How To Freeze Royal Icing |Video|
Do you have leftover royal icing? When I have extra icing, I freeze it for later. Freezing royal icing is a great way to save time and reduce waste while preserving color. Learn how to store, thaw, and reuse icing efficiently for your next decorating project.
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WHY I FREEZE ROYAL ICING?
- It Saves Money -I freeze leftover royal icing to save time and reduce ingredient waste. Meringue powder, powdered sugar, lemons ( I love fresh lemon royal icing), quality flavorings, and food colorings are expensive. Why throw out the leftovers when you can freeze them for later?!
- The Power of Freezing Colored Icing
- Freezing already colored icing has been a total game-changer for me. It’s especially helpful with colors that need time to fully develop.
- When I freeze leftover black icing, I know I can come back to it later and reuse it for another project without waiting for the color to deepen.
- It also saves a lot of food coloring, since I don’t have to start from scratch with fresh white icing each time.
- It’s also great for those times when I need just a bit of colored icing. I can reach into the freezer to grab it.
- Makes coloring fun – Whenever I can, I like to use pre-colored icing to create new shades. Keeping colored icing in the freezer makes it easy to get started without having to color fresh white icing every time.
HOW TO FREEZE ROYAL ICING |Save Space & Stay Organized|
- Freeze in proper portions and containers – I like to store larger portions in 1-quart (1-liter) containers, but you can also freeze icing in piping bags or sandwich bags—just be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing.
- Seal it well to avoid drying out – When freezing in bins, to prevent drying out or crusting, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the icing before closing the container.
- Label and organize colors – I also make sure to label everything clearly so I can easily tell royal icing from buttercream, since I freeze both.
- Thaw and restore consistency correctly – Let the icing come fully to room temperature, then adjust the consistency as needed with a small amount of stiff icing or sifted powdered sugar.
PIPING BAGS
When I don’t have an immediate use for the icing I have just used in a project, I freeze icing in piping bags. Simply place the filled piping bags into a gallon-size freezer bag or a container, grouping colors together if needed. Be sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing to keep the icing fresh and mitigate crystallization.
ZIPLOC BAGS
I also like to use sandwich bags. You can throw well-sealed sandwich bags into a larger freezer bag or a container. But that is not always the best solution, as bags can be bulky and take up much-needed freezer space. How to maximize your freezer space with a simple step.
HOW TO MAXIMIZE FREEZER SPACE
I used to have a tiny freezer, so I did my best not to waste any space.
- If you’re in the same situation, try this:
- Freeze the icing-filled sandwich bags – Lay the sandwich bags flat on a baking sheet, separating them with parchment so they don’t freeze together.
- Freeze them for several hours.
- Once frozen, separate them and stack them in a larger freezer bag to save space.
- Label them (with date) and store them upright, keeping everything organized.
FREEZER SAFE CONTAINERS
Recently, I’ve started freezing thick, uncolored icing in square or cylindrical freezer-safe containers. I make sure to press plastic wrap directly onto the icing surface, then seal the container tightly with a lid.
DEFROSTING ROYAL ICING
To thaw frozen icing, I simply leave it on the counter at room temperature. Smaller portions will defrost more quickly, while larger containers may take longer. It’s important to let the icing fully come to room temperature before using. Don’t skip this step. Allow at least a couple of hours for small amounts, or overnight for larger batches.
ROYAL ICING SEPARATES
Once the meringue-based royal icing has thawed and reached room temperature, you may notice darker areas that appear more fluid. For example, a deeper red area (see the picture below). This deeper red spot is basically liquid that has separated from the solids (powdered sugar/meringue powder). No worries, this is absolutely normal and very frequent. I’m sure you’ve seen this happen before. When separation occurs, you just need to reconstitute the icing. I massage the bag with my fingers. If that doesn’t help, I pour it into a bowl and stir well till combined.
HOW FREEZING AFFECTS ROYAL ICING CONSISTENCY
This is another common effect you will experience when working with thawed royal icing. When icing freezes, the water content expands by about 9%, and as it thaws, the consistency becomes slightly looser. What you can expect, for example: royal icing that was originally a 15-second consistency may turn into a 10-second consistency after defrosting. Similarly, icing that was a piping consistency may soften to a 20–25-second consistency once thawed. And with the thick, consistency-icing, I notice only a slight change after it thaws.
RESTORING CONSISTENCY AND COLOR IN THAWED ROYAL ICING
Consistency – To fix the thin consistency of frozen and thawed royal icing, I like to mix in a small amount of stiff royal icing or a little bit of sifted powdered sugar. You don’t need much, usually just a spoonful or two is enough. This helps thicken the icing to the desired consistency, restore its texture, and give it the structure needed for decorating.
Coloring – One thing I’ve noticed is that colored icing deepens in color when frozen and thawed. Because of this, once you adjust the consistency using thick white icing, you usually won’t need to add much, if any, additional food coloring. And when I need to mix a specific color, I first check the icing I already have on hand to see if I can mix a custom shade before reaching for concentrated gel colors.
FAQ AND SUCCESS TIPS
You can freeze royal icing for 3-6 months.
There is such a thing as freezing icing too many times. I’ve found that after the same icing has been frozen and thawed 3 or more times, it can develop a slightly coarse or sandy texture when rubbed between your fingers. This is due to sugar crystallization. And while cream of tartar in royal icing can help slow it down, it doesn’t completely prevent it over multiple freeze cycles.
You can improve the sandy texture by mixing in a small amount of fresh royal icing. However, I don’t recommend using this reconstituted icing for delicate piping work like swirls, as it tends to lose some of its elasticity. It still works well for flooding cookies and other simpler applications.
I freeze both colored and uncolored icing, but since some shades are harder to achieve, I make a point to save leftover reds, pinks, blacks, purples, browns, royal blues, and dark greens.
If the thawed icing is too runny, add 1–2 spoonfuls of stiff royal or sifted powdered sugar icing to improve consistency, restore texture, and build structure for your project. Don’t use too much powdered sugar, as it can throw off the meringue powder sugar ratio.
Absolutely. I often freeze thick icing in a freezer-safe container, sealing it tightly with plastic wrap first and then covering it with a lid.
HOW TO FREEZE ROYAL ICING VIDEO
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Hi, I’m Hani
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting Haniela’s. On my blog, you’ll find delicious sweet & savory recipes made with simple ingredients. Why not start a new adventure? Discover a world of cookie decorating with my step-by-step tutorials.
Hi, I’m Hani
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting Haniela’s. On my blog, you’ll find delicious sweet & savory recipes made with simple ingredients. Why not start a new adventure? Discover a world of cookie decorating with my step-by-step tutorials.
Can you freeze decorated cookies for a later date?
Hi Vicki,
yes you can freeze decorated cookies. It’s best to heat seal them in poly bags first, and freeze them in a container
stored vertically, so there is minimal pressure on the decorated surface. Allow to defrost overnight on a kitchen counter. Don’t open the container during the thawing stage.
Hello Hani. This is such a helpful article and thank you. When reusing the thawed royal icing that has thinned too much, is there any reason why you can’t thicken it with powdered sugar instead of thick consistency royal icing?
Hi Jill,
You can use some powdered sugar but, you don’t want to use to much as it can throw out the ratio of powdered sugar and meringue powder/dry egg whites. It can then lead to
drying issues and how icing behaves. Thank you and Happy Holidays.
How do you put on tip to icing frozen in piping bags
Hi Susan,
you need to defrost icing before using, and as mentioned in the post you’ll most likely need to remix some to get the consistency you need. And that will require you to pour the icing into a piping bag. If you are using piping tips with tipless bags you can either drop the tip into the bag directly or if you plan on using several tips with the same color and consistency then
I’d recommend using a coupler and attach piping with the coupler and the ring.
Can you freeze royal icing made with pasteurized liquid egg whites?
Yes you can.
Hi Hani,
I really love your thorough instructions.
Have you tried substituting cane sugar with any of the natural sweeteners; i.e. Allulose or Swerve Confectioners Sugar, to make Royal icing? I am trying to eliminate added sugar from our diet. My husband has diabetes.
Gloria
Hi Gloria,
I haven’t personally. But a friend – baker uses swerve and she said it works great.
My daughter is allergic to Red dye in food coloring. I have found a small amount of dye free food coloring but am looking for recommendations on products that have been tried. So many colors require some red added to it and it is a challenge to make the other colors with using only dye free.
Hi Karin,
Have you used Supernatural Food Colors? You can also try using pulverized freeze dry fruits, like cranberries, raspberries, strawberries or beet powder. With most natural food colors it is super hard to achieve really vibrant colors and so often using pulverized freeze dry fruit can help achieve brighter colors.
Hi, I’m wanting to prep royal icing for a cookie party coming up. Would you say that I can freeze white icing and then add the food coloring after its thawed? Or is it just as easy/efficient to color it, freeze then thaw, and then get it back to consistency with new royal icing? Thanks!
Hi Kaitlyn,
May I ask when is your party? Meringue based royal will be good for at least 3 weeks and up to 4 weeks, stored in the fridge. When freezing it you can do it either way. I usually freeze leftovers so it’s mainly colored. If you freeze a fresh batch, freeze it thick, either colored or uncolored. Then let it defrost and see what it looks like in terms of consistency that you need for your decorating. Have fun decorating.
The party is the 2nd weekend in December, so if I make it next week like I was planning, I can just leave it in the fridge? That’ll be about 3-4 weeks. That way I could color it and then adjust consistency the day before the party. Thanks!
Yes, that will be fine. You’ll most likely need to remix it. It will be fine.
I have been looking all over for this answer! Thank you. Just made fresh batch and want to freeze it and not color of add water.
Hi Sherre,
You’re welcome. Merry Christmas
Hello – When you seal the piping bags (before freezing), can I use my heat sealer vs. the tape? If so, can I just leave it sealed and not have to use a twisty or rubber band?
Hi Chris,
I think that should be fine. Great thinking!
Hey is it possbile to freeze royal icing made with meringue powder?
Absolutely.
Hi Hani!
I have one question. When you freeze your icing flat, how come that later when you put it up it keeps being flat if icing doesn’t freeze into rockk hard? I kept my icing in a freezer for a few weeks and when I took it out it was still soft.
Hi Gosia,that I’m not sure. All my royal icing freezes rock hard. I’m not sure why yours wouldn’t. Do you add any corn syrup or anything like that to your royal icing? I use wilton meringue powder to make royal icing. Sorry I wasn’t much help here.
I had have the same experience and I think that it have to be with the corn syrup that I add to the royal icing.
Thank you for sharing that Barbara.
I also freeze icing and will mix leftover colors to use as a base for black. It doesn’t take as much gel color to achieve black when I start with a color.
Thank you for sharing Mary-Jean.
Very excited about this tip. Thanks – cannot wait to try it.
Thank you. Keep me posted how it goes. I’m so glad I started freezing royal icing.
Thank you for your great idea
You are welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
Love your site, and your freezing is just what I do. Thank you for the freezer tape tip, I use it a lot for other things in our Food Cart, but never icing bags. Great tip!! You are much appreciated!
Thank you Pam. I honestly love it. Have a great day.
Great information. I love freezing left over icing. I get so excited when I need just a small amount of a certain color and it’s in the freezer!
Thank you June.