Before beginning to decorate your sugar cookies this Christmas season, you'll want to learn how to properly ice them. Christmas Cookie Swap! has a reliable recipe for royal icing and a step-by-step process to help you pipe the icing with success.
Royal icing creates a smooth surface on decorated cookies. It's made with either whipped egg whites or whipped meringue powder, powdered sugar, and water. The addition of just a bit of corn syrup boosts the flavor and helps create a shiny finish.
Combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, water, and corn syrup in a large bowl. Beat at medium-low speed with an electric mixer 5 to 7 minutes. Divide and tint with food coloring, if desired. Icing dries quickly, so keep it covered at all times. Makes about 3 cups.
Pipe Borders
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Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to pipe the borders and edges of your cookies. Let the icing dry completely, about 20 minutes, before continuing to the next step.
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Flood
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Apply the icing to the surface of the cookie. You don’t have to fill every spot. Tilting the cookie will allow the icing to flow into space. A toothpick can help pull it into smaller spaces.
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Trim
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You can accent royal icing with sanding sugar or colored sprinkles before the icing hardens. Allow the cookies to dry several hours before storing them between sheets of waxed paper.
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Color
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Allow the first color to dry before adding a second color. Colored icing will darken a bit as it sets, so it’s best to make the color just a bit lighter than you want. It can then darken to the desired shade.
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Thin
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After piping edges of the cookies, add a few drops of water to the remaining icing to thin it. If it becomes too thin, mix in a small amount of powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, it won’t flow over the cookies for a smooth finish. If any air bubbles form on the icing, use a toothpick to gently pop them.