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My easy royal icing recipe is perfect for cookies, treats, and more! The best part is that it’s egg-free and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand.
When my daughter had her first birthday, I was kind of sad that I didn’t know how to make a beautiful cake for her like my mom used to make for me. So, I ended up taking Wilton classes at my local Michael’s store with my best friend. We took every single class that they offered and then found a few more non-Wilton classes at a local cake store. I love learning how to make all those beautiful flowers and have a huge book of recipes and ideas from those classes, but I was tired of always relying on pre-made products to make my icing. I knew there had to be a better way.
I found a from scratch royal icing recipe that was just egg whites and powdered sugar…easy enough! However, with my egg allergy I knew I needed something that I could use on cookies and and treats that I could eat so I set out to make a royal icing that was egg-free. I’ve seen some bloggers call their royal icing egg-free, but it still calls for meringue powder (which is made from egg whites by the way).
I have only used my recipe for decorating cookies and other treats and have not attempted to create any flowers with it yet. So, use it for cookies, treats, or even gingerbread houses.
Royal Icing Tips
-use super clean utensils, tips, and bags. Any grease (like leftover from a buttercream frosting) will breakdown the icing
-keep the icing covered at all times so it doesn’t harden before you use it (cover the bowl and tips with plastic wrap)
-icing will be very thick
-Royal Icing should somewhat hold it shape for a count of 10. This will make a perfect consistency for cookies and gingerbread house decorating. (EX. Scoop up some icing with a spoon and let it drizzle into the bowl. You should be able to see where you drizzled the icing for a count of 10…if it combines too quickly with the other icing it will spread out too much when decorating.)
Watch How Easy It Is To Make Royal Icing
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 tbls milk (almond, rice, soy, cow)
- 2 tsps light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Instructions
- Add confectioner's sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla to a clean bowl. Blend with a handheld mixer until it is mostly lump free, about 45 seconds - 1 minute.
- If it's too thick, add water by the drop (a little goes a long way). If it's too thin, add more confectioner's sugar.
- Note: Royal Icing should somewhat hold it shape for a count of 10. This will make a perfect consistency for cookies and gingerbread house decorating. (Ex. Scoop up some icing with a spoon and let it drizzle into the bowl. You should be able to see where you drizzled the icing for a count of 10...if it combines too quickly with the other icing it will spread out too much when decorating.)
Notes
To decorate cookies: Royal Icing should somewhat hold it shape for a count of 10. This will make a perfect consistency for cookies and gingerbread house decorating. (Ex. Scoop up some icing with a spoon and let it drizzle into the bowl. You should be able to see where you drizzled the icing for a count of 10...if it combines too quickly with the other icing it will spread out too much when decorating.)
To build gingerbread houses: Royal Icing should be extremely thick and completely hold it's shape.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 15Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 13mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
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FAQs
Using salt and acid (cream of tartar) balances the sugary sweetness. Silver rum adds a subtle flavor, without darkening the icing like vanilla. Creaming helps minimize the grit of powdered sugar.
How to get perfect royal icing consistency? ›
To achieve flood consistency, start with stiff icing and add a couple of tablespoons of water at a time. To test it, take a spoonful of icing and drop it back into the bowl. It should take between 15-20 seconds for the icing to smooth itself out. This is known as 15 or 20-second count royal icing.
What is the 10 second rule for royal icing? ›
If the icing surface becomes smooth in anywhere between 5-10 seconds, then your icing is ready to use. If it takes longer than approximately 10 seconds, the icing is too thick. Slowly add more water. If your icing surface smoothes over in less than 5-10 seconds, it is too runny.
Is milk or water better for royal icing? ›
There are different versions of royal icing out there, but this is an easy one that comes together quickly with basic ingredients. This recipe uses milk instead of water, which gives it more flavor and just a tad of creaminess.
What to do if you don t have enough powdered sugar for frosting? ›
It is possible to simply use granulated sugar in a slightly smaller amount, though you'll have to accept that the texture may not be ideal, especially for icing or other recipes that are supposed to be super smooth. Just substitute 1 cup of granulated sugar for every 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar and proceed as directed.
Why does my royal icing taste like powdered sugar? ›
It is likely caused by bad powdered sugar or vanilla extract. Not all powdered sugars are created equal. Make sure you use a good quality powdered or confectioners sugar that only contains cane sugar and corn starch. If it contains anything else, it will affect the taste and the texture.
What does overmixed royal icing look like? ›
Undermix, and your royal icing looks translucent and is structurally weak. Overwhip, and you're giving too much volume to the egg proteins via air, causing the structure to weaken in a different way. Overmixed icing usually looks porous when dry, and sometimes will not even fully dry and be soft/brittle.
What makes royal icing harden? ›
Some form of egg whites is an essential ingredient in royal icing as this is what allows the icing to harden. Meringue powder, fresh egg whites, or egg white powder can be used.
What makes royal icing thicker? ›
The icing consistency can be adjusted at any stage of the decorating process simply by stirring in sifted powdered sugar to thicken, or water to thin. Remember, at this stage, it is important to gently stir in (not whip on the mixer) any additional water.
What happens if you mix royal icing too long? ›
Overmixing the icing
If you overmix or mix the icing on a high setting, you'll whip too much air into the mix, leaving you with a frosting that looks more like a crunchy sponge than a smooth finish. Follow our step-by-step guide to make perfect royal icing.
It sound like your icing needs to be thicker. Sift in a tablespoon more icing sugar and stir well. Test it in the bowl so make sure it will form a peak that holds. If it doesen't, sift in some more icing sugar, stir and test again until it does.
What are the disadvantages of royal icing? ›
Disadvantages: Royal icing can crack. This makes it ill-suited for covering large surface areas (for instance an entire cake) or curved surfaces. Royal icing is rarely the most nuanced of flavors, with a somewhat bland (albeit sweet) flavor.
What does cream of tartar do in royal icing? ›
On the other hand, cream of tartar on its own is often included in royal icing recipes, as one of its key functions is to stabilize whipped egg whites. (It's also used to stabilize whipped cream and to prevent sugar syrups from crystallizing.)
What can I use instead of powdered sugar in royal icing? ›
Powdered Sugar Substitutes to Try
- Granulated Sugar and Cornstarch.
- Granulated Sugar and Potato Starch.
- Granulated Sugar and Tapioca Starch.
- Coconut Sugar & Cornstarch, Potato Starch, or Tapioca Starch.
Salt can help counteract sweetness in buttercream frosting, so adding a little more salt than the recipe calls for can help make the frosting less sweet. However, you don't want to add too much salt, or your frosting will taste salty and unpleasant.
Why does my royal icing taste grainy? ›
Be sure to hydrate with warm water to completely dissolve the powder; otherwise, your icing may end up gritty.
How do you make can icing taste like homemade? ›
Whip the frosting with half a block of cream cheese and an extra cup of powdered sugar and a few drops of the appropriate flavoring extract. If you're using chocolate, add cocoa powder. If you want a richer buttery flavor add a few tablespoons of butter as well.
