Naturally Colored Royal Icing is simple to make, requiring just 3 basic ingredients. Pure white icing that also colors beautifully and dries to a smooth, hard, matte finish. Perfect for decorating cut out cookies. This post is sponsored by India Tree®.

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Spring has finally sprung, and I for one couldn't be more excited about it! Bring on the fresh produce, farmer's market and obviously... all the Easter season goodies!

As I’ve said time and time again, I’m all for balance. Yes, I write a “whole-food” blog. Yes, I generally try to avoid refined-sugar.

Buuuuut....

Yes.. on occasion my kids enjoy a homemade goodie made with plain-ol’ white flour, oozy milk chocolate and/or sugar that doesn’t derive from a coconut. *Gasp.* It’s called balance, and I’m all for it!

Easter season is in full official swing. Hot crossed buns. Fresh berry crips. Peach cobbler. And, best of all: Adorably decorated Spring themed cut out cookies. So today, in preparation for the upcoming Easter weekend, we need to talk about how to make naturally colored royal icing. Because, while I’m all for little splurges (especially holiday related ones).. I just can’t get on board with artificial food dyes. They are made in a lab with chemicals derived from petroleum, have been linked with long-term health issues and have been shown to cause hyper-activity in children. It's just not worth it.

I used to make my own food dyes (and it was a process). Thankfully, I’ve found a great store-bought option that are made from real ingredients (vegetables). India Tree's Nature's Colors Decorating Set can be found online or at health foods stores.The price is higher than traditional food coloring, but a little goes a long way. The colors are really simple to blend and India Tree provides a helpful coloring guide so that you don’t have to waste time or frosting getting your colors perfect. They also make lots of fun sprinkles using plant-based dyes. The products are a great option for people who want to avoid harmful food dyes but don’t have time to boil beets, blend strawberries and/or purchase obscure ingredients to make their own homemade versions.

The royal Icing couldn’t be easier to whip up. Dump 3 ingredients in a bowl, mix it up, adjust according to preference and that’s it. Pure white icing that also colors beautifully and dares to a smooth, hard matte finish. It’s perfect for decorating these cookies!

This royal icing works well with ant cut-out cookie recipe, but if you are looking for a "healthier" version, you should definitely check out my Whole Food Cut Out Cookie recipe. It doesn't taste the same as a traditional sugar laden cookie, but when you are topping it with icing, do you really need it to?

Time Saving Tips and Tricks

Prep: The recipe is so simple that prepping is not necesary.

Make Ahead: While fresh royal icing will always give you the best results, I've made and stored mine for up to a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Freezer: Royal icing can be successfully frozen for up to a month. Place leftover icing in a freezer-friendly zipper bag. Squeeze out all air before sealing. Freeze flat on a rimmed baking sheet. To thaw, remove from freezer and allow to thaw on the counter. Colors may separate, just gently knead the bag until they are smooth again.

HOW TO MAKE NATURALLY COLORED ICING VIDEO:

How To Make Naturally Colored Royal Icing

Author: Bailey Sissom
Prep Time: 5 mins.
Cook Time: 0 mins.
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: scant 2 cups 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Ingredients

Scale

4 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup milk + 2 teaspoon (more if needed)
Juice of 1 lemon
India Tree Nature's Colors Decorating Set

Instructions

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until combined.
Add more milk as needed to achieve desired consistency.
Follow the India Tree Nature's Colors Royal Icing Coloring Guide to create desired icing colors.

Notes

If you trying to achieve a thicker frosting for outlining cookies, start with 4 TBS of milk and add more drop by drop until desired consistency is achieved.
If you don't have a stand mixer, a hand mixer will work fine for this recipe.

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