Royal icing recipe for cookies without meringue powder

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Looking for a quick and easy sugar cookie icing (without meringue powder, corn syrup, or egg whites) for cookie decorating?

Here you go! Video and printable recipe below. 

You know I love my decades-old, perfect royal icing recipe, yes? But sometimes I just need to whip up a small batch of easy sugar cookie icing without all the meringue whipping and flying sugar. 

This icing recipe is great for cookie decorating with kids, as they can help make the icing. 

what is the best icing for cookie decorating? 

Royal icing

Royal icing is the traditional choice for cookie decorating.

Made with egg whites or meringue powder and confectioner’s sugar, the icing dries hard if left overnight so cookies can be handled, packaged, and even shipped. 

Sugar cookie icing

Sugar cookie icing forgoes the egg whites and is an icing without meringue powder and instead combines a little bit of milk with confectioner’s sugar. It’s quick and easy to whip up to the same consistency as royal icing. 

The icing will dry if left overnight (enough that you CAN wrap the cookies in baggies), however it won’t dry and harden quite as well as royal icing. 

It’s a sugar cookie icing without corn syrup, although some do add it. 

Bakery-style frosting or buttercream frosting

Bakery-style frosting and buttercream frosting are made with butter and/or shortening, confectioner’s sugar, and a bit of milk, and are usually best for cupcakes and cakes.

However, you can certainly use delicious frosting for cookie decorating. Cookies with frosting won’t fully harden, so frosting is not best if you need to package the cookies. 

can I make vegan icing?

Yes! You may substitute soy, plant-based, or nut butter to make vegan cookie icing. 

However, some companies filter sugar through bone char to de-colorize the sugar, so you may need to find a confectioner’s sugar that is certified vegan. 

do you need to refrigerate icing with milk?

Royal icing made with meringue powder is so user-friendly because it can be kept at room temperature for a week or two. 

The small amount of milk in sugar cookie icing is stabilized by the large amount of sugar, so it’s safe to keep sugar cookie icing at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. 

To keep the icing up to a week, refrigerate.

cookie recipes for cookie decorating

You can use any of these cut-out sugar cookie recipes:

• decorate your cookies with the best cut-out sugar cookie recipe
• cut-out chocolate sugar cookies
• gingerbread cookies
• vegan cookies 

how to make sugar cookie icing without meringue powder 

ingredients you’ll need

• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
• 4 tablespoons milk (vegan, reduced fat, or whole milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt 

what to do 

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  You may mix with a standing mixer, electric hand mixer, or a whisk. 

To thicken, add additional confectioner’s sugar. (If the mixture is very thin, you may need to add up to a cup more). To thin, add additional milk, a teaspoon at a time. 

You do not want the icing so thin it runs off of the cookie and you do not want the icing so thick it’s hard to pipe. For perfect consistency, overturn a spoonful. The lines of icing should disappear in 20 seconds. 

Recipe makes 1 cup of icing. 

variation

Try adding a teaspoon of almond extract for a unique, delicious flavor. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
• 4 tablespoons milk (vegan, reduced fat, or whole milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Instructions

Place all of the ingredient in a bowl and mix well. You may mix with a standing mixer, electric hand mixer, or a whisk. 

You do not want the icing so thin it runs off of the cookie and you do not want the icing so thick it's hard to pipe. For perfect consistency, overturn a spoonful. The lines of icing should disappear in 20 seconds. 

Notes

You can double this sugar cookie icing recipe, however, only double the confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. DO NOT start with 8 tablespoons of milk. Start with 4 tablespoons of milk and add more as needed. 

May keep at room temperature 2 to 3 day and a week in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

video how-tos 

how much sugar cookie icing do I need?

This recipe makes one cup of icing. Each batch will make about three bags of icing for decorating, so you may need to make more than one batch. 

can I double the icing recipe? 

Yes, you can double this sugar cookie icing recipe, however, only double the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. DO NOT start with 8 tablespoons of milk. Start with 4 tablespoons of milk and add more as needed. 

how to decorate cookies 

Find everything you need to know in this post about BASIC COOKIE DECORATING. 

• First, prepare your cookies and let cool completely. 
• Divide your icing and tint your preferred colors. I suggest Americolor Soft Gel Paste food coloring. 
• Assemble a decorating bagwith a coupler and round decorating tip, either size 1 (the smallest), 2, 3, 4, or 5. (SIZE 3 tips are used here.) Fill with icing and close tightly with a rubber band. 
• Pipe an outline and let set about 10 minutes. Pipe back and forth to fill in. Let the background set before adding details on top.
• Let cookies dry very well. 

What can substitute for meringue powder?

Do I need meringue powder in my icing?

Is there a substitute for royal icing?