Frosting gingerbread cookies....question

[disfan07]

Okay...so this is the first year that I have ever made gingerbread cookies so by extension, the first year i've ever decorated gingerbread cookies.

What type of frosting do you usually use for decorating? I really want to make homemade frosting or icing so I would love it if anyone has a quick and easy frosting recipe.

Also, does the frosting need to be refrigerated?

 

[Nette]

Royal icing (google it for recipes) and no it does not need to be refrigerated.

 

[LJC1861]

I also use royal icing, which can be colored to make the cookies even prettier. It works well on sugar cookies.

The recipe as it can be piped using a piping bag and various tips. I also thin mine with a bit of corn syrup to make it spreadable and frost the cookies with a base color and then add piped accents on top. It takes awhile for the cookies to dry, but makes for very impressive cookies overall.

Linda

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Definitely royal icing! I use the Wilton recipe:

3 Tablespoons of Wilton meringue powder
6 Tablespoons of warm water
4 cups of sifted powdered sugar

Beat with an electric mixer 10 minutes with a hand mixer, or 5 with a heavy-duty (Kitchenaide) mixer. I keep mine refrigerated so it doesn't dry. While working with it, keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry. Mix in a little bit of corn syrup to make it a little more spreadable and shiny.

 

[monkeybug]

Like everyone else said, royal icing is the way to go!
I like to pipe it on with bags, but if you have any kiddos helping out the little squirt bottle things they sell at Michael's are great.

 

[lizabu]

Definitely royal icing! I use the Wilton recipe:

3 Tablespoons of Wilton meringue powder
6 Tablespoons of warm water
4 cups of sifted powdered sugar

Beat with an electric mixer 10 minutes with a hand mixer, or 5 with a heavy-duty (Kitchenaide) mixer. I keep mine refrigerated so it doesn't dry. While working with it, keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry. Mix in a little bit of corn syrup to make it a little more spreadable and shiny.

This is the same recipe I use. I end up using more water than they say. I add a Tbs at a time until it's just the right thickness

 

[Kat77]

I use the Wilton recipe also and thin with water to make it spread. I just make a tiny snip the end of a ziplock to use as decorating bag and skip specialty tips (less clean up!). You can store icing at room temp in baggies without it drying out, no need for refrigeration.