Making royal icing (RI) is tough, y’all! It is not for the faint of heart. A good cookie is all dependent on your RI. Even though you may have perfected the process, each time is different and the consistency, for whatever reason, comes out, weellll, how should I put it… not the way you had hoped. I don’t care how much of a professional you profess yourself to be, tweaking each time is always required! I’ve watched enough videos to know this to be 100% true of other cookiers, at all levels.

The time may vary depending on how many bags you’ll be making, but plan on pulling up a chair, otherwise you’ll be standing for at least an hour just making bags of icing. Personally, I feel more efficient standing, which leaves my legs a bit weak for standing in the same position for at least an hour and a half. A cookier will make 2-3 different consistencies (for details, outlining, and flooding). I personally only have patience for typically 2 consistencies (outlining and flooding) for EACH color. So, if I have 4 colors, that’s at least 8 bags. Pretty much the reason most cookiers will charge more for more colors on a cookie.

Your consistencies are key! It’ll be important to make your thickest consistency first and just divvy up and tweak to a looser consistency individually with each color. Your thicker one (for detailing or outlining) will be ready to color, but your bag for flooding will need the tweaking with drops of water at a time. Basically, take a scoop or 2 of that thick consistency into a mixing bowl and mix with the appropriate color and bag some as your O (outline) or D (details)bag. Then using the rest of that icing in the bowl, add a few drops of water into it, and fold and mix the icing, trying not to create too many air bubbles. If you make make the icing thin enough so the icing melts back in after about 20 seconds after you’ve lifted some up from the spoon, then your flood consistency is runny enough to flood your cookie as a base. Too much water will spread over the sides of the cookie. Too little water will make it difficult to create a smooth base and it won’t settle into a smooth top. Your scribe should help move the icing around easily, smooth it out, and pop any bubbles.

Well, there you have it. Making royal icing will challenge your physical strength and stamina in your legs and arms. In addition, mixing your icing to the perfect consistent consistency will challenge your patience more than you could imagine, with each and every color you whip up. However, when done right, your finished cookie will make your heart sing to the heavens and smile the brightest of smiles.

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xo