When you've got a mess of cookies to decorate and don't know where to start, try this royal icing recipe. It makes enough to frost a few dozen cookies, and is dye-friendly.
Royal Icing
Secret Garden Cookie Co.
4 cups icing
10 minutes
Desserts
This recipe is difficult to do by hand, but if you have a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, that should still work.
Ingredients
1 lb powdered sugar
5 tbsp meringue powder
5-6 tbsp of water (to start)
1 tsp flavoring of choice (i.e. vanilla, almond, lemon)
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Stand Mixer
Sifter
Measuring Spoons
Directions
Measure out powdered sugar and meringue powder into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle.
Add water and start mixer at low speed. Stop and scrape down the bowl at least once. Add more water only as needed to incorporate all of the sugar.
Add the flavoring and increase speed to medium. The icing will be thick; this is OK. Mix for 3-4 minutes. You want shiny, thick, smooth icing.
Remove paddle and immediately cover bowl with a wet paper towel to prevent drying.
To add color, use a clean bowl and spatula and portion as desired, covering the original bowl again. Add small amounts of water along with the color, until desired color/consistency is achieved. Bag immediately.
Once used, icing takes 8-10 hours in open air to fully dry.