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Royal Icing for Sugar Cookies: Make Icing That Dries Hard and Smooth

Close-up of sugar cookies topped with bright blue and yellow sugar cookie icing that hardens.
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Learn to make a simple royal icing that dries firm and glossy, perfect for decorating and stacking cut-out sugar cookies.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

  1. Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl.
  2. Add the meringue powder to the sifted sugar. Whisk them together briefly.
  3. Gradually add the warm water while mixing on low speed with an electric mixer, or by hand.
  4. Mix until the icing is smooth and holds soft peaks. This is the basic consistency for outlining.
  5. For flooding consistency, add water one teaspoon at a time until the icing flows slowly off the whisk and the trail disappears into the bowl in about 10 seconds.
  6. Use the icing immediately for outlining cookies with a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
  7. Let the outline dry for 10 to 15 minutes until it is firm to the touch.
  8. Fill in the outlined area (flood) with the thinner consistency icing.
  9. Allow the decorated cookies to air dry completely at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours, or until the surface is completely hard.

Notes

  • If the icing is too thick, add a few drops of water. If it is too thin, add a tablespoon of sifted powdered sugar.
  • To store unused icing, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the icing in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. Let it come to room temperature and stir gently before using.
  • For vibrant colors, use gel food coloring, adding it sparingly until you reach the desired shade.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytribune.com/sugar-cookie-icing-that-hardens/