How to Make Royal Icing with a Hand Mixer
When I started making cookies I didn’t own a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. After a year or so of making cookies, I bought one because I thought it would make things easier. It did make things easier, but you don’t have to have one to make sugar cookies and royal icing. I wanted to put together a little video to shows How to Make Royal Icing with a Hand Mixer just to show you it can be done and I’ve done it many, many times.
When I make the icing with a hand mixer, I do have a few more clogs in my tips than I do when I use the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. That could be partially due to the fact that I do not sift my powdered sugar. I probably should, but who has the time. I take a few shortcuts here and there when I can because we all know making cookies takes a little more time than making cupcakes and cakes. You have to let the icing dry completely and sometimes that can take 8 hours or more.
**Update** I now sift all of my powdered sugar because it does make life a little easier when you decorate sugar cookies. I very seldom have clogged decorating tips and it’s helpful when you use tipless decorating bags.
How to Make Royal Icing with a Hand Mixer:
Royal Icing Recipe
Half a batch of Royal Icing Recipe
Royal Icing with a Hand Mixer Video:
Even though I have my KitchenAid Stand Mixer, I still make icing with a hand mixer sometimes. It is easy to clean and well, sometimes easy is good.
Speaking of easy, did you see the way I added water to my icing until it became the consistency I was looking for? A simple little spray bottle is a great way to get your royal icing the consistency you’re looking for without making the icing too thin. Well, that amazing tip came from Gail at One Tough Cookie. When she shared that tip, my life got a lot easier! I use the spray bottle to get the icing consistency I want and I never add too much water. Thanks, Gail! You are brilliant!
Look how smooth that icing is. When I made it I could see air bubbles. Here is a quick tip for removing them. Once you remove them, you will have beautiful icing ready to be transformed into beautiful cookies.
And you did it all with a hand dandy little hand mixer. Now that you know how to make royal icing with a hand mixer, what is stopping you from making cookies? NOTHING! I can’t wait to see what you make so please tag me and share your beautiful cookie photos!
If you need more tips on how to decorate cookies check out Bearfoot Basics & Tips and I’m sure you’ll find a few things that will help. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, shoot me an email at lisa@thebearfootbaker.com and let me know how I can help.
Bear hugs,
Your royal icing is beautiful – thanks for the water tip!
I make dough AND icing with my hand mixer since I don’t have a stand mixer. For the dough, I use dough hooks and for the icing I use another attachment that came with the Sunbeam mixer. It’s called a paddle but it’s a plastic, rectangular 1/2″ thick thing that works wonders. I tried using the beaters but feel like I wasted too much icing since it’s hard to get out of the middle of the beater. I use your icing recipe Lisa and it has never failed me!
Maybe one day I’ll have a good mixer and my arms won’t be so tired!
Great post!!! Thank you for the video, loved to see the amounts you use and water tip!!!
Water tip was very helpful. Thanks a lot.
Cleaning Fulham
As always, you’re royal icing makes me want to go whip up a batch even if I don’t have any cookies to decorate – it’s beautiful! Yes, your royal icing is beautiful!!
I use my hand mixer more often than my standing mixer because it is “so easy”! Thank you for the royal icing tips 🙂
I assume the ingredient in the jar is meringue powder and water?
Yes and a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
Use sugar free “royal icing” to make my dog treats…but it does not stay on my smooth hard treats very well. Could you give me some suggestions why?
Powdered milk, yogurt cultutes, egg whites, tapioca flour, cream tarter, pectin, water.
Thank for your help..your creations are beautiful!
Hi Theresa,
I really wish I could be of more help to you but I only make royal icing with sugar. I did however Google icing for dog treats and it looks like there is a lot of information out there. https://www.google.com/search?q=dog+treats+icing+recpies&oq=dog+treats+icing+recpies&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l2.8249j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=0&ie=UTF-8#q=dog+treats+icing+recipes&spell=1
Maybe you can check with one of these bakers and see if they can help you.
Good luck!
did you used for icing water or milk and why did you shake it
Hi Norhan,
I use this recipe for a full batch of royal icing http://thebearfootbaker.com/2011/12/antonis-royal-icing/
and this one for half a batch of royal icing http://thebearfootbaker.com/2013/03/half-a-batch-of-royal-icing-recipe/ and both are made with water. I put the Meringue powder, water and vanilla in the jar and shake it. When you mix it in a bowl, it makes a cloud of Meringue poweder that isn’t great to breath. So I use a jar with a lid.
Lisa 😉
Hi. I think the link for the video is wrong… It’s showing a very nice video of cactus cookies, but not the one about the handmixer.
Hi Mariana,
Sorry it took me so long to answer your comment. I checked out for a couple of weeks and went to the beach with my wonderful hubby to celebrate our anniversary.
Thanks for telling me about the cactus video! LOL I don’t know how those sticky little cookies hoped onto this page! LOL It’s fixed now so you can see how to make royal icing with a hand mixer. Thanks again for letting me know about the video! 😉
Thanks a lot! I only have a hand mix! Now let’s try to make it
I’m confused. You talk about using your hand mixer until you got your Kitchen Aid mixer, but your hand mixer is very clearly a Kitchen Aid mixer (I have the same one). Do you mean you used your hand mixer until you got your *stand* mixer? Also, my KA hand mixer nearly kicked the bucket laboring with a batch of royal icing that simply did not want to come together — it took more than half an hour of beating the tar out of it to get to piping consistency. How did you do it so fast?
Hi Nora,
Sorry, I confused you. Yes, I have a handheld KitchenAid mixer and I have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. I use them both.
It is hard to make royal icing with a handheld mixer and sometimes you need to add a little more water. I did make it with a handheld mixer for years so I know it can be done. I prefer to make it with the stand mixer mainly because the mixer is stronger and I don’t have to babysit it. I add the ingredients and turn it on.
I hope this clears things up for you. I didn’t mean to confuse you. 😉
Hey Lisa, thanks for sharing such a great recipe. It looks perfect.keep posting this type of recipes.. 🙂
You use your hand mixer and so do I but the second I put my hand mixer in white goes everywhere. That didn’t happen to you. How do I stop clouds of white showering my whole kitchen?
Hi Rebecca,
There are a few ways to stop the white cloud of powdered sugar and the one I prefer is to gently spray the powdered sugar with the spray bottle of water. Then, turn your mixer on low and carefully mix it.
Just don’t use too much water or it will affect the consistency of your royal icing.