When I first started on my cookie journey, I found a base Royal Icing and Sugar Cookie recipe for free on Sweet Sugarbelle's website. She is the OC - The Original Cookier and the sweetest person ever. (Yes, I've met her!)
Because I believe in paying it forward, I offer basic Royal Icing and Roll Out Sugar Cookie recipes for free. The more complex cookie recipes are for purchase in my website shop.
As I hate having to scroll all the way to the bottom for a recipe, I've listed it here but recommend you reading the notes at the bottom of the post BEFORE starting the recipe.
Ingredients
2 Lbs Powdered Sugar
1.5 Tbsp Meringue Powder
2 Tbsp Flavouring - See Notes
1-2 C Warm Water - See Notes
Tupperware - Optional
Cellophane - Optional
Directions
Put your powdered sugar into your mixer. If it's clumpy, sift it before putting it in there.
Add your meringue powder and flavouring to the bowl with 1/2 C of water and lightly mix with a spatula so it doesn't puff in your face when you turn on the mixer.
If using a stand mixer, cover the mixer with a towel before turning it on and be ready with the cup of water.
READ THESE NEXT SENTENCES CAREFULLY: SLOWLY add water to your mixer so it starts mixing freely. You may not use all the water that's called for. When the mixer is mixing easily, bump it up to medium speed and mix it for TWO-FOUR minutes until stiff peaks form - This will be stiff flower making consistency.
Turn off the mixer and put the icing in an airtight container with cellophane covering the top BEFORE you put the lid on it. This will keep it from getting crusty
Change the consistency and colour by hand, adding water and food colouring.
Notes About This Recipe
Flavourings
Add whatever flavourings make your heart happy. Vanilla is a good place to start but also be creative with lemon or blueberry for example.
Signs of overmixing
If you leave your mixer on past about 5 min, it may start separating.
Signs of this are if it becomes chalky or if the icing won't dry once it's on the cookie
Adding Food Colouring
I recommend using a toothpick to add food colouring even if it's in a dropper bottle so you don't accidentally oversaturate your icing.
Signs of oversaturating are if the colours start bleeding into each other when the cookie starts to dry
Meringue Powder
I always get asked what Meringue Powder to use. I recommend Genie's Dream but Celebakes works too. I recommend avoiding Wilton's unless you don't have another option. Both are in my Amazon List
Storing Icing
You can store this icing recipe on the counter for up to a month, in the fridge for 2 months and in the freezer for up to 3 months though I recommend fridge or freezer.
Icing will naturally separate as it sits. You'll notice liquid at the bottom of the container if left on the counter for more than a couple days. It's not bad, it just needs a mix. Once this happens, it'll separate faster and faster the longer it's out. The fridge/freezer helps control this so I recommend putting your icing in there after each use.
To keep it from getting clumpy and dry, replace the cellophane after each use.
I make quad batches and freeze them in 2 and 4 cup Deli containers. I just pull out what I need each week. I have these containers in my Amazon List as well.
Dry Time
It takes about 8-24 hours for a base layer of icing to dry and another 8-24 for additional layers.
You can use a dehydrator to speed up the process but only leave it in there for max 30 min at the lowest heat setting
If you run into any issues, drop me a comment and I'll try to help.
Happy Baking!
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