This classic recipe for royal icing without meringue powder is easy to make in about 10 minutes, with only 3 ingredients. This icing is perfect to decorate cookies, cakes, and other desserts.
If you’re looking for a fast and easy royal icing recipe, this one is a classic!
Royal icing without meringue powder is what I use often to decorate cookies. I especially love to use them for Snowflake Cookies and Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Icing around the holidays.
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🌟 Why this recipe works
This no-fail icing recipe is a winner for so many reasons! Here are a few reasons you’ll love it.
- You only need three (3) ingredients to make this icing!
- It’s so fast to make. The recipe states about 10 minutes, but once you get the hang of it, you can probably make it in about 5 minutes.
- This is a very versatile icing recipe. You can thin it out, thicken it, and color it using food coloring to decorate Christmas cookies and other holiday cookies.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Powdered sugar – you will need a lot of powdered sugar — also known as confectioner’s sugar and icing sugar — for this recipe!
Eggs – Separate the egg whites into a bowl and make sure there aren’t any bits of yolk in the bowl. Even a little bit can mess up the results of the icing. Let the egg whites sit for a bit at room temperature before whipping up.
Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract – not imitation vanilla extract – when possible, to ensure the best flavor.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
- In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium until they turn frothy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Lower the mixer speed to low and gradually add in the powdered sugar a little at a time.
3. Add in the vanilla.
4. Royal icing will be smooth when done. If you want thicker icing, add more powdered sugar. If you want thinner royal icing (usually used to “flood” the outlined icing), add a little water.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Prepare a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton piping tip #2 for thin piping and Wilton piping tip #4 for wider outlines and flooding the icing. Place the bag into a glass to catch any loose icing as you add it to the bag. Fold over the wide part of the bag and use a silicone spatula to pour the icing into the bag. BAKING HACK: I like to use meal prep bag holders (see photo above) to hold the bag open. Once you have reached the fill line, roll the top bag up, gently push the icing toward the bottom, trying to get out any air bubbles, twist the top and begin to gently pipe onto the cooled cookies.
You can cut a small hole in a ziplock resealable bag and use that. It won’t be as steady to use but it will work! If you don’t have piping tips, you can also buy tipless piping bags online.
Store royal icing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
I prefer to use gel food coloring, because I find I have greater control over color. And, gel food coloring doesn’t add liquid to the icing, which can thin the icing out.
🍽 Serving ideas
I use this royal icing on pretty much all decorated cookies that I make. It’s great for my annual Gingerbread Cookies with Icing as well as these sugar Snowflake Cookies.
You can also use this royal icing to pipe decorations onto Mini Gingerbread Bundt Cakes, this Green Velvet Cake, or this Gingerbread Cake Roll with Cream Cheese.
More dessert recipes
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Royal Icing
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- 1 pound powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- optional: food coloring
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium until they turn frothy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Lower the mixer speed to low and gradually add in the powdered sugar a little at a time.
- Add in the vanilla.
- OPTIONAL: If using food coloring: separate the icing into separate bowls and add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl, stirring until the color is even and adding more food coloring until you reach your desired color level.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
