Royal Icing Recipe for Decorating Cookies

Directions

1. Use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment to start.

2. Add to your mixing bowl: 1/3 cup Meringue Powder and 1/2 cup of warm water (start with a tiny bit more if you will not be adding the lemon juice from next step).

3. Whisk until doubled in size, 1 - 2 minutes. Do not over mix.

4. Add to your whisked mixture: all vanilla, and OPTIONAL 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. This is optional, but the lemon really cuts the sweetness of the icing nicely.

5. Mix until just incorporated.

6. Switch to the paddle attachment. Mix in 1 full pound of confectioners sugar. Mix until just incorporated.

7. Mix in light corn syrup. Mix until just incorporated.

8. Mix in 1 full pound of confectioners sugar. Mix until just incorporated.

9. Continue to mix for about 3 minutes on high - your icing will start to turn white and have a fluffy look. But do NOT overmix. Overmixing can cause the icing to collapse. This will yield a VERY stiff icing. If you feel it is too stiff even to start with, add small amounts of water.