So I made my first set of RI decorated cookies. I used the NFSC recipe and flavored with vanilla. Next I used the RI recipe from a poster on here in another thread. I think Sugarkissed?

Royal Icing (that won't dry rock hard)

Ingredients
5 tablespoons meringue powder
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup warm water
2 pounds powdered sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon glycerin
12 drops white gel food coloring
1 teaspoon oil-free clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon oil-free clear almond extract
1/4 teaspoon oil-free clear butter flavoring

So the recipe is fabulous and I wanted to share that too...but I didn't have any almond so I substituted the vanilla. It is SO over powering. Its so sweet, I can't take more than one bite. So I can't see the almond making up for this. Is it because the cookies were flavored with vanilla too? Any suggestions?

I have had sugar cookies before but never this sweet. They aren't good.

By the way the icing doesn't dry rock hard, but you can still stack cookies together. Its day two and they are still soft to bite into the icing.

Royal icing is primarily made of sugar, so you can't really expect it not to be sweet.

My cookie recipe isn't very sweet on its own, so the royal balances it out. You could try adding more flour to your cookie recipe, or cutting some of the sugar.

Also, taste is in the eye of the beholder - your too sweet might be just right for someone with a sweet tooth.

Yes I know its sugar, but this is like over kill. I have had lots of sugar cookies I know they are sweet. I know its pure sugar its just these are inedible. Even my husband who is the sweet tooth can only take one bite.

Something is wrong...lol I could eat straight powdered sugar and it wouldn't be as sweet.

maybe I accidentally put an extra tsp of vanilla???? not paying attention???

Just as a note to anyone who might say they are too sweet it was TOO much vanilla. Way too much. lol..

I must not have been paying attention and lost count of tablespoons.

When your 3 year old says they are yucky they are yucky next batch was way better.