15 Southern Living Royal Icing Recipe Cook Up Something Special!

Ingredients

To make this Southern Living royal icing, you'll need a few simple ingredients that you may already have in your pantry. These include confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, water, and optional flavoring extract. The meringue powder is what gives this icing its signature texture and helps it to harden, making it perfect for decorating.

Step 1: Sift the Sugar

To ensure a smooth and lump-free icing, it's important to sift the confectioners' sugar before using it. This will also help to incorporate air into the icing, making it light and fluffy.

Step 2: Mix in the Meringue Powder

Next, you'll want to mix in the meringue powder with the sifted sugar. This can be done by hand or with an electric mixer. Adding a pinch of cream of tartar can also help to stabilize the icing and prevent it from becoming too runny.

Step 3: Add Water

Slowly add water to the sugar and meringue powder mixture, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. If you're using this icing to pipe designs, you'll want a thicker consistency, while a thinner consistency is better for flooding cookies.

Step 4: Flavoring (Optional)

If you'd like to add some extra flavor to your icing, you can mix in a few drops of your favorite extract, such as vanilla, almond, or lemon. This will give your icing a delicious and unique taste.

Step 5: Decorate

Once your icing is ready, it's time to let your creativity shine. Use piping bags and tips to create intricate designs on cookies or cakes, or use a spoon to spread the icing over your baked goods for a smooth finish. You can also add food coloring to the icing to create custom colors for your designs. With this Southern Living royal icing recipe, you'll have a versatile and delicious icing that is sure to impress. So next time you're in the kitchen baking, give this recipe a try and elevate your treats to the next level of elegance and flavor.