Recipe from Georganne Bell
Adapted by Kim Severson
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- 4(155)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Royal icing is the classic sweet glue that holds together gingerbread houses and provides a glossy medium for elaborate cookie decorations. Many recipes call for egg whites or cream of tartar or both, but meringue powder (available online or at specialty food stores) offers gloss, stability and creaminess without the use of raw eggs or other ingredients. This recipe was developed by Georganne Bell, a professional cookie-decorating teacher in Salt Lake City who doesn’t like traditional vanilla sugar cookies. The icing takes coloring easily, and pipes nicely from an icing bag or even a plastic bag with a corner snipped off. —Kim Severson
Featured in: Meet the Cookiers, Home Bakers With a Bond Stronger Than Royal Icing
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Ingredients
Yield:About 5 cups, enough for about 5 dozen small cookies
- ⅓cup/47 grams meringue powder
- ⅔cup/158 milliliters warm water
- 7½cups/937 grams confectioners’ sugar
- 1tablespoon/15 milliliters vanilla extract, or other flavoring, like coconut or almond extracts
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
482 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 122 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 120 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 8 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Place meringue powder and water in the bowl of a standing mixer and swirl them together. Using the whisk attachment, mix on high for 3 minutes until the mixture is frothy. Scrape down the sides.
Step
2
Add confectioners’ sugar and mix for 2 minutes, being careful to start slowly and then gradually increase speed to high so the sugar doesn’t fly all over the kitchen, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add vanilla or other flavoring (and gel food coloring if desired), and mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Transfer to an airtight container until ready to use. The icing will keep, refrigerated, for about 2 weeks.
Ratings
4
out of 5
155
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Cooking Notes
cyrus
store in glass container with cling wrap directly on icing. If leaving out, keep moist paper towel on top. Keep all decorating tips in a damp cloth when using or icing will dry hard in your decorating tipshttps://www.confectionarychalet.com/royal-icing-information/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/dining/cookie-decorating-royal-icing.htmlhttps://www.seriouseats.com/2016/12/decorating-cookies-with-royal-icing-tutorial.html
Dan Behles
I buy it online from Amazon, but I also find it in craft stores like Michael's
Texan
Sur La Table has it.
sue t
I added lemon extract and it was perfection.
Tammy
Fantastic recipe. I have never made royal icing before and this was wonderfully easy to work with. It didn't dry out quickly at all. I made a half recipe, which was plenty for 3 colors and 3 dozen cookies. Used some w/ vanilla and some w/ coconut flavoring. 5 stars
aerdna
The icing seems very thick. I assume I can thin it before I use it? Is it best to thin with water or milk?
Dyann Berndt
This is a good, easy recipe for royal icing. It makes a LOT, though. I thought about halving it, didn't, and then wished I did because I had a lot left over. Meringue powder can be purchased at Michael's or Joann Fabrics. One day, I hope grocery stores realize that they should carry it, too.
Michelle Fredsell
Walmart has it in their cookie isle... Wilton brand
cyrus
store in glass container with cling wrap directly on icing. If leaving out, keep moist paper towel on top. Keep all decorating tips in a damp cloth when using or icing will dry hard in your decorating tipshttps://www.confectionarychalet.com/royal-icing-information/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/dining/cookie-decorating-royal-icing.htmlhttps://www.seriouseats.com/2016/12/decorating-cookies-with-royal-icing-tutorial.html
April
Walmart has it in their Wilton cake decorating section, typically near the greeting cards and crafts sections.
Martha MacC
Where can I get meringue powder?
Dan Behles
I buy it online from Amazon, but I also find it in craft stores like Michael's
Cariad
Online from Wilton or King Arthur Flour.
wendy
You can get it at Michael's (wilton brand) as well as online from places like Amazon, as well as your local cake decorating shop if you have one nearby.
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