Homemade Royal Icing Recipe
Learn how to make easy royal icing without meringue powder and without corn syrup! Perfect for decorating cookies!
Servings 8 cups
Cost $5
Ingredients
- 3 oz egg whites
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
Instructions
- Separate 6 eggs into 2 bowls. Weigh the whites until you have 3oz. Try not to go over by too much, remove any extra and discard.Set aside the yolks and use for lemon curd or homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream!
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, with a whisk attachment, mix the whites with 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract (we use homemade vanilla and the white icing was still very white) until frothy, don't mix too long!
- Slowly add in 2 pounds of powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Turn mixer up to high speed and mix until stiff peaks form, 5-7 minutes.You don't want to overbeat, so check it often for peaks!Note: The mix will be VERY thick after adding the powdered sugar - that's normal. Just turn the mixer up and let it do its thing!
- Remove whisk from icing and cover bowl with 3 layers of wet paper towels (not dripping wet, but soaked and rung out). This will keep the icing from drying out while you are mixing your colors.
- Working with 1/2 - 1 cup of icing at a time, and keep the wet paper towels covering the mixing bowl, add coloring to the desired color. Add water to reach the right consistency, then fill a piping bag and DO NOT cut the end until all your colors are ready!
Notes
How to Store Royal Icing
If you are making a lot of cookies over a few days, you can keep the icing bags in the fridge. Pinch the ends to push the icing out of the tip, then fold the end over and place a clothes pin (or bag clip) on the end. When you are ready to use the icing again, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before starting to pipe it again. Test the icing on a paper towel before trying it on a cookie! Storing Royal Icing in the Freezer
If you have a lot of left over icing, prep the bags in the same way as described above, then place them in a freezer ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 6 months. To thaw, just place the icing on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. You may need to massage the bags a few times to make sure the center of the icing is reaching the right temperature as well.
If you are making a lot of cookies over a few days, you can keep the icing bags in the fridge. Pinch the ends to push the icing out of the tip, then fold the end over and place a clothes pin (or bag clip) on the end. When you are ready to use the icing again, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before starting to pipe it again. Test the icing on a paper towel before trying it on a cookie! Storing Royal Icing in the Freezer
If you have a lot of left over icing, prep the bags in the same way as described above, then place them in a freezer ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 6 months. To thaw, just place the icing on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. You may need to massage the bags a few times to make sure the center of the icing is reaching the right temperature as well.