How to Make Royal Icing

This royal icing recipe is my favourite to use when decorating sugar cookies. Using everyday ingredients you probably already have on hand, this icing tastes incredible, is really easy to make and sets hard. This is really the only icing recipe you’ll need for decorating cookies!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Australian

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings cups

Calories 719kcal

Author Sally

Ingredients

2 egg whites
3 cups icing sugar sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla
gel food colouring optional for decorating

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment fitted, place the egg whites and begin whipping until frothy.
Add in the icing sugar a tablespoon at a time, combining each tablespoon of sugar into the egg whites completely before adding in the next.
Once all of the icing sugar has been added in, add in the vanilla and continue beating for a couple of minutes until the icing is thick, smooth and shiny. If it’s too stiff add a very small amount of water a little at a time until the mixture is smooth but be careful not to add too much as you want to make sure the icing will stand on its own.
Colour the icing with the food colouring as needed for decorating.

Notes

You can use fresh egg whites for this recipe or the equivalent liquid pasteurised egg whites from the carton. Either will work.

Icing will harden at room temperature in about 2 hours, but will need around 24 hours to be completely solid for stacking and storing without risking damage to your designs.

Note that on humid days (like we get at Christmas time in Brisbane, it may take longer for the icing to set so I’ll often sit them in front of a fan to speed things up).

Nutrition