Hey Bestie! If there’s one thing cookiers love, it’s PUFFY royal icing! Something about it just makes us swoon! Unfortunately, it proves to be elusive for some, but we’re changing that today. We’re tackling achieving puffy royal icing writing, with 2 different methods! If you’ve been here before, you know I always give you options, bestie. There’s almost always more than one way to accomplish something and I’m here to help to learn which works best for you. Recipe, consistencies, guidance and demo, all create for you to be successful. Let’s go!
Let’s talk royal icing
If you have a royal icing recipe you love, I love that for you! But I encourage you to read on because not all royal icing recipes yield the same results. No one really talks about how very different royal icing can be from one cookier to the next. But it’s really important when we’re talking about consistencies and manipulating icing, because they don’t all behave the same. The way I make my royal icing is detailed HERE and this is what I use for all my cookie decorating. If your icing is giving you a hard time or if you’re struggling to achieve certain techniques, you may want to try a different recipe. You’d be shocked at how different results can be simple with a different recipe. I share that because a good recipe is a critical element to achieving beautiful, puffy icing!
Puffy royal icing
Now I’ve covered creating puffy royal icing previously, but today we’re focusing on writing, per your requests! If you’re looking for a tutorial on creating puffy icing for larger areas and other details, you can find that HERE.
So in addition to a good royal icing recipe, the other two important factors in puffy icing are your consistencies and a way to quick set your icing, like a dehydrator. Great royal icing, consistency and locking in that puff is your recipe to beautiful puff.
Puffy Royal Icing writing methods
So there are two ways to create this beautiful writing. We’ll cover both and you can try both or decide what works best for you. The first is the method I personally use but is arguably the more difficult way to master. I use one consistency for my puffy writing and consistency is everything when it comes to this method. I basically use the thickest consistency I can that still heals perfectly smooth. This gives me the dimension I want without any cratering. And because it’s a thicker consistency, the writing holds its shape beautifully. The biggest benefit of this method is that your writing is completely seamless.
The second and far more popular method cookiers use to create puffy royal icing writing is by outlining and filling. Using a slightly thicker consistency to outline your writing, letting that crust to create a sturdy wall and then filling with thinner icing. This method does show your outline so it’s not seamless, but many cookiers don’t mind and simply find this technique easier. The perfect consistency is not as critical with this method compared to the seamless method, which makes it easier.
I’ll demonstrate both methods and consistencies for you in the video below.
Lock in the Puff!
The last ingredient in our puffy royal icing writing is a method to quick set your icing to lock in the puff and avoid any cratering. Most cookiers, myself included, use a dehydrator to easily achieve this, but even a cool oven with just the light on will help in the absence of a dehydrator. Some cookiers heat up their oven to 170, turn it off and then put their cookies in with the door cracked, to quick set the icing. I personally don’t love that method as it’s melted my icing when I tested it and is not energy efficient, but some cookiers like that method, so throwing it out there for consideration.
If you do want to learn more about how a dehydrator is used in cookie decorating to lock in puff and the other benefits, you’ll find that HERE.
Some cookiers also believe it’s important to adding your puffy writing on top of crusted flood versus fully dry. I personally do it both ways with the same results, so it may have more to do with your icing recipe and how you dry your icing. Just another tip!
Font examples
If you’d like to see what some puffy royal icing writing looks like in different fonts, you’ll find some of my faves HERE. I love playing with fun fonts and once you nail puffy writing, you very well may love it too!
Let’s get our puff on!
In this video, I show the consistencies I use for each method and demonstrate both methods. There’s no right or wrong way, Bestie, only what works best for you! Click HERE or the image below to access the demo video.
Need More Help?
I hope this post all about puffy royal icing writing was helpful and that you can achieve the glorious puff you’re longing for! But if you need any more help or want to show off your puff, you can find me and thousands of fellow Besties HERE. It’s the happiest corner of the internet where you’ll find endless help, support, inspiration and celebration of beautiful bakes.
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