Last Updated on March 1, 2023
It’s hard to resist a beautifully decorated cookie. If you have a sweet tooth, you know how delicious fresh-baked cookies are with a royal icing taste. Fortunately for dessert lovers, this post contains the five best ready-made royal icing for cookies.
Royal icing is great for decorating cookies as it is easy to work with and hardens when it dries. Royal icing allows you to create beautiful and intricate designs on cookies. Many bakeries use it to decorate their cookies.
Using Royal Icing
Royal icing is a favorite amongst baking professionals. It is easier to decorate cookies with than buttercream, as it allows for more detailed designs. Royal icing may also be referred to as cookie icing.
Royal icing is typically made up of pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar, however, recipes may vary. It can be tricky to get homemade royal icing to get the right consistency. If it is not made quite right, it will not harden and may have a runny or stiff consistency.
Icing Consistencies
Royal icing can be made into different consistencies, depending on what you need. The consistencies include stiff, piping, medium, and flood. Stiff is generally used for making flowers and cake decorations.
Piping, medium, and flood are most commonly used for decorating cookies. Piping is great for creating words, line work, and even outlines on cookies. Medium is generally used for piping outlines and filling in some shapes.
Flooding is most commonly associated with decorating cookies. Flooding is used to fill in cookies, as it will achieve a nice hardened finish when set.
Best Ready Made Royal Icings
Though you can make royal icing at home, it can be a bit tricky to get it right. Too thin and it will run all over the place and too thick it won’t set properly. Luckily, there are some great ready-made royal icings you can buy.
Most ready-made royal icings are flooding work consistently, making them great for filling cookies in. To achieve a thicker consistency, confectioners’ sugar can be added. For a thinner consistency, more water can be added.
#1 Wilton Cookie Icing
Wilton Cookie Icing comes in an easy-to-use bottle. All you have to do is microwave the bottle and then squeeze it to ice your designs. The squeeze bottle is easy to use and allows you to have control over the designs you make.
This Wilton Cookie Icing is available in many different colors including white, blue, green, red, yellow, orange, and black. One bottle covers approximately one dozen three-inch cookies. After decorating, it takes about an hour for the icing to fully set.
This royal icing is a great option for beginners, as you don’t have to worry about using a piping bag or mixing it. The fact that it comes in a variety of different colors saves you the time of adding food coloring.
#2 Betty Crocker Cookie Icing
Betty Crocker Cookie Icing comes in a convenient icing bag. It is ready to use and does not need to be microwaved. The icing bag design makes it easy and efficient to use when decorating cookies.
This Betty Crocker Cookie Icing is available in a variety of different colors including white, green, red, blue, pink, and chocolate. One bag contains enough icing to decorate two to three dozen cookies. The icing should harden within an hour of applying.
This royal icing is great to use no matter your experience level, as no preparation is needed. The icing bag makes it easy to use and the fact you can buy different colors is convenient for decorating.
#3 Wilton Ready to Use Icing
Wilton’s Ready to Use Royal Icing comes in a 14-ounce tub, which makes it great for meeting all your cookie frosting needs. It’s ready to use and you can add your own food coloring to make it your favorite color. Simply add the icing to a piping bag or Ziploc bag with a corner cut out and decorate your cookies.
Water can be added if you are looking for a thinner royal icing for flooding cookies. Confectioners’ sugar can also be added to thicken the icing, but it can also be used just like it is. This ready-to-use icing allows you to decorate lots of cookies and achieve a harden royal icing.
#4 Celebakes Royal Icing Mix
Celebakes Royal Icing Mix by CK products is easy to use, as all you have to do is add a small amount of water to achieve your desired consistency of royal icing. You can add your own food coloring to achieve your desired colors. Once the icing is mixed, add it to your piping bag and create your designs.
Celebakes Royal Icing Mix allows you to reach different consistency of royal icing for flooding, piping, or stiff. This allows you to have ultimate control over your icing and create the consistency you need. This icing will harden generally within an hour.
#5 Wilton Royal Mix
Wilton Royal Icing Mix is simple to use and is great for decorating your favorite cookies. Simply add a small amount of water to achieve the perfect royal icing. You can add your food coloring to make it any color and use your favorite piping bag to decorate with it.
This icing can be kept in the fridge for five days after it has been prepared. If you want a creamier taste, you can add milk instead of water. The instructions include how to make the different consistencies of royal icing.
How Long Does Ready-Made Icing Last?
The shelf life of ready-made icing all depends on whether the fondant icing is opened or unopened. If unopened, ready-made icing tends to last anywhere between 18-24 months. However, once opened, the shelf life drops dramatically. This is because the air can dry out the icing relatively quickly. If stored correctly, it will stay reusable for around 3-4 weeks. Once you’re finished with your icing, double layer with plastic wrap and then place in an airtight container or bag. All of these tips will help to keep your icing soft.
How Do You Put Store-Bought Icing on Cupcakes?
Before you begin, it’s best to remove the amount you need from the tub and place it into a bowl. Whip your icing well before use. Once it’s whipped, you can now place it into a piping bag and pipe your cupcakes as you normally would. Another method is after whipping, using an offset spatula or knife to spread your icing onto your cupcakes. While this may not be the most attractive method, it still tastes just as delicious!
How Do You Jazz Up Store-Bought Icing?
There are many easy ways to make your store-bought icing more exciting…and make it taste homemade too. Whipping the icing is the best way to start this. The icing you’ve whipped yourself tastes so much better! Once it’s whipped, you can try adding one of the following ingredients to jazz it up: a dash of salt, flavorings such as vanilla extract or almond extract, whipped cream, cream cheese (this will change the flavor quite a lot), nuts, or even fruit! The more small changes you make to your frosting, the jazzier (and more homemade!) it will seem.
How Do You Make Store-Bought Icing Creamier?
The clue is in the name, but adding cream cheese is a quick, easy way to make your store-bought icing creamier! Try adding around 8 oz cream cheese and a teaspoon of vanilla/almond extract to your tub of icing after you’ve whipped it. This should enhance the flavor, as well as the consistency.
How to Write on a Cookie With Icing?
There are a few ways to write on a cookie with icing, each coming with its own set of pros and cons.
- The first way is by using a projector (yes, like the ones you had in school!). While this does help to achieve the best results, it’s, without a doubt, the most expensive option and only worth investing in if this is something you’ll be doing a lot.
- The second option is by using tissue paper. While this is a cost-effective way, it does require additional work and can take a while to perfect.
- The third way is by using wax paper. it is effective, but it is the most time-consuming method of them all.
- And the final method is by doing it freely by hand. If you’re planning to sell the cookies, this probably isn’t the best method to use!
How Long Are Sugar Cookies With Royal Icing Good For?
It all depends on how they’re stored. If they’re stored in an airtight container or bag in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator, they’ll last anywhere from 1-2 weeks. You can usually tell from the way they feel if they’re becoming stale. You can also place them in the freezer in a sealable container. With this method, they can last for around 6 months!
How Long is Cookie Icing Good for Once Opened?
Once opened, it’s best to keep your cookie icing in the refrigerator. If stored correctly (in an airtight container), your cookie icing will last anywhere from 1-2 weeks.
Ready to Go Royal Icings
These store-bought royal icings are a great alternative to homemade. They are easy to use, perfect for decorating, and taste great. Whether you are making cookies for a birthday, baby shower, wedding, graduation, holiday, or special occasion, royal icing will allow you to decorate cookies at a professional level.
Did you enjoy this list of ready-made royal icings? Please share this article if you liked it and comment if you have any questions or remarks regarding royal icing.
FAQ’s
What is the difference between icing sugar and royal icing?
Essentially, royal icing is created from egg whites, confectioners’ sugar, and flavorings. That is why it is perfect for decorating cakes and cookies.
Moreover, royal icing is the best choice whether you are making a gingerbread house, cake, or cookie, since it can give you that delectable and appealing shine to your baked goods. In addition to that, it provides a blemish-free, even, and smooth texture.
In contrast, icing sugar is a base. Thus, the quality of the powdered sugar determines the gloss or shine of the final product. Furthermore, royal icing is a result of icing sugar and egg whites.
How do you make royal icing with store-bought icing?
It is easy to make, considering that you only need store-bought icing and food coloring. With that, store-bought icing is the quickest way to decorate your desserts, such as wedding cakes and cupcakes.
However, this does not guarantee similar results of a firm royal icing. It is because store-bought icing does not work that way.
On the other hand, you can achieve excellently shaped designs with a glossy and smooth result that is elegant and delicious with store-bought icing.
Begin with store-bought icing in vanilla. Then, use a piping bag and a #5 piping tip to outline the cookies.
Afterward, microwave the icing for approximately 20 seconds. With that, you can drizzle it using a spoon. Also, make sure to stir it properly so that it can maintain its texture until the end.
After that, use a small spoon for the outlined shapes with the melted icing.
How do you use Wilton ready-made royal icing?
You can use Wilton ready-made royal icing by tinting it to your desired shade when decorating your desserts. You can also add confectioner’s sugar to thicken when creating leaves and flowers or add water to thin for flooding.
That is why this ready-made royal icing provides a more effortless and quicker decoration for your baked goods, especially cupcakes and cakes.
Why does royal icing taste bad?
Essentially, flavoring is the main determining factor when it comes to good and bad-tasting royal icing. If ever it tastes terrible, it is due to improper usage of flavoring.
If you are thinking about what royal icing tastes like for baked goods? Well, royal icing is indeed edible since it is made of meringue powder and sugar. With that, it is delicious if you genuinely prefer the flavor of pure icing sugar.
Moreover, it is the perfect pair for cookies because it matches its crunchy and soft texture.
Does royal icing need to be refrigerated?
Not necessarily. You can keep royal icing with meringue powder at room temperature. However, royal icing with raw egg whites requires refrigeration.
Moreover, royal icing does not spoil once it has dried. However, ensure to store it in a dry and cool place, in an airproof container. Likewise, royal icing is delicate. That is why keep it between bubble wrap and parchment paper inside the airproof container. In addition to that, look out for any breakage.
Karen is a passionate pastry chef who loves to create delicious baked goods. She has been in the culinary arts for over 10 years, honing her skills and perfecting her craft. Karen is known for her creativity and attention to detail, creating unique desserts that bring a smile to everyone’s face. She is always looking for ways to challenge herself and come up with new recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. Karen loves to experiment with different flavors and textures, and she is committed to providing the highest quality of products to her customers.