Royal Icing
This is a frosting that dries fast and is worth making for that reason alone. Using meringue powder or egg whites will develop a stable icing that hardens quickly. Find meringue powder in grocery stores with well-stocked baking aisles or from Amazon.
PRO-TIP: Royal icing can be made a few days in advance, then refrigerated or frozen and softened by bringing it to room temperature.
- Yield
- 3 cups
Directions
-
Add powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix on high speed for up to 2 minutes. The stopping point is when you pull the whisk from the icing, and it drizzles smoothly off the whip within 5-10 seconds.
-
Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite flavored extract, such as lemon, orange, or peppermint when you add the water. Taste after the icing comes together, then whisk in more to taste.
-
If it is too thick, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time. It is not unusual to need to add up to 8 or 10 Tablespoons. On low-humidity, drier days, it may require 10-12 Tablespoons.
-
PRO-TIP: The longer you whisk the royal icing, the thicker it becomes. If the icing is too thin, keep beating it to introduce more air OR add 1 Tablespoon of powdered sugar at time until it reaches the 5-10-second smooth drizzle test.
-
When applied to cookies in a thin, even layer, royal icing dries completely within 2 hours at room temperature and quickly in a refrigerator.
-
Royal Icing Takes Longer to Dry When: Icing consistency is too thin or runny
-
Icing is applied too thick on cookies
-
Cookies sit in a warm space
-
PRO-TIP: When you’re not working directly with the royal icing, while decorating cookies but still have icing left in the bowl, gently tamp a damp paper towel directly on the surface of the royal icing to prevent it from hardening.
-
Peanut Butter Blossoms
From Shawnie's class “Holiday Cookie Camp” (also taught in Holly Jolly Cookie Party)
