Royal Icing Recipe
Christmas was always a big deal at our house growing up. We had visits from Santa and parties we
hosted and presents we exchanged. I have an older brother with severe disabilities and each Christmas
morning he was with us, my sister and I were made to wait at the top of the stairs until he was up and
ready to go. While we waited, she would ask if I heard sleigh bells in the night as we giggled and guessed
what was waiting for us down the stairs.
Christmas was the season of ham and sausage balls, new dresses, and fancy shoes. Our record player
would rotate out albums by Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Mahalia Jackson and we would watch
repeats of It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34 th Street, both in black and white. Our home was open
to all our friends one Sunday afternoon each year during December and my mom would prep and
prepare for weeks prior to the gathering hundreds of cookies, gallons of punch, jars of olives and jams
and cheeseballs for the many who flooded in and out of our doors during that time. It was always a
beautiful season, and one I am so thankful for.
One of my favorite traditions at our shop is our gingerbread house decorating events. I started this
event to bring families together to create core holiday memories, whether those memories involve
some friendly competition, or a family multigenerational group gathered just for fun.
Gingerbread houses require a few basic things: gingerbread, icing, and candy! While we could write a
novel on the best gingerbread cookie recipes, or the most iconic candy to use for decorating, I believe
that the icing is the most important part.
Royal icing is simple yet can be highly complicated. Over the years, I have taught thousands of students
the art of working with royal icing. This recipe is one you will want to tear out and hang inside your
cabinet door to reference. And remember, the end result of your cookie decorating is only part of the
story, so enjoy the process and memories made along the way. Merry Christmas!
Royal Icing – Makes approximately 2 cups (Enough to decorate approximately 18 cookies) Recipe can be
easily be doubled or tripled.
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
¼ Cup Meringue Powder *Suggested Brand Truly Mad Plastic available at Sugar Drop
¼ Cup, plus 4 Tbsp water
Optional: Food Coloring or Flavoring
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, place powdered sugar and
meringue powder. Turn the mixer on low and allow the dry ingredients to combine. This helps
break up most clumps.
2. With the mixer on low, slowly add ¼ cup of water. After 20-30 rotations, scrape down the sides,
and return the mixer to low speed. Slowly add 1 Tbsp of water at a time until you have added an
additional 3 Tbsp. Allow the mixer to work for 1 minute. The icing will transform from a grainy
texture to a light and fluffy texture. Add 1 additional Tbsp of water if needed for a shine. This is
an outline piping consistency. Once the mixer head is lifted, there should be semi stiff peaks that
gently hold their shape. This consistency is perfect for building a gingerbread house and doing
any sort of detail work where you want the icing to hold its shape (i.e. writing, outlines, etc.)
3. If you are icing cookies, you will want a 12 second icing. Take 1 cup of the icing and place it into
a bowl. Stir in 1 tsp of water at a time, stopping after 2 tsp. Draw a line through the middle of
the bowl and after giving the bowl a slight shake, the icing should fall back to a smooth surface
(i.e. Think about a boat driving across a lake. It would take 12 seconds for the lake water to be
smooth again) If the icing is still too stiff, add 1 additional tsp. If icing is too loose, add 1 Tbsp of
thick consistency icing to the bowl. 12 second icing can be used for outlining and filling.
Tips:
You can use any flavor you would like if it is not oil based. We don’t add any flavor to
ours at Sugar Drop, but vanilla or butter vanilla are delicious.
Use a scribe tool or toothpick in a circular motion to help encourage icing to lay flat.
Wipe your mixing bowl and tools with vinegar prior to making icing to ensure that no oil
will contact the icing. Oil and royal icing are not friends.
If you want to color your icing, only use gel-based coloring.
We suggest using tipless bags with royal icing. We prefer the Truly Mad Plastic brand
available at Sugar Drop.
Store leftover icing in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks in a refrigerator. Color will
separate but gently massage the bag to mix the color again.
Take a Royally Fun Cookie Class at Sugar Drop ��
Christmas was always a big deal at our house growing up. We had visits from Santa and parties we
hosted and presents we exchanged. I have an older brother with severe disabilities and each Christmas
morning he was with us, my sister and I were made to wait at the top of the stairs until he was up and
ready to go. While we waited, she would ask if I heard sleigh bells in the night as we giggled and guessed
what was waiting for us down the stairs.
Christmas was the season of ham and sausage balls, new dresses, and fancy shoes. Our record player
would rotate out albums by Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Mahalia Jackson and we would watch
repeats of It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34 th Street, both in black and white. Our home was open
to all our friends one Sunday afternoon each year during December and my mom would prep and
prepare for weeks prior to the gathering hundreds of cookies, gallons of punch, jars of olives and jams
and cheeseballs for the many who flooded in and out of our doors during that time. It was always a
beautiful season, and one I am so thankful for.
One of my favorite traditions at our shop is our gingerbread house decorating events. I started this
event to bring families together to create core holiday memories, whether those memories involve
some friendly competition, or a family multigenerational group gathered just for fun.
Gingerbread houses require a few basic things: gingerbread, icing, and candy! While we could write a
novel on the best gingerbread cookie recipes, or the most iconic candy to use for decorating, I believe
that the icing is the most important part.
Royal icing is simple yet can be highly complicated. Over the years, I have taught thousands of students
the art of working with royal icing. This recipe is one you will want to tear out and hang inside your
cabinet door to reference. And remember, the end result of your cookie decorating is only part of the
story, so enjoy the process and memories made along the way. Merry Christmas!
Royal Icing – Makes approximately 2 cups (Enough to decorate approximately 18 cookies) Recipe can be
easily be doubled or tripled.
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
¼ Cup Meringue Powder *Suggested Brand Truly Mad Plastic available at Sugar Drop
¼ Cup, plus 4 Tbsp water
Optional: Food Coloring or Flavoring
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, place powdered sugar and
meringue powder. Turn the mixer on low and allow the dry ingredients to combine. This helps
break up most clumps.
2. With the mixer on low, slowly add ¼ cup of water. After 20-30 rotations, scrape down the sides,
and return the mixer to low speed. Slowly add 1 Tbsp of water at a time until you have added an
additional 3 Tbsp. Allow the mixer to work for 1 minute. The icing will transform from a grainy
texture to a light and fluffy texture. Add 1 additional Tbsp of water if needed for a shine. This is
an outline piping consistency. Once the mixer head is lifted, there should be semi stiff peaks that
gently hold their shape. This consistency is perfect for building a gingerbread house and doing
any sort of detail work where you want the icing to hold its shape (i.e. writing, outlines, etc.)
3. If you are icing cookies, you will want a 12 second icing. Take 1 cup of the icing and place it into
a bowl. Stir in 1 tsp of water at a time, stopping after 2 tsp. Draw a line through the middle of
the bowl and after giving the bowl a slight shake, the icing should fall back to a smooth surface
(i.e. Think about a boat driving across a lake. It would take 12 seconds for the lake water to be
smooth again) If the icing is still too stiff, add 1 additional tsp. If icing is too loose, add 1 Tbsp of
thick consistency icing to the bowl. 12 second icing can be used for outlining and filling.
Tips:
You can use any flavor you would like if it is not oil based. We don’t add any flavor to
ours at Sugar Drop, but vanilla or butter vanilla are delicious.
Use a scribe tool or toothpick in a circular motion to help encourage icing to lay flat.
Wipe your mixing bowl and tools with vinegar prior to making icing to ensure that no oil
will contact the icing. Oil and royal icing are not friends.
If you want to color your icing, only use gel-based coloring.
We suggest using tipless bags with royal icing. We prefer the Truly Mad Plastic brand
available at Sugar Drop.
Store leftover icing in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks in a refrigerator. Color will
separate but gently massage the bag to mix the color again.
Take a Royally Fun Cookie Class at Sugar Drop ��
