How to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing

Learn how to decorate sugar cookies with royal icing with my easy tutorial that everyone can do. We include everything you need to make decorating icing and all the tools needed to decorate the sugar cookies! You will need a batch of sugar cookies and royal icing for this tutorial.

Royal iced sugar cookies are fun, unique and impressive. You can make them as simple or as detailed as you want. And the choice of shapes, colors and designs is endless. Below I share all the tips and techniques for how to decorate sugar cookies with royal icing.

This tutorial is great for beginners! I have zero artistic ability but I love making these cookies. If I can do it, you can do it! With a little prep work, you will be on your way to baking and decorating beautiful cookies.

We usually make these over the course of a few days. You can definitely make them in one day, but we do not like to rush the process. On day one, we bake the cookies and store them in an airtight container. Day two, we decorate. And on day three, we package them.

Make beautiful sugar cookies with royal icing for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthdays and more!

What is Royal Icing?

You know those beautifully decorated cookies with hardened icing that stays fresh for days. They are sugar cookies with royal icing!

Royal Icing is a type of frosting that hardens like a candy shell. You flood the top of sugar cookies to make that beautiful hardened layer of icing. Royal icing does require a little more prep time due to the time needed for hardening. Because royal icing is basically just meringue powder, confectioners’ sugar and water, it doesn’t have the same buttery flavor as other frostings, like buttercream. But you can add extracts like vanilla extract and almond extract to give it delicious flavor.

I use my easy traditional royal icing recipe.

Supplies for Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Before you make the sugar cookies, you will need to gather your supplies.

• One batch of sugar cookies – make sure they are completely cooled
• One batch of royal icing
• Gel icing colors – we have the Americolor student kit
• Small airtight containers for each of the icing colors
• Spoons
• Toothpicks
• Reusable or disposable pastry bags
• Decorating Tips (Wilton #2 and #3 are my favorite for piping border icing)
• Squeeze bottles (not required but may make it easier to flood cookies with frosting)

Icing Consistency

The best thing about this icing is that you can easily adjust to achieve the right consistency of the royal icing. And if you make a mistake, you can generally fix it.

If you icing is too thick, add more water to make it a little thiner, until the perfect consistency is reached. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I include more details in the instructions for how to make royal icing below.

Pipping Consistency

I usually make two consistencies of icing as I like the piping frosting used for the edges to be a little thicker. It holds the icing easier and sets better. I usually let the piping icing sit for a minute or so to dry before I flood the cookies with the remaining icing.

However, you can just make one consistency of icing to use for both piping and flooding, if desired.

Flood Consistency

The icing for food consistency should flow off of a spoon easily. When you achieve the perfect consistency, the icing should drip of the spoon easily when lifted and should disappear back into the bowl of remaining icing within 10 seconds.

Color the Icing

After you prepare a batch of royal icing with the desired consistency, color your icing with gel coloring. Gel food coloring helps create the best consistency and color. You can purchase gel food coloring on Amazon or most craft stores.

For the cookies, we like to use a softer, pastel color. But you can use a variety of different colors. Add a small amount of gel coloring a little at a time until you reach the desired color.

How to Decorate Sugar Cookies With Royal Icing

1. Pipe the Frosting onto the edges of the cookies: Using a piping bag with a piping tip (or a bag with a small part of the end cut off), pipe a border around the edge of the cookies. Let stand a few minutes to let icing set. When you are not using the pastry bag filled with icing, let it stand in small amount of water so that the tips don’t harden. I use a pastry bag holder with small bowls of water underneath to rest the tips in. You can also use tip covers to prevent the tip of the frosting from drying out.

2. Royal Icing for Flooding the Cookies: After piping the edge of the cookies, mix a small amount of water (a few drops at a time) into the remaining icing to achieve a smoother consistency. The flood icing should drip of the spoon easily when lifted and should disappear back into the bowl of remaining icing within 10 seconds. Keep adding small amounts of water until the desired consistency is reached. If you get to the point where you think the icing is too thin, just mix in a small amount of powdered sugar to thicken it. Let the icing stand a few minutes to let any air bubbles settle to the surface. Gently stir the icing to pop any bubbles that form.
3. Flood the Cookies: Using a spoon, carefully flood the area to fill the cookie within the border. If the icing does not spread to the edges completely on its own, use a toothpick to help smooth it into the edges. Pop any air bubbles that form on the cookies with a toothpick and they will disappear. (You can also fill squeeze bottles with the icing or use a disposable pastry bag to flood the cookies. I prefer the spoon method but do whatever works for you.)

4. Let the Cookies Harden: Allow the cookies to set for at least 12 hours uncovered to allow the icing to harden completely. Once they dry, you can add more detail with additional piping, as desired. The drying process is necessary to ensure the icing and details hold up well.

Helpful Tips for Decorating Sugar Cookies

• Use fresh meringue powder: We have used several varieties of meringue powder. Most brands work well. You can purchase meringue powder at most craft stores, Walmart or Amazon.
• Practice and adjust: It usually takes one or two batches before you get a feel for what the consistency should be and the best way to flood the cookies.
• Store the icing correctly: Always keep your icing covered and your pastry bag tips sitting in a little water. It helps to prevent the icing from drying out.
• Have a plan: The iced cookies take a little time and it helps to be prepared. Plan when you are going to bake them, frost them and serve them. Also, decide what shapes and colors you are going to use, and what details you will include.
• Make more intricate designs: I only use simple details. But you can enhance the detail work with more intricate details. Experiments with the details to make different designs.

How to Store Royal Icing

Royal icing will keep for quite some time. Store leftover royal icing in a sealed container, otherwise it will dry out. Store it at room temperature or in the refrigerator and then mix again just prior to using.

These cookies will last for up to two weeks stored in an airtight container. We like to package the cookies up individually in small cookie bags. Once packaged, you can ship them in a sturdy box. Everyone loves these cookies because they are delicious and gorgeous.

Frequently Asked Questions

We know that decorating cookies might look intimidating. But trust me when I say that if we can do it, you can do it! Just go for it and make some delicious and beautiful cookies.