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Royal Icing With Egg Whites Recipe

Smooth, glossy royal icing made with pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar. Perfect for outlining, flooding, piping details, and decorating sugar cookies or gingerbread. The icing dries firm and can easily be adjusted from stiff piping consistency to smooth flood consistency.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 3 cups
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 large pasteurized egg whites
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla or almond extract optional
  • 1 pinch fine salt
  • Water as needed for thinning
  • Gel food coloring as needed

Method
 

  1. Add the pasteurized egg whites and lemon juice to a clean, dry mixing bowl.
  2. Mix on low speed until the egg whites become lightly foamy.
  3. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar while mixing on low speed.
  4. Continue mixing until all of the powdered sugar is incorporated.
  5. Add the salt and clear vanilla or almond extract, if using.
  6. Increase the mixer to medium-low speed and beat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the royal icing is thick, glossy, and forms firm peaks.
  7. Divide the icing into separate bowls if you want to make different colors or consistencies.
  8. Add gel food coloring a little at a time and stir gently until the desired color is reached.
  9. For piping or flood icing, add water only a few drops at a time and stir gently until the desired consistency is reached.
  10. Keep the royal icing covered with plastic wrap or a damp towel whenever it is not being used to prevent it from drying out.

Notes

Use pasteurized egg whites because royal icing is not normally cooked after mixing.
Sift the powdered sugar before adding it to prevent lumps and clogged piping tips.
Start with thick royal icing. It is much easier to thin stiff icing than to fix icing that is too runny.
For flood icing, add water only a few drops at a time.
Use gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring so the icing does not become too thin.
Keep unused icing covered at all times because royal icing begins drying quickly when exposed to air.
If the icing is too thin, add sifted powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
If the icing is too stiff, add water 1 or 2 drops at a time.
Allow decorated cookies to dry completely before stacking or packaging. Fully flooded cookies are best left to dry overnight.