The short answer: This royal icing recipe uses 3 ingredients and dries hard, so decorated cookies can be stacked and gifted. Beat 4 cups of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of meringue powder and about 9 tablespoons of water for 4 to 5 minutes until glossy with stiff peaks, then thin portions with water for outlining and flooding. Below are the amounts, an egg white version, the consistency test, coloring and drying times.
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I love cooking, and decorating cookies is the part of holiday baking where everybody wants a turn. Getting the icing right first makes it fun instead of messy.
Royal icing ingredients
| Ingredient | Meringue powder version | Egg white version |
|---|---|---|
| Powdered sugar | 4 cups (about 1 pound) | 4 cups |
| Meringue powder | 3 tablespoons | None |
| Pasteurized egg whites | None | 2 large |
| Water | About 9 tablespoons, plus more to thin | 1 to 2 teaspoons, plus more to thin |
| Flavoring | ½ teaspoon clear vanilla or almond extract | Same |
| Lemon juice | Optional | ½ teaspoon, helps stabilize |
Meringue powder is the easiest choice for most kitchens. If you use egg whites, use pasteurized ones: the FDA's egg safety guidance recommends pasteurized eggs or egg products for recipes that call for raw or undercooked eggs, and royal icing is never cooked.
How to make royal icing, step by step
- Use a grease-free bowl. Any fat keeps royal icing from whipping and hardening. Wipe the bowl and beaters with a little vinegar.
- Combine. Add powdered sugar and meringue powder, mix briefly, then add the water and extract.
- Beat. Mix on low until combined, then on medium for 4 to 5 minutes until thick, glossy and holding stiff peaks.
- Cover right away. Royal icing crusts fast. Keep the bowl covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Divide and color. Spoon portions into small bowls and tint with gel coloring.
- Thin to consistency. Add water a few drops at a time for outline and flood icing.
- Bag it. Fill piping bags or squeeze bottles and decorate.
Royal icing consistency guide
The quick test: drag a knife through the surface and count how long the line takes to disappear.
| Consistency | Seconds to smooth over | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff | Doesn't close | Gingerbread house glue, piped flowers, ruffles |
| Piping or outline | 20 or more | Borders, lettering, details |
| Medium | About 15 to 20 | One-step outline and flood |
| Flood | About 10 to 15 | Filling in an outline smoothly |
For gingerbread houses, use stiff icing so the walls hold. See these gingerbread house ideas for designs.
Coloring and decorating tips
- Use gel colors; liquid coloring thins the icing.
- Deep red and black darken as they sit, so mix them an hour ahead.
- Outline, wait 5 to 10 minutes, then flood inside the outline.
- Pop air bubbles with a toothpick right after flooding.
- Let each section crust 30 to 60 minutes before piping a color beside it.
- Wet-on-wet designs (dots or swirls dropped into wet flood icing) dry flat and smooth.
Need cookies to decorate? Our sugar cookie recipe makes cut-outs that hold their shape, and these Christmas cookie ideas include more classics.
Drying times and fixes
| Stage or problem | What to expect or do |
|---|---|
| Dry to the touch | About 1 to 2 hours |
| Fully hard | About 6 to 8 hours, often overnight |
| Won't harden | Too much water, grease or humidity; add sugar, use a fan |
| Colors bleed | Let each color crust first; use thicker icing |
| Craters in small areas | Pipe a little thicker; dry under a fan |
| Icing too stiff to pipe | Add water ½ teaspoon at a time |
Gifting decorated cookies
Let cookies dry overnight, then bag them individually. Label them with ingredients: the FDA's food allergy guide lists eggs, milk and wheat among the major food allergens, and most iced sugar cookies contain all three. If you're shipping them, FoodSafety.gov's holiday food gift tips suggest mailing early in the week in a sturdy box. A Christmas cookie box is an easy way to package a mix.
Plan your cookie baking
- Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Keep your icing ratios, color mixes and cookie recipe in one place.
- Christmas Budget & Gift Planner, $4.99. Track who gets cookie boxes and what the butter, sugar and boxes cost.
- Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (regularly $25.94 for the six items bought separately). The gift planner plus the Meal Planner & Grocery List, a cleaning schedule and savings trackers.
Find more seasonal planners in the Holiday shop and every printable in Printables.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make royal icing? You make royal icing by beating 4 cups of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of meringue powder and about 9 tablespoons of water on low, then medium, for 4 to 5 minutes until glossy with stiff peaks. Thin portions with water for outlining and flooding cookies.
Can you make royal icing without meringue powder? Yes, you can make royal icing without meringue powder. Use 2 large pasteurized egg whites in place of the meringue powder and most of the water. The FDA advises pasteurized eggs or egg products for any recipe that uses raw or undercooked eggs, which is why pasteurized whites are the safe choice here.
Is royal icing made with raw egg whites safe? Royal icing made with ordinary raw egg whites carries a salmonella risk because the icing is never cooked. Use meringue powder or pasteurized egg whites instead, especially for cookies going to young children, older adults, pregnant people or anyone with a weak immune system.
What is flood consistency royal icing? Flood consistency royal icing is thin enough that a line drawn through it disappears in about 10 to 15 seconds. It's used to fill in an outline with a smooth layer.
What consistency should royal icing be for outlining? Outline icing should be like toothpaste: it holds a line but still pipes smoothly through a small round tip. A line drawn through it should take about 20 seconds or more to close.
How long does royal icing take to dry? Royal icing is dry to the touch in about 1 to 2 hours and fully hard in about 6 to 8 hours, often overnight. Thick layers and humid kitchens take longer, so let cookies dry overnight before stacking or bagging.
How do I keep royal icing colors from bleeding? You keep royal icing colors from bleeding by letting each color crust over for 30 to 60 minutes before piping a neighboring color, and by using gel food coloring instead of liquid. Overly thin icing and humidity both make bleeding worse.
How do you store leftover royal icing? Store leftover royal icing made with meringue powder in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed on the surface, and re-whip it before using. Icing made with egg whites should be kept in the refrigerator.
Why is my royal icing not hardening? Royal icing usually won't harden because it has too much water, too much grease from a bowl or tools, or very high humidity. Beat in more powdered sugar, use grease-free tools and dry cookies in front of a fan.
How much royal icing do I need for a batch of cookies? One batch made with 4 cups of powdered sugar decorates about 2 to 3 dozen medium cookies with an outline and flood. Write down what each design used in a Family Recipe Binder from HomeBase Paper Co. so next year's shopping list is right.