Royal Icing On Cookies - Not Hardening!!
Decorating By carisa Updated 26 Jul 2005 , 12:31am by antonia74
I have made several batches of decorated cookies as gifts (inspired by the fabulous cookie designers on this site), using both sugar and gingerbread doughs. My problem is that the icing doesn't seem to harden properly and the cookies are really soft! I used recipes from a recommended site, www.kitchengifts.com. My concern is that when I try to package the cookies, they just break apart! The icing is quite thick too, but isn't hard enough I guess. Anyone have any ideas how I can fix this?
Does the humidity of where I live come into play (Manitoba, Canada)? I have tried keeping them uncovered and in Tupperware, to no avail!! Help!
The recipes on Kitchengifts.com are great and should work well for you. However, if any oil contacts the royal icing it will not set. Sometimes the oil is in the vanilla flavoring, sometimes your mixing pan has minute traces. So extra scrub all of your utensils, omit the vanilla or almond flavoring and try again.
Also, you have to whip it for at least 8 minutes to get a proper consistency. Royal icing is very finicky.
If you think your cookie recipe is the problem try the recipe for Spritz cookies in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook: 3 sticks of butter (not margarine), 1tsp baking powder, 1 cup sugar, 1tsp vanilla, and 1 egg. Mix and bake at 350 for 12 minutes (longer for larger cookies).
I wish you luck!
Thanks Kimbiemack!
I have made extra sure that all my utensils/bowls are washed with soap and completely dry and free of grease... I also do not use any flavorings. I'm wondering if the icing is soaking up the butter from the cookies and that is what is making them (the icing and the cookie) soft? The cookies seem "hard" when un-iced and the icing does get really hard when I let it dry out on the counter (not on a cookie).
I see these type of cookies for sale at coffee places and such, I don't know how they get the icing so super hard?
I'll keep trying...
hmmm. I'm beginning to run out of ideas. I doubt that the cookies are causing the icing to not harden. Are you giving them at least 8 hours to dry after you ice them?
I've been making cookies for years and have never had an issue with cookies falling apart after icing. What are you using for coloring? Any chance there is oil in that?
Let me know if you figure out what is causing the problem! I'm very curious.
Kim
I find using Royal Icing a bit of a pain ..now I use Fondant ..I use the same cookie cutter that of the cookie to cut the Fondant. The surface comes out perfect, very smooth and the edges are sharp ...then I just decorate right away without waiting an eternity.. I use the Wilton Sugar Cookie recipe, the one where you don't chill.. 
I use royal icing and I´m very glad with it.
How much butter do you use?
I use kitchengifts recipe but with a little less butter.
Another reason could be the water you put when you use royal icing recipe. If you add more water that indicates your cookies can broken.
That´s my experiency
I hope help
Saborita
Thanks for all the responses about the icing... I have been thinking about it for awhile and my problem may be that I stored the royal icing in plastic containers with sealable lids (they were new and never had other food in them) but the icing may have picked up some grease from the plastic?
I also wonder about the food colouring, especially the dark colours where I have to use alot of it (red, black, brown)... I use the Wilton paste/gel colours. I live in Canada and have yet to find those Americolour liquid colorings. I've heard that they are great.
If anyone still has suggestions, please reply.
Thanks!!
I think you may not be baking the cookies long enough and they are staying soft?
I bake my 3" shapes at 325 degrees for 22 minutes until they are firm. I wait 2 hours to let them cool before icing and the room can have NO humidity in it. I wait at least 12 hours before doing the top detailing. I don't package until the icing has been dry at least 36 hours in the summer.
There is an Americolor distributor in B.C. and one in Mississauga, ON
I called a month ago and ordered the Red and Black dyes and I swear by them now! Call the Americolor company toll-free (or email them through their website) and they will give you the info to order.
Well, if your plastic containers are brand new and never used and washed and dried, no, there is no grease tranferance (spelling?). I keep separate icing bags marked with an "R" for Royal Icing only. Do not use bags that were ever used for buttercream, no matter how well they were washed. The same thing goes for any plastic or rubber utensils, they will hold onto some grease. Metal utensils that are well washed and rinsed will be grease-free.
I am in Ottawa Canada, and let me tell you, if the humidity was your problem, it would be mine too, haha! Seriously, humidity is a big issue with Royal Icing as is room temperature. Basically you want to be working in a room temperature of between 18 celsius and about 23 celsius or about 70F to 75 maximum, including the humidex reading.
It does sound like your cookies are not cooked enough and possibly you are applying too much Royal Icing? Are you making your Royal Icing using meringue powder or egg whites?
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes
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