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Easy Royal Icing for Hardening Sugar Cookies

Four round sugar cookies decorated with piped royal sugar cookie icing in swirling patterns of bright blue, yellow, and white, covered in sparkling sanding sugar.
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This simple royal icing recipe dries hard, making it perfect for decorating, stacking, and gifting sugar cookies. It produces a smooth, glossy finish.

Ingredients

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  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 4 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder until combined.
  2. Add the warm water and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.
  3. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated.
  4. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 7 minutes until the icing is smooth, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.
  5. If the icing is too thick for piping, add water one half teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency for outlining.
  6. For flooding or filling, thin the icing slightly more until it flows smoothly off a spoon in a ribbon that disappears back into the bowl after counting to ten.
  7. Divide the icing into separate bowls if you plan to color it. Add gel food coloring gradually and mix until the color is uniform.
  8. Use the icing immediately for outlining cookies. Let the outline dry for at least 30 minutes before flooding the center.
  9. Allow the decorated cookies to air dry completely for several hours, or overnight, until the icing is completely hard to the touch.

Notes

  • Always use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without thinning the icing too much.
  • If you need the icing to dry faster, you can place cookies in front of a small fan while they set.
  • Store leftover icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days; add a drop of water and re-whip if it stiffens.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://afripaket.com/easy-sugar-cookie-icing-recipe-hardens/