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Get ready to take your cookie decorating to the next level! This easy royal icing recipe is super simple, comes together in under 10 minutes, and gives you smooth, glossy icing that’s perfect for piping, flooding, or adding all the festive details you love. Whether you’re using egg whites or meringue powder, your cookies are about to look as good as they taste!
This is my ‘go to’ recipe for adding icing decorations to cookies. I prefer to pipe it onto the tops of cut out sugar cookies, chocolate shortbread, and maple gingerbread cookies using a piping bag. But, you can make it even easier by placing the frosting in a shallow bowl and just dipping the cookie into the icing for full coverage.
Key Ingredients & Test Notes
- Powdered Sugar: The base of your royal icing, it gives structure and sweetness.
- Test Note: Make sure to sift the sugar before mixing to avoid lumps and achieve a smooth finish.
- Egg Whites or Meringue Powder: Helps the icing hold its shape and dry to a firm finish.
- Water for Meringue Based: Adjusts the consistency of the icing for piping or flooding.
- Test Note: Start with the recommended amount and add more gradually if needed; too much water will make the icing runny.
- Optional Flavoring: Vanilla, almond, or lemon extract can be added for extra flavor.
Egg White or Meringue Powder
Both royal icing recipes result in a cookie icing with a lovely shine, that holds it shape, and dries without becoming hard or chalky. They’re also perfect for piping and flooding. Piping being the outlining of the cookie shape and flooding is filling in the outlined design. It has a great consistency to do both!
If you plan on adding food coloring to your icing, simply make the icing then dribble a few drops of desired icing color and mix again until color is incorporated.
Easy Royal Icing Using Egg Whites
- Use fresh room temperature pasteurized egg whites
- Store in airtight container in fridge for 4-5 days
Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder
If you prefer to not consume raw egg whites, you can make cookie icing with meringue powder. This form of icing can also be frozen in a freezer safe ziploc bag for up to 1 month.
Helpful Tips
- Check consistency: Royal icing should be thick enough to hold its shape but soft enough to pipe smoothly. Adjust with a little more water to thin or powdered sugar to thicken as needed.
- Room temperature ingredients: Make sure egg whites or meringue powder are at room temperature for best results.
- Beat thoroughly: Whip until the icing is glossy and smooth; this helps with piping clean lines.
- Cover unused icing: Royal icing dries quickly when exposed to air, so cover bowls or piping bags with a damp cloth or plastic wrap when not in use.
- Work in small batches: If coloring your icing, mix small portions at a time to avoid wasting large batches.
- Let cookies dry completely: Allow 1–2 hours (or longer for thicker layers) before stacking or storing to prevent smudges.
- Avoid overmixing colors: Stir gently when adding food coloring to prevent deflating your icing.
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Easy Royal Icing Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Egg White Royal Icing
- 90 grams (3 large) egg whites, room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 480 grams (4 cups) powdered sugar
Meringue Powder Royal Icing
- 480 grams (4 cups) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 9-10 tablespoons water
Instructions
Egg White Royal Icing
- In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, whip egg whites on medium high until soft peaks form.90 grams egg whites
- Add vanilla, then mix in 1 cup of a sugar at a time while continuing on medium high speed.90 grams egg whites, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract, 480 grams powdered sugar
- Scrape bottom and side of bowl with rubber spatula to incorporate all powdered sugar stuck on sides.
- Whip for 2-3 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Transfer icing to a piping bag with desired tip. Let decorated cookies dry on counter for 1-2 hrs before stacking.
Meringue Powder Royal Icing
- In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, whip sugar, meringue powder, vanilla, and 8 tablespoons of the water together on medium high until combined and thick. (3-4 minutes)480 grams powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons meringue powder, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract, 9-10 tablespoons water
- When you lift the whisk from the bowl, icing should be glossy and softly fall back into the bowl without completely falling off whisk. If it seems to thick add another Tbsp of water and mix again. On the other hand if its too thin, slowly add more powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
- Transfer to piping bag with desired tip and decorate. Set frosted cookies on counter to set for 1-2 hrs before stacking.
We used this recipe yesterday, and it deserves every one of these five stars. It was incredibly easy to mix—no fuss, no complicated steps—and the consistency was spot-on for both piping and flooding. Even better, it tasted amazing! Sweet, smooth, and not chalky at all. It made decorating fun instead of stressful, and the final cookies looked (and tasted!) fantastic. This is definitely our new go-to royal icing recipe!
I have never made icing at home before, and didn t know the difference in royal and buttercream!! This was so informative- I feel so much more cookie smart now ?? Also these cookies are gorgeous- I m so impressed!