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Foolproof Royal Icing Recipe with Meringue Powder for Perfect Cookies

A white bowl filled with thick, perfectly peaked royal icing recipe mixture, sitting on a wooden surface near a window.
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Follow this easy recipe to make stable, glossy royal icing using meringue powder. This guide shows you how to achieve the correct consistency for outlining and flooding sugar cookies, ensuring a professional, hard finish.

Ingredients

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  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or clear vanilla extract
  • 6 to 8 teaspoons warm water

Instructions

  1. Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Sifting prevents lumps and helps achieve a smooth icing.
  2. Add the meringue powder to the sifted sugar and whisk together briefly.
  3. Add the vanilla extract and 6 teaspoons of warm water to the dry ingredients.
  4. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer until the ingredients are just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  5. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 7 minutes until the icing is very stiff, white, and glossy.
  6. Check the consistency. If the icing is too thick for piping or flooding, add the remaining water, one teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition until you reach the desired texture.
  7. Separate the icing into bowls for coloring, if desired. Cover all unused icing with a damp cloth or plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent drying.
  8. To achieve piping consistency (for outlines), use the icing as is or thin slightly with a few drops of water.
  9. To achieve flood consistency (for filling in areas), thin the icing further by adding water, one drop at a time, until it flows smoothly off the spoon and disappears back into the bowl within 10 to 12 seconds.
  10. Use the icing immediately for decorating cookies. Allow decorated cookies to dry completely at room temperature for several hours until the icing is hard to the touch.

Notes

  • For the best results when decorating sugar cookies, always use clear vanilla extract to keep the icing pure white.
  • If you need the icing to dry faster or harder, add 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar to the dry ingredients.
  • Store unused, tightly covered icing at room temperature for up to two weeks; do not refrigerate.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://pureplatepath.com/royal-icing-recipe/