blue and white royal cookie icing recipe.
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Make the best cookie icing for decorating sugar cookies. This easy royal icing recipe dries glossy, hard, and is perfect for piping details or flooding cut-out cookies.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup (for extra gloss)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder until fully combined.
  2. Add the warm water and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.
  3. Using an electric mixer, start on low speed until the ingredients are just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  4. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 7 minutes until the icing is very thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks. This is your piping consistency.
  5. To achieve a thinner consistency for flooding, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition until the icing slowly drips off the whisk in a ribbon that disappears into the surface after about 10 seconds.
  6. Divide the icing into separate bowls for coloring, if desired. Cover bowls tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the icing to prevent drying.
  7. Use immediately for decorating cookies. Allow decorated cookies to dry uncovered at room temperature for several hours, or until completely hard, before stacking or gifting.

Notes

  • For icing that hardens perfectly, do not substitute meringue powder with egg whites unless you are familiar with food safety handling procedures.
  • If you need an icing without corn syrup, omit the optional corn syrup; the icing will still harden well.
  • To get a smooth icing for flooding, use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles that form on the surface before applying it to the cookie.
  • Store unused, tightly covered icing at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://fooddexterity.com/cookie-icing-recipe-easy-hardening-smooth/