How about a royal icing recipe that doesn’t require two separate consistencies for flooding and outlining? I have you covered! Let’s Make Perfect Royal Icing For Decorating Sugar Cookies to share with people we love.

Perfect Royal Icing For Decorating Sugar Cookies

My Journey with Royal Icing and Sugar Cookies

Have you noticed all of the lovely photos and videos of sugar cookies turning into tiny works of art that you can eat?

Me too! The videos are a little like watching Bob Ross paint.

Mesmerizing! Captivating! Engaging!
Whaaaat! That plain lightly browned cookie just turned into a flower pot with hydrangeas!

Have you ever wanted to try sugar cookie decorating but put it off because it looks hard? If your answer is yes come on over here and sit by me!

It was that way for the longest time and finally took a class. Guess what…

It wasn’t hard. It was all about the royal icing.

My cookies were a little messy and still are to this day, but tiny masterpieces made with love just the same. Did I mention they are so much fun to make? They are.

Today I am sharing my personal recipe that doesn’t require mixing two separate consistencies for flooding and outlining. It is easy to work with, sets quickly, and keeps a nice texture that won’t break your teeth if you achieve the lovely ribbon-like consistency. Bonus, this gets even better on a 2nd day cookie. A perfect make-ahead treat for a any themed party or gift.

Grab your apron and meet me in the kitchen!

The Best Royal Icing For Decorating Sugar Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 2 1/3 cups. Consider how much you need for outlining and flooding.

1 pound confectioners sugar, sifted
1/2 cup meringue powder
1/2 cup (+/-) water, room temperature
optional: 1/4 teaspoon clear vanilla extract or, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
optional: gel food coloring

gel food coloring (I much prefer these tiny squeeze bottles to the gel food coloring jars.)
white food coloring (This is great for a solid opaque white.)
piping bags (This link has clips and smoothing needles.)
outlining and flooding bottles
decorating tips
flooding/piping bottles | piping bottles #2 Tips for lining/wilton tips fit these bottles
cute cookie cutters: alphabet | winter | spring | summer | fall
cookie decorating tool kit
cookie pans
parchment paper
metallic cookie paint
sanding sugar I keep a ton of this on hand for muffins, scones, and rimming glasses for fancy drinks.)
sprinkles! sprinkles! + more sprinkles
sugar pearls
dehydrator To speed drying time when decorating sugar cookies with multiple outlining and flooding colors.

Royal Icing Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, add the sugar and meringue powder. Mix on low speed until combined.

Drizzle in the 1/2 cup of room temperature water continuing to mix on low speed until the all of the ingredients are incorporated. Turn the mixer to high and continue to mix until the royal icing becomes fluffy.

The royal icing is ready when it holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface of the mixture for 5 seconds when you raise the paddle/s before disappearing back into the royal icing left inside the bowl.

Add a teaspoon of water if the royal icing and resume mixing if it is overly thick.

Royal Icing Tips and Notes

Creating Royal Icing Colors

Separate the royal icing into bowls as per the number of colors you are using to decorate your cookies.Create your colors by adding a small drop/s of the gel food coloring to each bowl and stirring into a solid color.
Use wooden skewers to stir the colors.

If your royal icing has a slight tint and you wish to have a solid white. Add a few drops of white food coloring. I keep this on hand for cake frosting and glazes. This is especially nice if you use organic powdered sugar as it turns into a light tan when water is added.
If you are using piping bags for decorating, fold the bags over the rim of a jar or a glass for easy filling.

I recommend a #2 tip on bottles and piping bags and piping bottles for outlining.
Hold the tip just above the cookie surface to outline.
For edges, bring the outline in just a tiny bit.
Let the outline set for 5 minutes before flooding.
If you are adding a sparkle with sprinkles or sanding sugar. Gently sprinkle while the royal icing outline is wet. Let the outline dry before shaking off the excess for 5 minutes.
If you are painting the outline, let the icing dry completely before flooding. (These are my favorite cookie paints.)

Royal Icing Flooding

What is Sugar Cookies Flooding?

Filling in an royal icing outlined area on a sugar cookie by piping in the royal icing.

I recommend a #3 tip for flooding sugar cookies.
Avoid being heavy handed. Gently squeeze lines or swirls inside the lining without filling the sugar cookie in entirely. Use a flooding stir needle or a wooden skewer to stir the icing over the un-flooded areas.
Gently lift the cookie and give it a gentle shake left and right to smooth out any uneven icing if necessary.
Add a melted in design to the royal icing while it is still wet with a second color. I added polka dots to the letter “U” below.

Outline the area.
Flood the area.
Dry
Continue with next color.

Drying and Storing Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

When I am short on time and my cookie design requires more than one color outline and color flood, I use a dehydrator to speed the drying time.
Let the cookies dry completely before storing.
Store cookies in an airtight container layering with parchment paper for up to 2 weeks.
Bag them individually for gifting.

The Best Royal Icing For Flooding and Outlining Sugar Cookies

Today I am sharing my classic recipe. It is easy to work with, sets quickly, and keeps a nice texture that won't break your teeth if you achieve the lovely ribbon-like consistency. Bonus, this gets even better on a 2nd day cookie. A perfect make-ahead treat for a any themed party or gift. Grab your apron and meet me in the kitchen!

5 from 1 vote

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Servings