I love to decorate cookies with royal icing! It creates a beautiful smooth canvas for you to work on. Once it’s dry you can continue to further decorate your cookies with royal icing transfers, fondant, air brush, sanding sugar or sprinkles. I have several posts on how I decorate sugar cookies with royal icing but I have never shared with you my royal icing recipe. Until now…
Royal icing is extremely simple to make and you only need a few ingredients. The main ingredient that you use is powdered sugar. Depending on how many batches you need be prepared to stock up on it!
I like my royal icing stiff, because it takes longer to break down when you store it so you can use it again without having to beat it. But by no means do you need to make it stiff.
- 2/4 cups hot water
- 4 tsp Wilton meringue powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add hot water and Wilton meringue powder and beat until frosty.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Stop the blender and scrape the sides of the bowl and mix once again to make sure everything is well incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and beat until stiff peaks, about 10-15 minutes.
- Always use the paddle attachment. The wire whip incorporates too much air.
- Experiment with other flavors like almond or lemon.
- I like to beat my royal icing until stiff, because when storing the royal icing it takes longer to break down.
- If you don't like your royal icing stiff, remember you can always add more powdered sugar later to make it stiff.
- Store your royal icing in an air tight container and place saran wrap on the top of the royal icing so that it doesn't dry out.
- Store your container in a cool, dry place away from a window.
- If your royal icing starts to break down (you will see small water puddles) place the icing in the bowl and beat for a few minutes or until it comes together again.
XO,
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