Royal Icing

This icing is perfect for decorating.

A few notes before we get started:

This recipe uses uncooked egg white. Egg white produces a superior subtle shine to the royal icing. You can use pasteurized egg whites here. If you are using grocery bought eggs, chances are the egg whites are not pasteurized. Pasteurized egg whites are available and sold in stores as liquid egg whites. Make sure that the package indicates that the egg whites are pasteurized.  Another alternative is to use meringue powder. You can find this at baking supply or craft stores. Follow the manufacturer directions to substitute for the egg white.

Vary the consistency of the icing depending on what you are using it for. For example, if you are using it to decorate cookies, pipe a thin outline using a slightly stiffer consistency. You can “flood fill” the cookies using icing that is thinner in consistency. Thin the consistency by simply adding a little water: about one teaspoon at a time. You don’t want to add too much water as the icing can get too thin. If that happens, add more sugar.

What You’ll Need to Make Royal Icing

How to Make Royal Icing

Put four cups of confectioner’s sugar into a bowl. Add one egg white (see Note below). Mix well. Add water, one teaspoon at a time to make a pipe-able icing. You can also do this step using a stand mixer. In this case, beat the egg whites first until frothy. Then add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Add a little water as necessary to make a pipe-able icing.

Once the icing is ready you will want to keep it covered until it is ready to use. Plastic cling wrap works well if you are using it the same day. If you need to store the icing, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Note: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.