Easy to follow step by step instructions for How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing.
Making beautiful decorative cookies is easy using Royal Icing. I use meringue powder to make my royal icing. I find it so much easier to use and attain the desired consistency over using the egg white version. Royal icing made with meringue powder will keep up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.
How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing.
Preparing icing
Sift together confectioner's sugar and meringue powder. Then using electric mixer, beat the confectioner's sugar, meringue powder and water for 7 minutes. At this stage the icing will be very thick.
Outlining cookies with royal icing
Place a cup of icing into separate bowl to prepare the icing for doing the outline. Adjust the amount you need depending on how many cookies you are decorating. Cover remaining icing immediately with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
Add a small amount of water (¼ tsp. at a time) to icing, stirring well after each addition of water. This step is to thin icing to a consistency of  slightly stiff but will hold together when a spoon is lifted from the icing. Pour into piping bag or squeeze bottle and using a round #2 tip outline cookies.
Flooding cookies with royal icing
Using about 2 cups of icing add water a very small amount at a time (droplets at a time) to thin to the icing to a consistency that would be similar to table syrup. When you run a knife through the icing the line disappears in about 10 seconds. Pour into a piping bag or squeeze bottle and using a round #4 tip cover cookies completely with icing.
I use a toothpick to spread the icing to the edges.
Using a very pointed toothpick prick air bubbles IMMEDIATELY. (can not be done if icing starts to harden)
Let dry completely at least 8 hours or overnight. Do not cover cookies.
Decorate as desired by adding a tad of gel food colouring to icing that is the same consistency as outlining icing.
How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing
Ingredients
- 1 lb confectioner's sugar also called powdered or icing sugar
- 5 tablespoon meringue powder
- 1/ 2 cup cold water
- gel food colouring
Instructions
- Sift together confectioner's sugar and meringue powder. Be sure to sift or you will have lumps!
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed beat together sugar, meringue powder and water for 7 minutes. Icing will be very thick
- Thin to desired consistency by mixing very small amounts (¼ tsp. at a time) to icing for outlining, covering and decorating cookies. see detailed instructions above.
Recipe for my all time favourite Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Janet says
Where can the squeeze bottles be found? Are they esp. for decorating? Thanks.
Laureen King says
Hi Janet, I found mine at Homesense, (TJMAXX) but I think Michael craft store carries them as well. You find them in the kitchen section with cake decorating stuff.