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    Home » Recipes » Cookies Bars and Squares

    How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing

    November 22, 2015 by Laureen King

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    How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing via @artandthekitchHow to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing, here are some easy to follow step by step instructions. via @artandthekitch

    Easy to follow step by step instructions for How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing.

    Pink snowflake shaped cookie being decorated with royal icing from squeeze bottle.

    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.

    Red standing mixer with bowl filled with royal icing.

    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.

    Small glass bowl filled with royal icing and pink snowflake cookie.

    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.

    Small bowl filled with thinned royal icing dripping from spatula.

    I use a toothpick to spread the icing to the edges.

    Pink snowflake cookie being decorated with royal icing.

    Using a very pointed toothpick prick air bubbles IMMEDIATELY. (can not be done if icing starts to harden)

    Snowflake shaped cookie coated in white royal icing.

    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.

    Pink snowflake shaped cookie being decorated with royal icing from squeeze bottle.

    How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing

    Laureen King
    Easy to follow instructions for decorating cookies with royal icing
    4 from 4 votes
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    Prep Time 7 mins
    Total Time 7 mins
    Course cookies
    Cuisine American
    Servings 3 dozen

    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.
    Keyword royal icing, decorating cookies
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Recipe for my all time favourite Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

    Tray of sugar cookies decorated with white and red royal icing.

     

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    How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing, here are some easy to follow step by step instructions. via @artandthekitch

    More Cookies Bars and Squares

    • Banana Spice Cookies
    • Butterscotch Rice Krispie Squares
    • Cookies and Cream Fudge
    • Candy Cane Fudge

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Janet

      November 23, 2015 at 8:56 am

      5 stars
      Where can the squeeze bottles be found? Are they esp. for decorating? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        November 23, 2015 at 9:11 am

        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.

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Candy Cane Sugar Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      November 24, 2015 at 9:33 am

      […] cookies are baked, decorate with royal icing  to create some beautiful edible art. Check out this recipe for Royal Icing and easy step by instructions for decorating cookies with royal […]

      Reply
    2. Stained Glass Valentine Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      January 5, 2016 at 3:26 pm

      […] glass effect, and finished decorating with royal icing. Check out this easy to follow recipe How to make Royal Icing. The sugar cookie recipe is one of my favourites- Cardamom Orange; the exotic flavour of Cardamom […]

      Reply
    3. Shamrock Sugar Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      February 17, 2016 at 8:30 am

      […] of Irish culture and delicious food. These Shamrock Sugar Cookies above were decorated with Royal Icing and a brush embroidery cookie decorating technique. Tartan pattern Pumpkin spice sugar cookies […]

      Reply
    4. Gingerbread Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      December 7, 2016 at 10:27 am

      […] One of my favourite things to do during the Holiday Season is decorating cookies with family and friends. Kids love decorating Christmas cookies. It doesn’t matter how they are decorated, they still taste great! I usually decorate my cookies with Royal Icing. Check out my easy to follow instructions for decorating cookies with Royal Icing here. […]

      Reply
    5. Cardamom Spice Sugar Cookie | Art and the Kitchen says:
      March 13, 2017 at 7:14 pm

      […] decorated my cookies with Royal Icing and used a Brush Embroidery technique to make the pretty flowers. The best way to learn this cookie […]

      Reply
    6. Canada Day Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      March 13, 2017 at 7:15 pm

      […] sugar cookies have a light lemon flavour and are festively decorated with royal icing. A great treat to bring to any Canada Day celebration! Canada Day Cookies   Print […]

      Reply
    7. Shamrock Sugar Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      March 14, 2017 at 8:39 pm

      […] Check out this link for easy to follow instructions to decorate cookies using Royal Icing click here! […]

      Reply
    8. Easter Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      April 1, 2017 at 10:48 am

      […] These beautiful Easter Cookies start with a tasty sugar cookie recipe and are then decorated with royal icing. I love baking and decorating beautiful cut out sugar cookies and my collection of cookies cutters continues to grow. These flower and butterfly cookie cutters are terrific for a spring or Easter cookies. The sugar cookie recipe is flavoured with vanilla bean and make cookies that cut out perfectly with great edges. I decorated them with Royal Icing; check out my easy to follow step by step instructions for decorating cookies with Royal Icing here. […]

      Reply
    9. Pumpkin Spice Halloween Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      October 19, 2017 at 5:37 am

      […] Decorate with Royal Icing. […]

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    10. Stained Glass Valentine Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      February 3, 2019 at 6:01 am

      […] them royal icing and an easy to do stained glass look effect. Check out this easy to follow recipe How to make Royal Icing and video on how to make Stained Glass Cookies  These gorgeous cookies make a wonderful edible […]

      Reply
    11. Candy Cane Sugar Cookies | Art and the Kitchen says:
      December 14, 2019 at 9:05 am

      […] ever baked! Decorate with royal icing  to create some beautiful edible art. Check out this recipe for Royal Icing for easy step by instructions to decorate cookies with royal […]

      Reply

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