How to make the best royal icing for your holiday cookies

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s that time of year when many of us bake cookies for family and friends.

No one wants to bring a plate of ugly cookies to a party, so to help you make the perfect cookie — and avoid some common mistakes — the owner of JAX Cooking Studio, Shelbi MacDonald, and executive pastry chef Angela Tumey joined the Morning Show on Thursday to teach us all of her secrets!

She also showed us her technique for icing the perfect cookie. Read the recipe below:

Royal Icing Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until combined.
2. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth.
3. Color the icing with gel food coloring.
4. The right consistency to cover or “flood” sugar cookies is when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface for a few seconds before disappearing. Another test is to take a cookie and place a small amount of icing in the center of the cookie. Using a small knife, push the icing to the edge of the cookie. If the icing runs off the edge, thicken the icing by adding a little more powdered sugar. If the icing is too thick, add a little water.
5. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container because the icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.