The age-old question: how long does royal icing take to dry? The short answer to this question is about 8 hours (or one sleep as I like to say).
In this post, I first walk through some commonly asked questions about how royal icing dries. Then, I walk through step-by-step hour-by-hour royal icing drying for 8 hours.
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Does royal icing dry hard?
Yes! It’s absolutely meant to dry hard. Some complain that it’s too hard, but I think combined with the right cookie recipe and the icing is flavored well, it’s actually a wonderful sweet experience!
That is unless you’re making a frankenfrosting of sorts that includes corn syrup for a slightly softer bite. But, it should still be fairly hard to the touch so you can package the cookies without smooshing the icing.
How does royal icing dry?
All royal icing includes some sort of egg product (unless you’re making a vegan version, which will still dry hardish), which is what allows the icing to dry. This is unlike any other type of icing (like glaze and buttercream) that is meant to stay soft.
Now, in terms of how to actually dry royal icing cookies properly: royal icing needs to be exposed to air to be able to completely dry. So when you’re done decorating, place the cookies on a flat surface exposed to air.
It’s important that the entire bottom of the cookie be on the surface to prevent the bottom of the cookie from getting stale. In other words, do not dry your cookie on something like a cookie dry rack that has holes in the bottom. (Photo below just to demonstrate what NOT to do!)
How do you know when royal icing is dry?
Royal icing is dry when you can place medium pressure on the icing with your thumb (that’s if you are using an icing recipe WITHOUT corn syrup) without indenting the icing. Now, if you press with heavy pressure the icing WILL indent/crack. It’s not indestructible!
What affects dry time?
Glad you asked! There are many different variables that can affect how quickly (or slowly) your icing dries:
- Consistency:
- Thinner = dries slower
- Thicker = dries faster
- Temperature/humidity:
- Cold/dry temps = dries faster
- Hot/humid temps = dries slower
- Drying method:
- Nothing = nothing!
- Table fan = dries a bit faster
- Dehydrator = dries a lot faster (and get dry out cookie)
- Fat introduction: if fat has been introduced to your icing, then it will never actually dry (more details below)
Why aren’t my cookies drying at all?
This could be for a few reasons:
Oil/fat
The first is that oil has been introduced to the icing. Oil and royal icing do not mix! Most cookiers wipe their mixers down with white vinegar or lemon juice before mixing their icing to prevent this. I personally never do this and have never had an issue like this, but I think it’s because my icing recipe has lemon juice.**Also make sure not to use extracts with oils.
Too hot/humid
The other reason could be that you’re in an entirely too hot and too humid environment. Royal icing needs a nice temperate environment to dry completely and/or at the usual pace.
Airtight container too soon
You have placed the cookies in an airtight container BEFORE they are dry. Yes, you heard that right! You should NOT put royal icing cookies in an airtight container until they’re completely dry. The icing needs to be exposed to the air to dry. This usually takes about overnight (approximately 8 hours).
Check out this blog post on troubleshooting royal icing for more reasons/ways your icing can dry funny.
How can you make royal icing dry faster?
There are two legitimate ways to get royal icing to dry faster:
Use a table fan
Point the fan directly at the cookies as they dry. The air circulation will help the cookies dry a bit faster (not miracles, though) and will leave the icing with a bit of a sheen.
Use a dehydrator
This definitely works faster than a table fan, BUT it can easily dry out your cookies if you’re not careful! Always put it on the lowest setting (mine goes down to 95 degrees F) and when you first start using it set a timer for 10-15 minutes every time you put the cookies in the dehydrator so you don’t forget. I aim to not have them in there longer than 60 minutes total (which is definitely pushing it). Sometimes I’ll use a dehydrator after each stage of decorating to speed up the whole process, or I’ll just use it on the base flood before I put the decorations on top. I almost never use the dehydrator once I put the final touches on the cookie, unless the last design elements might crater and using the dehydrator for 10 minutes will help prevent craters.
- The dehydrator that I use: https://amzn.to/3pzZf32
- It looks like this has been out of stock for a while, so here is an alternative that looks almost exactly the samee as the one I have: https://amzn.to/3Xxlmav
Does putting the cookies in the refrigerator make them dry faster?
Definitely not! In fact, it will likely ruin your cookies. As mentioned above, royal icing needs to be exposed to air to be able to dry completely. By putting wet royal icing in the fridge you are not only preventing the icing from actually drying, but the humid environment will also likely make the colors bleed.
That said, once the cookies are dry you CAN store them in the freezer. Check out this post for more information on storing and freezing decorated sugar cookies.
Does quick-set royal icing exist?
Not that I’m aware of!
The different phases of royal icing drying
As royal icing is drying, there are three ways that I measure how drying it is:
- Lightly grazing a finger over the top (the icing will go from wet to sticky to smooth)
- Medium pressure with a thumbprint (the icing will go from large indent to no indent)
- Crackle (the icing will go from idents to cracks)
Yes, I absolutely do recommend using your fingers to test how done the icing is! I did this for years until I got comfortable enough with how the icing looked to know how dry it was. Can’t tell you how many cookies I’ve ruined by sticking my thumb in the icing! So, as you’re poking around, I recommend poking/pressing in spots that will get covered up by a second layer of icing for the design.
Please keep in mind the following variables regarding dry time for YOUR icing: 1) temperature/humidity, 2) consistency and 3) drying method (nothing/fan/dehydrator). For this test, I used a thick flood, a table fan to dry and it was a bit humid that day.
Now, without further adieu, let’s see how a cookie dries from the moment it’s flooded to 8 hours later!
Dry Time: Just Flooded
Dry Time: 5 minutes
Notes: large indent for medium pressure thumbprint (upper left), crackles are indents (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in an indent (lower middle).
Uses: could potentially flood in sections at this point, but I usually wait at least 10 minutes.
Dry Time: 10 minutes
Notes: medium indent for medium pressure thumbprint (upper left), crackles are still more like indents (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in a small indent (lower middle).
Uses:
- could crackle for an indent effect, or wait longer for more like a crackle
- can definitely flood in sections
Dry Time: 15 minuutes
Notes: medium indent for medium pressure thumbprint (upper left), crackles are cracking properly (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/slightly sticky (lower middle).
Uses: great time to crackle!
Dry Time: 20 minutes
Notes: medium indent for medium pressure thumbprint (upper left), crackles are cracking properly (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/slightly sticky/can’t move the finger easily (lower middle).
Uses: also a great time to crackle!
Dry Time: 30 minutes
Notes: medium pressure thumbprint results in a crack (upper left), crackles are cracking properly (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/ still slightly sticky but it’s easier to move and almost sticky/smooth (lower middle).
Uses:
- can still crackle at this stage
- a good time to add a second layer (gently) if you’re concerned about cratering of the second layer
Dry Time: 60 minutes
Notes: medium pressure thumbprint results in a crackle (upper left), crackles are still cracking but it’s more challenging (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/smooth surface (lower middle).
Uses:
- could also do a second layer at this time if you’re concerned about cratering
- first opportunity I recommend doing a second layer for beginners
- first opportunity for advanced cookiers to do the bear technique (dabbing icing on top of the dry flood) — be careful, you could easily puncture the icing at this point!
Dry Time: 1.5 hours
Notes: medium pressure thumbprint results in an almost smooth indent (upper left), crackles are becoming increasingly challenging to do (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/smooth surface (lower middle).
Uses:
- second opportunity I recommend doing a second layer for beginners
- better opportunity for advanced cookiers to do the bear technique (dabbing icing on top of the dry flood) — be careful, you could still puncture the icing at this point!
Dry Time: 2 hours
Notes: medium pressure thumbprint results in almost no indent (upper left), crackles are even more challenging to do (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/smooth surface (lower middle).
Uses:
- good time for beginners to pipe finer details on the top
- first opportunity for beginners to do the bear technique (dabbing icing on top of the dry flood)
Dry Time: 4 hours
Notes: medium pressure thumbprint results in basically no indent (upper left), crackles are revealing icing is clearly drying underneath (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/smooth surface (lower middle).
Uses: icing is just drying at this point…
Dry Time: 6 hours
Notes: medium pressure thumbprint results in no indent (upper left), crackles are revealing icing is very close to dried underneath (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/smooth surface (lower middle).
Uses: icing is just drying at this point…
Dry Time: 8 hours
Notes: medium pressure thumbprint results no indent (upper left), crackles are revealing icing is dry underneath (upper right) and light graze across the surface with finger results in no indent/smooth surface (lower middle).
Uses: icing is drying!
Conclusion: yes, with a heavy hand, you can still crack the surface of the icing when it’s dry! But, it’s dry. I promise.
Want to try cookie decorating?
Try out one of my online cookie decorating classes!
Other posts you might be interested in:
- What Is Royal Icing: A Beginner’s Guide
- Royal Icing Recipe
- How to store royal icing (more detailed instructions)
- Royal icing consistencies
- How much icing per cookie – coming soon!
- All of my favorite cookie decorating supplies
- Left-Handed Cookie Decorating
- Cookie Decorating Practice Sheets
