Perfect and delicious royal icing –Decorating cookies can be a delightful experience, especially when you’re using the right tools and recipes. Royal icing is a fantastic choice for achieving those beautiful, intricate designs that elevate your baked goods. Below, you’ll find a wonderful royal icing recipe that will help you create stunning cookies for any occasion.
Royal Icing Recipe for Decorating Cookies
This royal icing recipe is perfect for creating beautiful decorations on cookies. It dries hard, making it great for stacking and packaging. Let’s dive into the ingredients and instructions so you can start decorating like a pro!
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites (or 4 tablespoons meringue powder)
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
- Food coloring (optional, for different designs)
Instructions
- Start by combining the egg whites and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. If you’re using meringue powder, combine it with water as per the package instructions first.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed until it reaches stiff peaks. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes. You want the icing to hold its shape without flowing.
- If you’re adding vanilla extract or lemon juice for flavor, incorporate them into the mixture at this point.
- If you plan to use food coloring, separate the icing into different bowls based on how many colors you want to create. Add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl and mix until you achieve your desired shades.
- To use the icing for decorating, you may need to thin it out a bit. Add a small amount of water (a teaspoon at a time) to achieve a more fluid consistency for piping and flooding. Remember, for outlining, the icing should be thicker, while the flooding should drip smoothly but hold its shape.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and outline your cookie designs first. Allow the outlines to dry for about 15 minutes before flooding the cookies with the thinned royal icing.
- After flooding, let the cookies dry completely for several hours or overnight. Once dry, you can further decorate the cookies as desired!
Now you’re all set to create beautiful cookie designs that friends and family will love! Happy decorating!
