What is your favorite royal icing recipe?  Particularly for decorating sugar cookies.  I have been using the wilton recipe and it has been great for several months.  The last two batches I made though, are not drying well on the cookies.  There are tiny bumps popping up after it dries and areas where it is kind of caving in after it dries.  All of these cookies were iced yesterday but two separate batches of cookies.  Could it be the crazy heat we are having?  Is it time to try a new recipe?  Thinking of trying Antonia 74's royal icing recipe.  TIA

High humidity is royal icing's biggest enemy and will affect texture of icing and drying time. You may need air-conditioning and a room de-humidifier to get good results again, regardless of recipe. I have found that packaged egg-free soy based royal icing mixes such as those made by Virgin Ice, produce good results in humid weather.

I live in Florida which is very humid.  I do not take credit for this recipe but it works very well.  It dries very fast.

SugarDeaux Fast Dry, Quick Royal Icing

By: SugarDeaux

Posted 6/23/11 • Last updated 6/8/11 • 3,638 views • 22 comments

Posted by SugarDeaux

Like so many other cookie decorators, I have struggled to find the best Royal Icing to suit my taste and fit my style of decorating. I have tried every recipe out there and found success with a few. None of them though, quite fit my style of decorating-which happens to be impatient! I'm not a fan of hurry up and wait!! Plus, the humid climate in New Orleans isn't kind to RI and that problem was a challenge as well. So, after working in my "cookie lab" lol- I have finally come up with a recipe that is consistent, quick, tastes great and is a breeze to make. The best part is it DRIES FAST and allows you to continue decorating without waiting overnight or hours later to put on the next layer of RI. For my hyper, impatient self--that is the best part! As an added bonus it seems to take less dye to make black, red, etc. and the colors do not bleed. *This icing will dry to a semi- matte finish with a soft glow. You can add 1 additional tsp of corn syrup for more gloss. For more info/details on this recipe go to "Discussions" (on left column) at: www.facebook.com/sugardeaux

Ingredients

• 2 lb bag of powdered sugar ( I use Walmart's at 1.49 a bag)
• 6 tbsp of CK Meringue Powder (I don't use Wilton's-you can try, but taste & texture is improved with CK)
• 3/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar
• 5 oz warm water
• 1 tsp Clear Butter Flavor (I use Wilton's)
• 1.5 tsp Clear Vanilla Flavor (I use Wilton's)
• 1 tsp of Light Corn Syrup

Instructions

* Mix your meringue powder and warm water with your WHISK attachment on medium high speed until it is thickened up and doubled in size (about 1 min)

* Add Cream of Tartar, Butter & Vanilla Flavors. Mix about 30 secs.

 * Still using whisk attachment, add half bag of powdered sugar and mix on LOW until smooth - about 30 secs. ( If you have a plastic cover- great! If not wrap a clean tea towel around mixer to keep sugar in.)

 * Add Corn Syrup, mix in (10 secs) * Stop mixer and add remaining Powdered Sugar. Mix on medium-low for 30 secs, then scrape down sides of bowl. Mix for ONE more minute.

 * Makes enough RI to ice about 3-4 dozen medium cookies.

* Immediately store in airtight container(s) * Voila! Done with less than 4 minutes mixing time start to finish! Enjoy! Karen @ www.facebook.com/sugardeaux

I don't particularly have a favourite since I've only tried one which is the Wilton recipe. I'm satisfied with it, never fails.