Icing Sugar cookies

now to ice those little biscuits....

there is only one type of icing that I have ever used, that is ROYAL ICING.  There are other recipes available, but royal icing is my favourite, and  would  always use unless  specifically stated otherwise.  If you would like to try this recipe, click HERE for a printable version.
 The other icing words used like outlining , piping, flood, fill, and twenty-second icing are used to describe consistency rather than recipes.
 Bottom line is, you are working with one icing and adjusting the consistency  to make it do different things.
 Normally, you begin by using piping icing to outline the cookie.  This creates a border or “dam” to make sure the icing does not flow over the edges

 Outlines can be very basic or complex, but in MOST cases, they are the “blueprint” of the cookie.
 

After the cookie is outlined, a thinner version of the same icing is used to fill the outlined area.  This is called FLOODING.  It will usually flow until it fills the entire cookie.  If I am in a hurry like I usually am, I use an offset spatula to speed things along.

 

• Always use a spray bottle to thin your icing.  
•  “Give it a Shpritz” article HERE.  I highly recommend it.  It literally changed the way I iced a cookie.
• Play around with the consistencies.  What works for me, may not work as well for you.  The key is to find your groove.  I bet I know over 100 women who make excellent cookies, and not one single one of us does things EXACTLY the same.
• USE Karen’s bag trick when preparing piping icing.  This isn’t even a request, it’s an order.  When you are at the park with your kids and NOT home washing icing bags, you will thank me.
• Keep a toothpick, cookie scraper, handy to pop those pesky bubbles
• I also have a helpful articles on Coloring and Preparing Royal Icing and a step-by-step pictorial on how I make royal icing that can be viewed by clicking the links.
•  Feel free to add any tips you might have, or ask questions.  There is a no-dumb-question clause specifically attached to this post.  Keep your eyes open for my upcoming post demonstrating the difference between flood icing, and the slightly thicker 20-second icing.