Must You Always Use Royal Icing On Sugar Cookies?

kmarsh Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 7:52pm

post #1 of 20

Or can I use buttercream? I don't like how hard royal icing gets and let's just be honest...buttercream taste much better! I'm preparing to make holiday cookies and wanted to get a good recipe for my icing on them! Thanks so much for your help and for your patience with all my silly questions!

JoAnnB Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 8:17pm

post #2 of 20

If you use buttercream, you won't be able to stack them. You can use candy clay (great colors) and MMF-tasty to cover sugar cookies.

There is also a recipe for a cookie icing that is like royal but includes some butter. It will dry, but not quite as hard as plain royal.

1 lb Sifted confectioners sugar
3 T meringue powder
1/2 C Butter-softened
5-6 TBSP water
Flavoring as desired

Cake_Princess Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 8:24pm

post #3 of 20

No there is no rule that you have to use royal icing. I used Alice Cookie icing for my Rosebud and Sunflower cookies. Alice cookie Icing is a hybrid of Royal and Buttercream you could say.

Princess

crimsonhair Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 8:55pm

post #4 of 20

I don't use royal icing because I hate to pay so much for the meringue powder.. I use a cookie glaze ..
2 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon corn syrup
almond extract or vanilla

mix together and add your colour. Adjust the consistancy by adding more icing if needed ..This is for outlining and you thin it down a bit for filling in..
Liz

This dries so you can stack them , but not as hard as royal icing.

kerririchards Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 9:08pm

post #5 of 20

I make all of my cookies butter cookies with buttercream icing and they are WONDERFUL! The only problem is that you can't stack them, but then, why is that actually a problem? I have tried sugar cookies with the buttercream and butter cookies with the royal icing and just about every other kind of cookie with just about every other kind of icing and nothing compares in taste to the butter cookie with the buttercream icing! I guess one drawback is you can't get the perfect drawings and shine that you get with the royal icing - but I certainly have never had ANY complaints. I can't remember where I got the cookie recipe - I really kind of think it was one of Collette Peters' recipes. Anyway it is as follows:

Penny Cookies

1/2 pound (2 sticks) softened butter or marg.
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/8 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa (opt)

in heavy duty mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Slowly add flour a few tbsps. at a time while mixing at low speed. Add vanilla. Chill, bake at 350 for 10-12 min.

Then I just use a regular buttercream recipe for the icing flavoring as you like - I use vanilla and butter flavoring.

denise2434 Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 9:46pm

post #6 of 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cake_Princess

No there is no rule that you have to use royal icing. I used Alice Cookie icing for my Rosebud and Sunflower cookies. Alice cookie Icing is a hybrid of Royal and Buttercream you could say.

Princess

Hey Princess....where could I find Alice Cookie icing recipe at?? Your cookies are awesome!! My favorite is the rosebuds...great job!!

Thanks bunches, ~Denise

lng_1978 Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 10:01pm

post #7 of 20

I am glad you started this forum...i have been asking myself the same question. I have found this info to be helpful. Thanks everyone.

Les

GinaJuarez Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 10:13pm

post #8 of 20

I have used buttercream before, and had no problem stacking about 3 on top of each other. I decorated at night, left them on a cookie sheet with a paper towel over it, and let them dry like that overnight. I have stacked both right ontop of eachother on a platter, as well as making layers in a box with wax paper in between each cookie.

psurrette Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 10:22pm

post #9 of 20

I use chocolate. It doesnt give you sharp edges but it tastes far better then royal icing and it doesnt break your teeth

prettycake Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 10:23pm

post #10 of 20

I use Fondant.. I use the same cookie cutter to cut the Fondant.. it always comes out perfect...edge is clean and no need waiting to dry. I use a little bit of royal icing to glue the Fondant cut out..

I decorate my cookies very heavy..I put Lace, Beads. Flowers etc...

kerririchards Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 10:34pm

post #11 of 20

Mahal

I would love to see some pictures of your cookies. What kind of cookie do you use with the fondant? I bet they are absolutely gorgeous!

faded_dress Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 10:35pm

post #12 of 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by denise2434

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cake_Princess

No there is no rule that you have to use royal icing. I used Alice Cookie icing for my Rosebud and Sunflower cookies. Alice cookie Icing is a hybrid of Royal and Buttercream you could say.

Princess

Hey Princess....where could I find Alice Cookie icing recipe at?? Your cookies are awesome!! My favorite is the rosebuds...great job!!

Thanks bunches, ~Denise

I'd love to know the recipe too, please I can't seem to find a royal icing one that tastes good!

prettycake Posted 15 Nov 2005 , 10:47pm

post #13 of 20

Hi Kerririchards,
I use Sugar Cookies when I do heavy decorations on cookies. and I make them really thick (cookies), at least an inch thick so they can hold all the decorations. I use regular Marshmallow FOndant.. , but before I cut it w/ the cookie cutter, I roll it out w/ a textured rolling pin so it would look like Wall PAper.. Unfotunatey I do not have photos of the cookies I made before..I'm planning on making some soon, then I will post the photos..thanks for asking

Roxy073087 Posted 2 Mar 2013 , 8:27am

post #14 of 20

http://cakecentral.com/a/alices-cookie-icing

Royal butter cream hybrid Alice cookie icing

cakegrandma Posted 2 Mar 2013 , 11:57am

post #15 of 20

Here is the recipe and I have used it, love the taste.

Alice's Cookie Icing

Ingredients

1# sifted powdered sugar (1 pound equals 4 cups) 3 TBSP. meringue powder 5-6 TBSP water for a thin consistency 1/2 cup butter

Instructions

Cream butter, add sugar & meringue powder, then add water. For a stiff consistency to make a dam on the cookies, I beat in 2-3T of water first, remove some icing for stiff consistency, then add more water until it is very thin & flows like color flow.

AllanceElla Posted 4 Mar 2013 , 10:07am

post #16 of 20

I think, for health, when making cookies, we should better add some all-natural addtions. we can replace sugar by honey, or we can make peanut butter by ourselves if needed, etc.<a href="http://www.foodmachinesale.com/product/Snack_Making_Machine/index.html">Snack Making Machine</a>

Babbo Posted 5 Mar 2013 , 12:08pm

post #17 of 20

I use buttercream sometimes as i love the test and friends and family love them, as mentioned though not a great idea for transporting ;-)

Kima920 Posted 5 Mar 2013 , 4:47pm

post #18 of 20

I only use fondant as well. It can be flavored and you can do some techniques that you can't with royal icing plus there is no drying time which I love. I use my cookie cutters too to cut out the basic shape and then add in the detail.

candacethecook Posted 5 Mar 2013 , 5:37pm

post #19 of 20

NO, NO, and NO.

I don't like Royal Icing on cookies so I searched for an alternative icing that will harden and still be delicious. And I found it on CC. It's called Toba Garrett's Glace' Icing.

It's perfect! It dries nicely and you can stack your cookies without damaging the tops. The icing is dry but not hard and brittle like Royal Icing.

Enjoy.

Izzy Sweet Posted 5 Mar 2013 , 5:46pm

post #20 of 20

I use poured fondant. very easy to decorate with when in a food safe squeeze bottle.After I am done with it I put it in the fridge and take it out and use again and again.I have so many colours made up and ready to go in my fridge at all times.