Just hit my 100th batch of my grandma's Christmas cookies and finally got the icing right

I've been making her spritz cookies every December since I was 16 but this year I finally cracked the code on getting the royal icing to set without turning into a sticky mess after three days - has anyone else had that problem with butter-based doughs?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jake1mo ago

Man, are we really out here acting like slightly soft royal icing three days later is some kind of baking crisis? I've been making these cookies for a decade and my family just eats them straight from the cooling rack before they even have a chance to get sticky. I mean if you're storing them in an airtight container in a humid kitchen, yeah they'll get tacky. But letting them sit out for 24 hours uncovered seems like overkill unless you live in a swamp. My grandma's recipe has been going strong for 40 years with just the basic powdered sugar and egg white mix and nobody's complained.

cooper.nathan1mo ago

Actually butter based doughs change the chemistry of royal icing since the fat can seep through and make it soft over time. I had that issue with my first few batches until I started adding a tiny bit more meringue powder to the mix which helped it set firmer. The real fix for me was letting the cookies sit out uncovered for a full 24 hours after icing before I put them in any container.

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