Royal icing recipe is a quick and easy frosting that dries hard. It's very sweet because it's mostly powdered sugar and egg whites. It has endless uses in the cake and cookie decorating world. Once you learn the right method to make it, and the right consistency that works for you, it can be a fun experience.
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If you've made icing before, then you know that it can be both fun and frustrating. The same with royal icing. If you make it right, you will enjoy decorating each and every cookie or cake. In fact, many people also use it to decorate their gingerbread house. And, if not, you could be spending all night struggling to decorate.
Did you know that decorations made with royal icing can last forever if stored properly? Humidity is its worst enemy and grease can break it down ruining all your hard work. So, the key to success with RI is to get the recipe and consistency right.
While there are many recipes out there, there is usually only one that works best for you. The recipes in this post are the ones that work for me. For many years, I used the recipe that uses raw egg whites before I switched to meringue powder. I find working with the raw egg whites recipe the best for me. So, when possible, I try to get pasteurized egg whites.
Royal icing recipe and fat/grease
- The royal icing will break down with grease. So, before you start, ensure that your mixing bowl and the utensils that you use to make your icing are all grease-free. Her's what I do.
- I wash my mixing bowl and paddle attachment with warm water.
- Then, I take a paper hand towel, add a few drops of white vinegar on the towel and wipe the bowl dry.
- I do this even when I am making my Pavlova or meringue cookies.
- If you are making RI with raw eggs, you want to ensure that you separate the egg whites from the yolks carefully, and one at a time. If you have the slightest trace of egg yolk in the egg white, do not use it. Save it for something else. Egg yolk is fat. So, any fat in the egg white from the yolk will prevent the meringue from whipping up.
5 Royal icing recipes
1. Easy royal icing recipe with raw egg whites
- Add all the ingredients to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium for about ten minutes. If necessary add more powdered sugar until you get the desired consistency.
- Once ready, you can use it just as regular royal icing, adding ½ teaspoon of water as needed.
- Use fresh, leftover can be kept in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Bring back to room temperature and stir well before using.
2. Royal icing recipe with meringue powder
- Place meringue powder and salt in the mixer bowl with the paddle attachment.
- Add half of the sugar in to the mixing bowl. I prefer to sift them together so there are no lumps.
- Add the water - Start the mixer on low speed.
- Once all the sugar has incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium speed and continue mixing for about 5 minutes until you have a gooey consistency.
- Next, add the remaining sugar.
- Check to see if you need more water, do not add more than ½ tablespoon at a time.
- Continue to mix for 3 more minutes.
- Add extract and light corn syrup.
- Now, turn the mixer up to medium and beat for another 2 to 4 minutes.
- Once you reach a stiff peaks consistency, your royal icing is ready.
3. Royal icing recipe with egg white powder
Meringue powder is usually found in cake decorating stores and already contains cream of tartar and salt to make it more stable for Royal Icing. But if you cannot find it, and don't want to use raw eggs, you can buy the egg white powder from your regular grocery store and add the remaining ingredients as I have given below in the recipe card.
- Place meringue powder and salt in the mixer bowl with the paddle attachment.
- Puls half the sugar in the mixing bowl. I prefer to sift them together so there are no lumps.
- Add the water - Start the mixer on low speed.
- Once all the sugar has incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium speed and continue mixing for about 5 minutes until you have a gooey consistency.
- Next, add the remaining sugar.
- Check to see if you need more water, do not add more than ½ tablespoon at a time.
- Continue to mix for 3 more minutes.
- Add extract and light corn syrup.
- Now turn the mixer up to medium and beat for another 2 to 4 minutes.
- Once you reach a stiff peaks consistency, your royal icing is ready.
4. Eggless royal icing recipe
This is the same sugar glaze we use to top our bundt cakes and loaf cakes. Yes, it also makes the perfect icing for decorating cookies.
- In a bowl, combine light corn syrup, water, and lemon juice - and set aside.
- Sift the powdered sugar to prevent lumps.
- In a large bowl (large enough to mix), combine the powdered sugar and light corn syrup mixture.
- Combine until smooth and syrupy consistency - if necessary add 1 to 2 tablespoon more water (it's best to add 1 tablespoon at a time). Also, note that adding gel food coloring will thin the icing as well.
- You can use it immediately or store this in an airtight container.
- You can use this icing to flood cookies as well as glaze cakes.
- This icing will stay in the fridge for up to 3 days.
5. Vegan (eggless) royal icing with chickpea brine
- Combine chickpea brine (water), lemon juice and powdered sugar in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment.
- Start whipping on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes thick and glossy, similar to a meringue.
- Add the glycerine, vanilla and almond extract.
- Continue to whip until you have a thick royal icing - about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer to an airtight container, cover with a plastic wrap touching the surface.
- This royal icing will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Black royal icing
- In any of the above recipes - just replace powdered sugar with an equal amount of cocoa powder.
- Add black food color gel at the end of the mixing process.
Covering an entire cake with royal icing
The above recipe dried hard like candy and cannot be used to cover the cake.
If you need to cover a fruit cake with royal icing. First, cover the cake with marzipan and add glycerin to the royal icing.
- Add 1 teaspoon of glycerin to your royal icing for the bottom tier of the cake.
- 2 teaspoon of glycerin for the second tier.
- 3 teaspoon of glycerin for the top tier.
- If it's a single-tier cake - add 1 teaspoon of glycerin per cup of royal icing.
Uses and storage
- Royal icing dries hard when it comes in contact with air. So, as soon as your icing is prepared, place it in a grease-free container that has a tight lid. Use a cling wrap/ plastic wrap and place directly over the icing to prevent any air from touching it.
- Royal Icing is best used fresh, the longer it sits around the weaker it gets. You will see the water and icing separate. Mix well before you re-use it.
- Royal icing (not made with fresh egg white) can be kept at room temperature and can last for up to a week. It can also be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Royal icing decorations last forever if stored properly. Humidity does reduce its shelf life. So, if you do have spare leftover royal icing from your cakes, don't throw it away. You can make drop flowers, which are really easy to make and are great to add a little life to any simple cake.
Know your RI - How to test royal icing recipe
A good royal icing is strong and dries hard.
- When you hold a piece of dried RI you should be able to break it into two pieces.
- If it crumbles into small pieces, it means your RI is weak with too much water.
- And, if it is crusty - turns to a powdery mess, then it means you have too much powedered sugar in your recipe. You need to use more egg whites or meringue powder next time.
More cake decorating recipes
- Korean Buttercream Recipe
- Homemade Edible Fabric - Edible Silk
- Homemade Edible Sugar Lace
- Bean Paste Recipe for Sugar Flowers - Korean Bean Paste
- Best EVER Homemade Fondant
- See all ganache recipes
- See all the Fondant recipes
- Also, see in Frostings recipes
- And see all Fillings recipes
Frequently asked questions
Royal icing can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Make sure to cover it properly on the top with cling wrap touching the surface in an airtight container. When you take it out you will need to mix it thoroughly again if separated.
Royal Icing is meringue-based. So, usually, it does not take long to dry. After you pipe, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Often, by the time you finish a few steps, you can go back to the first and continue piping if you need to.
You can but only after they are completely dry. While it starts drying after about 15 - 20 minutes, the inside is still wet. It takes a good few hours (overnight) to dry completely.
Yes, you can and I have given you the detailed instruction above in this post. Often, a fruit cake is brushed with apricot jam then covered with marzipan, which is left to dry completely. Once the marzipan dries, you can cover it with royal icing. Glycerin is added to royal icing and I have given you the details above.
Usually, we use sugar cookies to decorate with royal icing. Look for a sugar cookie recipe that does not spread too much and holds its shape without rounded corners. You can also use it to decorate gingerbread cookies. I have 6 cookies recipes that are very popular and perfect for decorating.
Best Vanilla Sugar Cookies,
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
No Spread Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
No Spread Sugar Cookies
No-Chill Sugar Cookies
Eggless Sugar Cookies
Eggless Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Gluten-Free sugar cookies (Rice flour sugar cookies)
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Royal Icing Recipe - 5 Recipes
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Royal Icing with Raw Eggs
- 2 Egg whites
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 4 cups (480 g) Confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (clear or almond extract)
Royal Icing with Meringue Powder
- 3 tbsp Meringue powder
- 3 cups (360 g) Confectioners sugar
- 4 tbsp ( ) Warm water
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract (clear or almond extract)
- 1 tsp Light corn syrup
Royal Icing with Egg white Powder
- 2 tbsp Egg white powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Cream of tartar
- 4 tbsp Warm water
- 3 cups (360 g) Confectioners sugar ((Icing sugar/Powdered sugar))
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract (clear or almond extract)
Black Royal Icing
- 3 tablespoon (22 g) Cocoa powder
- 2 tsp Black food color gel
Eggless Royal Icing
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ( ) Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp ( ) Light corn syrup
- 3 to 4 tablespoon water (more for consistency)
Vegan Royal Icing - with Chickpea brine
- 6 tablespoon Chickpea brine (canned)
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Glycerine
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Almond extract
Instructions
Royal icing with raw egg whites
- Take all the precautions regarding grease as above then continue.
- Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium for about ten minutes. If necessary, add more powdered sugar.
- Once ready, you can use it just as regular royal icing, adding ½ teaspoon of water as needed.
- Use fresh, leftover can be kept in the fridge for about 3 days. Bring back to room temperature and mix well before using.
Royal icing with meringue or egg white powder
- Place (dry ingredients) meringue powder (or egg white powder, cream of tartar and salt) in a mixer bowl with a paddle attachment.
- Puls half the sugar in the mixing bowl. I prefer to sift them together so there are no lumps.
- Add the water - Start the mixer on low.
- Once all the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium and continue mixing for about 5 minutes until you have a gooey consistency.
- Next, add the balance sugar.
- Check to see if you need more water, do not add more than ½ tablespoon at a time.
- Continue to mix for 3 more minutes.
- Add extract and light corn syrup.
- Now, turn the mixer up to medium and beat for another 2 to 4 minutes.
- Once you reach a stiff peak consistency, your royal icing is ready.
Black royal icing
- In any of the above recipes - just replace powdered sugar with an equal amount of cocoa powder.
- Add black food color gel at the end of the mixing process.
Eggless royal icing
- Combine light corn syrup, water, and lemon juice - and set aside
- Sift the powdered sugar to prevent lumps.
- In a bowl large enough to mix, combine the powdered sugar and light corn syrup mixture.
- Combine until smooth and syrupy consistency - if necessary, add 1 to 2 tablespoon more water (it's best to add 1 tablespoon at a time also note that adding color will thin the icing as well).
- You can use it immediately or store this in an airtight container.
- You can use this icing to flood cookies as well as glaze cakes.
- This icing will stay in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Vegan (eggless) royal icing II with chickpea brine
- Combine chickpea brine (water), lemon juice and powdered sugar in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment.
- Start whipping on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes thick and glossy, similar to meringue.
- Add the glycerine, vanilla and almond extract.
- Continue to whip until you have a thick royal icing - about 5 to 8 minutes
- Transfer to an airtight container, cover with a plastic wrap touching the surface.
- This royal icing will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Always SIFT your powdered sugar before making royal icing. Otherwise, it will clog in your piping bag. Nothing is more frustrating than a clogged piping tip.
- Use a paddle attachment, not a whisk attachment.
- Even if you need a soft consistency icing for flooding, you must first make the royal icing, then bring it to a soft consistency. Otherwise, the icing will not be set correctly.
- If you overmix the royal icing on high, you will incorporate too much air into the icing. This will make piping difficult. The dried icing will look like a sponge and crusty.
- Royal icing takes color very well. So, use very little at a time. Start with a little on a toothpick, then add more as necessary.
- Before you fill the piping back - spread the icing with a spatula in the bowl. This will take care of air pockets.
- When you pipe the icing, use a toothpick to prick air bubbles. If not, they will be holes in the finished cookie.
- If you need white royal icing, add white food color gel. Because although royal icing looks white, once it dries it looks off-white or cream shade. A tiny drop of blue added to white will give you pure white icing.
- Even if you use one icing for flooding and filling always outline the cookie first. This will help keep the icing from flowing out.
- Never overflood the cookies. While it may appear ok when you just pipe, as the icing spread it will flow over the edges. Use a toothpick or scriber to spread the icing evenly rather than over-flooding.
- While royal icing can start to dry in 15 to 20 minutes, the inside takes longer to dry. Give your cookies a good 24 hours to completely dry before you stack them.
Consistency
It's best to add water to a small batch when you need it. If you add too much water now, you may end up having to add sugar to thicken it up again. I believe too much sugar makes the icing flaky and once dried it tends to chip off even with the slightest draft of air. No matter how soon you are going to use your RI, always transfer to a sealed bowl, covered with cling wrap.The leftovers can be stored in the fridge sealed well.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
michelle
why give the recipes without the amount of ingredients
Veena Azmanov
Michelle. The full list of ingredients with amounts are in the recipe card!!