Royal Icing with Meringue Powder Recipe
Published Dec 18, 2021 Updated Nov 26, 2023
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Make the perfect Royal Icing every time with this amazing Royal Icing with Meringue Powder recipe! Perfect for cookies, cakes, and all of your baking needs!
Table of Contents
- What Makes This Recipe Great
- How to Make Royal Icing with Meringue Powder
- Ingredient Notes
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Eggs Whites vs. Meringue Powder
- Expert Tips
- Consistency
- Decorating
- Storage Tips
- Ways to use this Classic Royal Icing Recipe
- Recipe FAQs
- More Ways to Use Royal Icing
- Royal Icing with Meringue Powder Recipe Recipe
What Makes This Recipe Great
Everyone is searching for the perfect icing recipe for cookies, sugar cookies, gingerbread houses, cakes, etc.! The holiday season is such a fun time for baking, and this Royal Icing with Meringue Powder recipe will satisfy all your icing needs!
Made with just 4 ingredients, this royal icing recipe offers instructions for three different consistencies and will be ready in no time! I’ve included tons of pro tips to help you make it perfect every single time!
Be patient, take your time, and watch this amazing icing recipe for sugar cookies (& more!) come to life! Get your holiday cookie cutters out, grab my sugar cookie recipe here, and let’s get decorating!
How to Make Royal Icing with Meringue Powder
I’ve tested and retested this recipe to make it as helpful as possible. You need 4 easy-to-find ingredients and a little bit of patience. Trust me, it’ll all pay off in the end!
Ingredient Notes
- meringue powder*
- warm water
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- light corn syrup* (Optional)
Must-Have Tools
- Stand Mixer: With paddle and whisk attachments (if you don’t have one, use an electric Hand Mixer!).
- Spatula
- Mixing Bowls
- Gel Coloring, piping bags, and tips (for decorations)
- Sugar Cookies!
Step-by-Step Instructions
In just a few steps, you will have the most delicious Royal icing for sugar cookies, cakes, muffins, decorations, etc!
- Gather all the ingredients together. Beat together the meringue powder and warm water until frothy.
- Add in confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla and whip using the whisk until a glue-like consistency forms.
- If the icing is too stiff, add more water until the desired consistency is reached. If the icing is too thin, add powdered sugar until the desired consistency has been reached.
- Once the desired consistency is reached, add the white icing to a piping bag or place in bowls and color using gel food coloring.
- Pipe away!
*Please note that the pictures show a basic overview. For more detailed, printable instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below!
Eggs Whites vs. Meringue Powder
You will find that many recipes for royal icing use raw egg whites instead of meringue powder. For this recipe, I don’t recommend substituting real egg whites for the meringue powder. Unfortunately, egg whites change the consistency of the icing, and your results will not turn out the same.
While it sounds like something hard to find, meringue powder is common! You can buy meringue powder at your local craft stores like Hobby Lobby, Walmart (in Wilton and the baking section), Michaels, Joanns, and Amazon. Sometimes, you can even find it at your local grocery store.
I’ve also seen people ask if they can make royal icing without meringue powder. For this recipe, I have not tested any other methods, and meringue powder is my go-to choice. However, I have heard people are successful in using egg-white powder (not liquid eggs!), but I have not tested this myself.
However, if you’re looking for royal icing without eggs, this recipe is absolutely perfect as it is!
Mac’s Pro Tip
Expert Tips
- When you first make a batch of royal icing, it will start at a stiff consistency. This will be your base, and you will add water to get the consistency you are looking for.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer and whisk attachment, feel free to use a handheld mixer.
- Using a spray bottle to add a little water to the icing allows you to better control the amount of water added at a time to the icing. This was first introduced to the baking world by Gail of One Tough Cookie NYC.
Consistency
There are 3 main types of royal icing consistencies.
To test consistency, take a knife and run a line down the middle. Once the line is drawn, count how many seconds it takes for the line to disappear. This is what I call the “icing count.”
- Stiff Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to buttercream icing. It is used for leaves, detailed designs, flowers, and much more. This consistency will hold its shape.
- Piping Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to toothpaste. It is used for outlining and lettering. This icing count is 25 seconds.
- Flood Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to honey or shampoo. It is used for filling large areas. This icing count is 8-10 seconds. (this consistency is an excellent icing recipe for sugar cookies!).
Decorating
Gel Food Coloring: Only use gel food coloring when mixing new colors. If you use liquid drops, it will thin down the icing and give you a different consistency.
Piping Tips: Be sure to fully cover the decorating tips with a warm, damp towel to prevent the icing from getting crusty and drying out.
Thinner Icing: Make sure when thinning the icing to mix using a spatula. Be sure not to whisk vigorously. Mix icing in a figure-8 motion. Also, allow the icing to sit for 30 minutes or so, and remove any bubbles that form by stirring the icing one more time.
Alternative Decorating Methods: You can use tips or just cut a small slit in the bag to decorate. I recommend doing the following:
- For flooding consistency, use a tip 2 or no tip at all. If you don’t use a metal tip, simply snip the tip off disposable plastic cones. Start small and cut more if needed, and don’t cut at an angle.
- For piping consistency, use a metal tip 1-1.5 or, again, no tip at all. Just snip a smaller amount of plastic off the piping bag. As for stiff icing, you can use really fun decorative tips such as star shapes, flowers, or ruffle shapes.
Less is More: Remember, as the icing dries on the cookies, the color will be darker. always start small when adding in the gel food coloring.
Drying: To speed up the drying process, place the cookies in front of a fan. Usually, it will take up to 3-4 hours for cookies to dry.
Storage Tips
Store leftover royal icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Be sure to re-whip before using. Use a paddle attachment at low speed to whip until it’s back to the correct consistency.
Ways to use this Classic Royal Icing Recipe
- Sugar Cookies
- Holiday Cakes & Cookies
- Wedding Cakes
- Biscotti
- Gingerbread House
- Gingerbread Cookies
- for Intricate Designs
- As a “glue” for freestanding cake or cookie decor
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Decorating a cake with royal icing is very similar to cookies. Make sure you are using the correct consistency along with the correct tip attachments for the desired decorations. You can also find royal icing transfers at your local craft store if you’d like to make and transfer more detailed decorations.
Yes! Because this royal icing recipe can be stored for up to two weeks, you can definitely make it ahead of time and store it at room temperature. Because this is royal icing without egg whites, it is safe to keep at room temperature. When you are ready to use it, whip with the paddle attachment in your stand mixer until the desired consistency is reached!
If the icing is lumpy, add a little more water to thin it out. Stir in a figure 8 motion.
I recommend slowly adding a small amount of powdered sugar to your royal icing to thicken it until the desired consistency is reached. Alternatively, I recommend adding 1 tsp of water at a time to make your royal icing thinner.
Gel food coloring is preferred for royal icing due to its concentrated, non-liquid form, ensuring vibrant colors without compromising the icing’s consistency or drying properties.
More Ways to Use Royal Icing
If you love this recipe, please give it a star rating and leave a comment below!
Royal Icing with Meringue Powder Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup meringue powder
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp corn syrup OPTIONAL (helps with shine)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (using the whisk attachment) or large mixing bowl, beat together the meringue powder and warm water on medium-low speed until frothy, about 1 minute.
- with the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Once fully incorporated, increase speed to medium speed and whip using the whisk until a glue-like consistency forms. Whip on medium-high speed for an additional 1 to 2 minutes to make stiff peaks for a thicker icing.
- At this point, this is the base icing and will be stiff. If the icing is too stiff, add more water, I recommend starting with 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. I also love using a spay bottle to thin the icing down. If icing is too thin, add powdered sugar, just a little at a time, until desired consistency has been reached.
- Once desired consistencies are reached, add the white icing to a piping bag or place it in bowls and color using ONLY gel food coloring. If you use drops it will thin out your icing and change the consistency of the icing.
Consistency Types
- Stiff Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to buttercream icing. It is used for leaves, detail designs, flowers and much more. This consistency will hold its shape.
- Piping Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to toothpaste. It is used outlining and lettering. This icing count is 25 seconds.
- Flood Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to honey or shampoo. It is used for filling large areas. This icing count is 8-10 seconds.
Notes
Expert Tips
-
- When you first make a batch of royal icing, it will start at a stiff consistency. This will be your base, and you will add water to get the consistency you are looking for.
-
- If you don’t have a stand mixer and whisk attachment, feel free to use a handheld mixer.
-
- Using a spray bottle to add a little water to the icing allows you to better control the amount of water added at a time to the icing. This was first introduced to the baking world by Gail of One Tough Cookie NYC.
Consistency
There are 3 main types of royal icing consistencies. To test consistency, take a knife and run a line down the middle. Once the line is drawn, count how many seconds it takes for the line to disappear. This is what I call the “icing count.”-
- Stiff Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to buttercream icing. It is used for leaves, detailed designs, flowers, and much more. This consistency will hold its shape.
-
- Piping Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to toothpaste. It is used for outlining and lettering. This icing count is 25 seconds.
-
- Flood Consistency: This type of consistency is comparable to honey or shampoo. It is used for filling large areas. This icing count is 8-10 seconds. (this consistency is an excellent icing recipe for sugar cookies!).
Decorating
Gel Food Coloring: Only use gel food coloring when mixing new colors. If you use liquid drops, it will thin down the icing and give you a different consistency. Piping Tips: Be sure to fully cover the decorating tips with a warm, damp towel to prevent the icing from getting crusty and drying out. Thinner Icing: Make sure when thinning the icing to mix using a spatula. Be sure not to whisk vigorously. Mix icing in a figure-8 motion. Also, allow the icing to sit for 30 minutes or so, and remove any bubbles that form by stirring the icing one more time. Alternative Decorating Methods: You can use tips or just cut a small slit in the bag to decorate. I recommend doing the following:-
- For flooding consistency, use a tip 2 or no tip at all. If you don’t use a metal tip, simply snip the tip off disposable plastic cones. Start small and cut more if needed, and don’t cut at an angle.
-
- For piping consistency, use a metal tip 1-1.5 or, again, no tip at all. Just snip a smaller amount of plastic off the piping bag. As for stiff icing, you can use really fun decorative tips such as star shapes, flowers, or ruffle shapes.
Storage Tips
Store leftover royal icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Be sure to re-whip before using. Use a paddle attachment at low speed to whip until it’s back to the correct consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfeita a explicação, amei, muito obrigada
How long does the icings stay? Can I refrigerate so it lasts longer ?
I recommend storing leftover royal icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Refrigerating it won’t extend its shelf life, and you’ll need to let it come to room temperature before using it again.
can we store it in freezer? if yes ,for how long i can store it?
Hello. How do I get my royal icined cake to
cut without cracking or simply breaking apart.
I need a royal icing recipe that gives a soft cut through and a soft bite
. Please help
Thank you so much for your help with royal icing. At 77, tomorrow, I still, after a year, have trouble with the right consistency.
You are so welcome! Hope you enjoy
The tips in this recipe are great. It’s super easy to whip this together. I’m a baker specializing in cakes. I decided to try my hand at valentine cookies. They turned out adorable and the icing hardened over well. My issue is that the consistency of the dried icing is very chalky which isn’t what I’m used to based on what I’ve ordered from others. Maybe the brand of merengue powder makes a difference. The taste is very mild. I used a clear vanilla so it could be more white but a real vanilla I think would have helped with the overall flavor.
this is my first time having royal icing and it turned out SO GOOD. super fast, easy to clean, and if you follow step by step, you should also have success.