Take your cookie decorating to the next level with this amazing royal icing recipe!
Who doesn't love making cookies? Especially sugar cookies. There's just something so wholesome about spending the day baking, rolling, and decorating cookies. I recently spent the day with my friend, Kelli Eldred. The girl's got some serious cookie decorating skills and she stopped by to share some of her cookie decorating tips and tricks with me.
According to Kelli, one of the most important tricks is to have a great royal icing recipe. You can use a thicker icing to outline the cookie, and a thinner icing to "flood" (or fill in) the cookie. This recipe yields a very thick icing. Just use a little water to thin it to your desired consistency. This particular royal icing recipe is Kelli's favorite and I think there's a good chance that you'll love it, too.
Is this Royal Icing Recipe good for gingerbread houses?
Yes! This recipe is perfect for building a gingerbread house. Use a little less water for a thicker icing for house construction.
Here's our favorite gluten-free gingerbread recipe.
Get the awesome how-to on this fruit-filled gingerbread house here.
How to Use and Make "Flooding Consistency" Royal Icing:
Cookie decorators will often use two consistencies of Royal Icing. The standard or thicker icing is used to outline cookies or construct gingerbread houses. "Flooding" icing is used to fill sections or shapes on a cookie, so it's looser and easier to use to fill in sections.
To make "Flooding Consistency" icing, slowly add water until the icing will move slightly and easily spread with a scribe tool or toothpick.
Can you make corn-free Royal Icing?
Yes, Royal Icing without corn is possible. To make it, use golden syrup (available online and at specialty stores) and organic powdered sugar that is stabilized with tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. Also, start with ⅓ cup of water instead of ½ cup.
Let's use your Royal Icing!
There's one thing we still haven't mentioned - the cookies. You can either go with a traditional gluten-free sugar cookie recipe or with gingerbread cookies. Both roll and cut out beautifully and will provide the perfect base for your creations.
I can't wait to see your creations! Tag me @gfreefoodie to share your masterpieces! Follow Kelli on Instagram to see more of her cookies @kookiesbykellieldred
Kelli's favorite meringue powder is this one, and she always uses gel food coloring so it doesn't thin the icing.
Royal Icing Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup meringue powder
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla
- 2 lb powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Instructions
- Combine meringue powder, warm water and vanilla into a mixing bowl.
- Using your mixer's paddle attachment, slowly add powdered sugar.
- Add corn syrup, then continue to mix for three minutes on high. Your icing will start to turn white and have a fluffy look. DO NOT overmix.
- This will produce a very stiff icing. To thin, slowly add small amount of water until your icing reaches the desired consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
Cookies by Kelli Eldred, Photos by James Collier
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