Print

The Best Easy Royal Icing Recipe Using Meringue Powder

A white bowl filled with thick, glossy, freshly mixed royal icing recipe, showing stiff peaks.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Learn how to make this easy royal icing recipe that dries hard and smooth, perfect for detailed cookie decorating, flooding, and piping on sugar cookies.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
  • 6 to 8 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder until fully combined.
  2. Add the clear vanilla extract and 6 tablespoons of warm water to the dry ingredients.
  3. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer until the ingredients are just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  4. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 7 minutes until the icing is very smooth, glossy, and holds stiff peaks. This is your stiff consistency icing, perfect for piping outlines.
  5. To achieve flood consistency for filling in areas, add water one teaspoon at a time, mixing slowly after each addition, until the icing flows smoothly off the mixer beater and the trail disappears back into the bowl within 10 seconds.
  6. Color the icing as needed using gel food coloring. Mix colors thoroughly before using.
  7. Use immediately for decorating cookies. Cover any unused icing with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent drying.

Notes

  • For piping consistency (outlining), aim for stiff peaks. If the icing is too stiff, add water 1/2 teaspoon at a time.
  • For flood consistency, the icing should slowly fall from a spoon in a ribbon that smooths out in about 10 seconds. This is the consistency needed to fill in shapes on sugar cookies.
  • If your icing seems too thin for flooding, add more sifted confectioners’ sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until the correct consistency returns.
  • This icing dries firm and hard, making it ideal for stacking and gifting decorated cookies.

Nutrition

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