How to Make Royal Icing

Guide Note: How to Make Royal Icing offers tips, tricks and advice on how to make royal icing for your gingerbread house or other holiday treats.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

How to Make Royal Icing

Use royal icing to decorate your cookies. (Creative Commons photo by Dan McKay)
Use royal icing to decorate your cookies. (Creative Commons photo by Dan McKay)
  • The type of icing typically used in decorating Christmas cookies is called "royal icing." A thick version of the icing can be used to create outlines or piping around your cookie. A thinner version can be used to coat your entire cookie with a layer of icing that will harden into crunchy finish.
  • This recipe will yield approximately 2 1/2 Cups of Royal Icing.
Ingredients You'll Need
  • 3 Egg Whites
  • 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
  • 4 Cups of Confectioner's Sugar
  • Food Coloring (Optional)
Equipment You'll Need
Royal Icing Instructions
  1. In the bowl of a mixer, combine 3 egg whites and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until frothy.
  2. Gradually add 4 cups of confectioner's sugar and lemon juice to the mix until incorporated.
  3. Beat the mixture until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Approximately 5 to 7 minutes on high speed.
  4. Add food coloring if desired.
  5. Transfer to a pastry bag, filling to 1/3 full. Use standard tips #2 or #3, and decorate!
    • Thick icing is good for creating a pipe or outline to be filled in with thinner icing.
    • Thin icing is good for filling in an outlined shape or laying a base coat over the entire cookie. Icing can be thinned by adding water.

Alternate Recipe

  • This recipe will yield approximately 3 Cups of Royal Icing.

Ingredients You'll Need

  • 3 Tablespoons of Meringue Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
  • 4 Cups of Confectioners' Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup of Warm Water

Equipment You'll Need
  1. In the bowl of the mixer, whip together the sugar and meringue powder.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice.
  3. Add the water. Beat for approximately 5 minutes or until stiff peaks begin to form.
  4. Transfer to pastry bag.

Resources

There's more than one way to decorate a cookie. (Creative Commons photo by Tracy Hunter)
There's more than one way to decorate a cookie. (Creative Commons photo by Tracy Hunter)

Cookie Icing, Glaze and Frosting Recipes

Decorating Cookies

Royal Icing Merchandise

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