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Foolproof Royal Icing Recipe: The Sugar Cookie Icing That Hardens Perfectly Smooth and Glossy

A stack of three golden sugar cookies topped with thick, white sugar cookie icing that hardens.
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Learn how to make sugar cookie icing that hardens completely, giving you a smooth, durable, and glossy finish perfect for stacking and gifting your decorated cookies.

Ingredients

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  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup warm water (approximately)
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Whisk them together to ensure they are fully mixed.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and the light corn syrup to the dry ingredients.
  3. Gradually add the warm water, starting with 3 tablespoons. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer until the ingredients are just combined.
  4. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 7 minutes until the icing is smooth, bright white, and holds stiff peaks. This whipping action incorporates air, which helps it dry hard.
  5. Check the consistency. If the icing is too thick for outlining, add water, one half teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a thick ribbon stage. For flooding, you may need to thin it slightly more, but remember, this recipe is designed to set firm.
  6. If you want to color the icing, add gel food coloring now and mix until uniform.
  7. Use the stiff icing immediately for outlining cookies. Let the outline set for 15 to 20 minutes before filling (flooding) the center areas with slightly thinner icing.
  8. Allow the cookies to dry uncovered at room temperature for several hours, or preferably overnight, until the icing is completely hard to the touch and glossy.

Notes

  • For the shiniest, hardest finish, the corn syrup is essential. Do not skip it.
  • If you do not have meringue powder, you can substitute it with 1 large pasteurized egg white, but the drying time might vary slightly.
  • If your icing seems too thin after mixing, add more sifted powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach a stiff consistency suitable for piping borders.
  • To achieve a bright white color, use clear vanilla extract instead of standard vanilla extract.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://yumdrizzle.com/sugar-cookie-icing-that-hardens/