"How can I get royal icing to dry shiny?"
When royal icing is wet, it's super shiny, glossy, and vibrant. So, when it dries to an almost matte finish, it can be disappointing.
Lately though, I've been trying a couple of new drying techniques. One is placing an oscillating fan near the table where the cookies are drying (thank you, Sweet Sugarbelle). The other is using a food dehydrator on the lowest setting (thank you, LilaLoa).
The difference was difficult to capture on camera until I glanced at the cookies backlit from the window.
Can you see the difference?
Again, if we were using the paint finish comparison, I'd say the fan and dehydrator cookies were somewhere between a satin and semi-gloss finish. Still not the glossy look, but definitely shinier.
Also, can you see that the air-dried icing dried darker than the other cookies?
I think the fan and dehydrator cookies dried with the icing a bit "poofier," too. (But, I may be making that up.)
The cookies dried with the fan and dehydrator don't differ much in the finish. As a matter of fact, I was having to really concentrate when taking the pictures to remember which was which. A couple of bonuses to the dehydrator...1. the cookies dry faster. 2. I feel more confident filling in a dark outline with light flood icing after an hour or so in the dehydrator.
The cons to the dehydrator? Moving the cookies with wet icing onto the trays...and then off again if you are doing more decorating. I have smudged a few outlines transferring, and there's always that fear that you'll drop one. *knocks wood*
I use a little clip-on fan like this one. I love that it's small and I can toss it in a closet when I'm not drying cookies. I may even buy a few more for larger cookies quantities.
Tips for drying all cookies:
- place the iced cookies on cookie sheet and leave uncovered to dry,
- if it's warm outside, run the A/C,
- do not open the windows if at all humid, or if you've just run the sprinklers (just ask Mr. E),
- give the cookies a full 6-8 hours or overnight to dry,
- rotate the cookie sheets during drying (or have several fans for large projects),
- still allow 6-8 for drying, using the fan for at least the first 2 hours,
- place the temperature on the lowest setting,
- use caution when moving cookies from the cookie sheets to the dehydrator (this is the part I like the least about moving them),
- to lock in the shine, run the dehydrator for about 4 hours or so, then let them dry the remainder of the way without the machine running,
- the cookies will dry sooner, but to be on the safe side, I still allow a full 6-8 hours to dry completely.
If you want your royal icing to dry with more shine, use a fan or a dehydrator! Shiny or not, though, decorated cookies are always cute. ♥
That's great to know. I would never have thought to use a dehydrator. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteIf you set out to make me think today; mission accomplished! I really like your writing style and how you express your ideas. Thank you. This is very interesting content! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your points and have come to the conclusion that you are right about many of them. You are great.
DeleteAmazing trick, i never do icing but i will take this as consideration in the future
ReplyDeleteSo helpful, thanks for sharing! I have been interested in a dehydrator too since I read the Georganne's post. I don't usually bake dozens and dozens of cookies but it could be a good Christmas present ^^
ReplyDeleteSo useful! Would never have considered a dehydrator before but now I am! :)
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This is so useful, thank you! I have pets in my house and I always worry about them messing with my cookies while they're drying overnight. Putting them in a dehydrator would protect them from the pets and also any errant dust/hair that might be flying around in my house. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteVery very interesting, I have been air drying my cookies all the time, I have to try this technique!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!!!
I've seen both of these tips but not tried them. Going to give the fan technique a go tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThanks for passing along the results of your experiment. My preference is the matte look. I found that corn syrup in the royal icing makes a shiny cookie so I removed it from my recipe. Poor Mr. E, he'll never live down running that sprinkler!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! (As usual!) I wonder how it might work out if your tiny-shoe-box size kitchen has a ceiling fan?!? I just might find out! Thanks
ReplyDeleteTheresa
Recently I had an order of 100 cookies and I used 3 fans. I put the cookies on a tray and had a fan at each end. Plus had a humidifier on, since it was a hot day. I was wondering why the cookies were shinny. You solved my question. I also had to use a standing fan on the other cookies. My husband was a little upset with me, since I had all the cookies on the dining room table next to the TV area. He said it sounded like a plane taking off! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI have a dehydrator, but I bought a nine tray that slides in. It holds more and I handle the cookies less. It also drys quickly.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! Never would've though about dehydrator!
ReplyDeleteSo happy I found your lovely blog! These cookies are just stunning!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this gorgeous recipe, pics are beautiful as the taste, thank you for sharing, have a nice day:) liên
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about icing but your photos are absolutely fantastic, if I could climb into my computer and pick up one of those treats...I would ! :)
ReplyDeleteLove so much
ReplyDeleteLove this, Bridget!! Thank you so very much!
ReplyDeletexo
Great post! I have been using a dehydrator for about a year now and love it. I have one with trays that slide into the unit - you can decorate right on the tray, and then open the door & slide the whole tray in. And not only do the cookies have a nice sheen, I rarely ever get craters anymore!
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing your homework and sharing with us. I would like to achieve some shine, so I may try out the fan, to begin with.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing them all side by side! This is awesome!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea....one question, though...what does the dehydration do to the cookie? Does it change its texture...make it more like a hockey puck???? Or dries the icing and leaves the cookie "unharmed"...thanks for your help....I'm thinking about buying a dehydrator....
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I tried a dehydrator with my last batch of cookies but was disappointed. It kept the shine and the cookies themselves don't taste excessively dried out but the icing has become crunchy. That's the best I can think to describe it. Normally the icing got firm but not to the point of crunchy. I left the cookies in the dehydrator for 2 hours (can you imagine what 4-6 would have done?!) but I think next time I'll try half the batch in the dehydrator for one hour only and the other half air dry with pearl dust. I'd love to get my process down so I can stop ruining cookies playing with it.
ReplyDeleteCan I have the recipe of this adorable cookies?
ReplyDeleteHello! Check out http://www.cookiedecorator.com/showthread.php?3906-Check-out-drying-your-cookies-with-a-Heat-Gun!
ReplyDeleteHello, I´ve been reading this blog for a long time, I love cookies, I usually baked un-decorated cookies, and I´m just beginning to use meringue powder, so I wish to know if the brand of the meringue powder could make a difference in the shine? or if the recipe fot the royal icing is the same no matter the brand of powder? My royal icing dried super matte!!! Thanks!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't remember where but I read that if you dry the cookies under a bright light, they keep more of their shine too! I'd be interested to see a test similar to this one you did to see if it's true :)
ReplyDeleteI have an Excalibur dehydrator with the sheets and my cookies dry out - I roll them to 1/4 inches and leave them in the dehydrator for 1-3 minutes at its lowest temperature (105) to prevent the cookies from drying out but they still do - any thoughts or suggestions for me would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteAbout using luster sprays: do I spray on dried iced cookies or wet icing on cookies? I usually dry my decorated cookies with a fan and the royal icing still looks matte. Does too much meringue powder in the royal icing make it look matte?
ReplyDeleteExcellent observation! Never thought it could make a difference when you tried with different appliance.
ReplyDeleteAwesome tip! I've also a good advice in therms of the dehydrator for you. If you buy a new dehydrator I would highly recommend to buy a product with a horziontal drying system like this one. It also has stainless steel trays and this trays are easier to clean and much more hygienic. This dehydrator also has a transparent magnetic door so you can see everthing what's going on inside.
ReplyDeleteI find that the dehydrator dries out my cookies...even when left in for just a couple of minutes. The cookies do not taste dry prior to going into the dehydrator. Any suggestions?
ReplyDelete