First, combine the confectioners sugar and meringue powder in a large mixing bowl.
Next, add in the warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, while mixing with a hand mixer on the low speed setting.
Then, drop in the vanilla extract and continue to mix, on low, until the icing mixture is shiny.
Maintaining a low speed, beat the icing mixture for 5-7 minutes.
After the icing has been thoroughly mixed, use a toothpick to add in a little bit of food coloring into the icing and mix until the desired color is reached.
Finally, transfer the colored royal icing to the piping bag and tie it off. Always make sure that the cookies are completely cool before piping the icing on top!
Video
Notes
For each color of icing, you need 2 different consistencies of icing. For a thinner consistency, add more water to the mixture. Thinner icings are used for flooding, and thicker icing is used for borders and edges.
For thicker icing, cut the piping bag very thinly, around a 1/16 of and inch. For thinner icings, cut ⅛ of an inch. If this is too small, you can always cut more bag.
After decorating cookies, dry the icing with a craft heat gun 10 inches away, so the flooded icing does not cave on itself.
I like to let my cookies air dry in a cool space for 2 days, then they’re ready for packaging.
Keyword birthday cookies, cookies, fancy cookies, icing, royal icing