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Can You Freeze Royal Icing?

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By Ross Young

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Whether you only make royal icing for special occasions like decorating the annual family Christmas cake or if you use it regularly when baking cakes, you might be wondering whether it’s possible to batch-prepare royal icing and store it. So…

Can You Freeze Royal Icing?

Yes, you can freeze royal icing for up to 2 months. Simply portion the royal icing out into individual freezer bags, seal them up, remove as much air as possible and then pop the bags into the freezer.

Does Royal Icing Freeze Well? Yes

Can You Refreeze Royal Icing? Yes

How to Freeze Royal Icing

You’ll be glad to hear there’s nothing overly complicated about freezing royal icing. The only thing you have to consider in advance is your desired portion sizes so you don’t waste the icing when defrosting it.

Below are the steps you need to follow:

  1. Separate Into Portions: If you’ve made a big batch of royal icing, we advise you to separate your icing into portions. Check your recipe and note the required amount of icing for future recipes. Then weigh out the icing and place it in individual freezer-safe bags. 
  2. Remove Air and Seal: When you’ve separated your icing into portions and placed it in individual bags, ensure you press as much air out of the bags as possible before sealing them. This will help to protect your icing from freezer burn.
  3. Label and Freeze: Clearly label your royal icing and note the date you prepared it. You should also add a use-by date to help you manage your freezer stock. Remember, you can store royal icing in the freezer for around two months. 
Can You Freeze Coloured Royal Icing?

Yes, royal icing that has food dye added to it can also be frozen. Over time, you may find that the colour becomes a little dull, but it is perfectly safe to use and consume. Coloured Royal Icing

3 Tips for Freezing Royal Icing

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing royal icing to have the best results:

Add Colour After Freezing
If you’re adding colouring to your royal icing, we recommend adding it after it has been frozen. This is to ensure you’re not restricted to using this colour icing later down the line, as you’re never sure how your baking intentions might change in the future! 

Keep It Refrigerated
If you have a couple of days of baking planned consecutively, you can place your icing mixture in the refrigerator without freezing it. If you have covered it well, it will be perfectly fine in the fridge for 2-3 days. Just be sure to mix it well before using it, as the mixture may have separated slightly. 

Only Freeze Set Icing
If you’re freezing cookies or a cake with a royal icing topping, ensure it is fully set before you freeze it. You don’t want misplaced fingerprints or unsightly marks on the top of your pretty baked goods! 

How Long Can You Freeze Royal Icing?

You can freeze royal icing for around two months. 

We don’t recommend freezing it for any longer than that because you will risk it going crumbly and changing texture if it’s frozen for too long. 

How Long Does Royal Icing Last in the Fridge?

Although it will last for longer than 3 days, the best time period to keep royal icing in the fridge is up to 3 days to avoid any major textural changes.

How Do You Defrost Royal Icing?

You should defrost your royal icing by taking it out of the freezer the night before you need to use it.

Take it out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. There’s no need to remove it from the bag in which it was frozen; make sure you keep it covered when it’s in the fridge.

When you’re ready to top your baked goods with your thawed royal icing, you will probably have to work on its consistency and smooth it out before you’re ready to add your finishing touches. 

Can You Refreeze Royal Icing?

It’s safe to refreeze royal icing after you’ve frozen and thawed it. However, because crystals form on the surface of the icing when it is thawed, you risk ruining the texture of your royal icing if you decide to refreeze it.

As an alternative, we recommend freezing your royal icing in appropriate portions, so you only have to take out what you need from the freezer at any given time.

Does Royal Icing Freeze Well?

Providing it’s properly wrapped, and you have removed the excess air from the bag, your royal icing should freeze really well.

Don’t worry about the consistency of your icing once it’s thawed, as you might have to do a little work to restore it before topping your cake or cookies.

It should taste just as fresh and deliciously sweet as it would if you had just prepared it freshly.

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing royal icing or icing in general, then these may help:

Can You Freeze Cookies With Royal Icing?

You can freeze cookies that are decorated with royal icing. Wait for the icing to fully set, then place the cookies into a Tupperware container. To avoid them sticking to one another (and ruining the icing), you can place a sheet of greaseproof paper between each cookie. Freeze Cookies with Royal Icing scaled

Can You Freeze Royal Icing on a Cake?

If you have already iced the cake, it is possible to freeze it for a few months, wrapped in cling film and then bagged up. However, it is better to freeze an undecorated cake.

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