How to Perfectly Ice Star Cookies with Royal Icing
Learn how to ice star cookies with royal icing using an easy, beginner-friendly method. With just one piping consistency, you'll create elegant holiday cookies perfect for gifting, cookie boxes, or decorating with kids.
Equipment
Ingredients
Royal icing
- 1 lb Confectioner’s Sugar
- 3 tablespoon Meringue Powder or 2 egg whites
- 6 tablespoon Warm Water
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Making royal icing
- Before you start, measure out all your ingredients and have your equipment ready. This will make the process smoother and prevent any mid-recipe scrambling. If you are using egg whites, ensure they are at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Start by whisking together the confectioners’ sugar and either meringue powder or 2 large egg whites in a large glass mixing bowl. If you are using egg whites, ensure they are at room temperature for smoother mixing.
- Gradually add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, while whisking gently to avoid creating too many air bubbles.Mix in the vanilla extract, and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and shiny.If using egg whites, you may need to adjust the consistency by adding more confectioners’ sugar as needed. The icing should hold firm peaks and have a thick, pipeable texture.
- Switch to a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure everything is fully incorporated.
- Transfer the icing to a thin, disposable piping bag. Only fill the bag about one-third full to keep it lightweight and easy to handle.
- Bring the bag to a vertical position and give it a gentle shake to help the icing settle and push out air bubbles. Twist the top tightly and tie a knot to secure the bag—no fancy clips or tools needed!
- To create flooding icing, take a portion of the prepared base icing and thin it out. Add warm water, one teaspoon at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.Test the consistency by letting the icing drip back into the bowl. It should flow like honey and settle into a smooth surface within 10 seconds.If the icing becomes too thin, sift in a small amount of confectioners’ sugar and mix again until the consistency is perfect.Transfer the flooding icing to a separate piping bag with a slightly larger tip. As with the outlining bag, fill it about halfway and twist the top tightly to seal.
Decorating cookies
- Bake and freeze your cookies in advance so they’re ready for decorating without added stress.
- Set up your decorating area: lay parchment paper under your work space and snip a small opening in the piping bags.
- Arrange cookies in two neat rows. Outline each star with thicker royal icing to create a border.
- Fill the outlined area with thinner royal icing, using a scribe tool or needle tool to smooth it out and pop any air bubbles.
- Allow the iced cookies to dry completely, about 4 to 6 hours depending on thickness.
- In a small bowl, mix edible gold luster dust with clear vanilla extract—start with 1 teaspoon extract and 1 tablespoon dust, adjusting as needed.
- Lightly brush one side of each star with the gold mixture to create a brushed stroke effect.
- Let cookies dry for an additional hour. Once set, they’re ready for packaging and gifting.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!