Recipe(tried): Cookie Icing/Royal Icing

I made a cookie tree last Christmas and made gingerbread men and cut-out cookies. The frosting was hard and glossy, then I decorated them with the Royal Icing - they turned out beautiful.

COOKIE ICING

This is used for coating petit fors too. (Stays soft but crusts well enough that cookies can be stacked....MUCH tastier
than royal icing!)

1 cup Dry Candy Fondant*
2 teas Water or more, depending on consistency you need

Place sugar and milk in bowl. Stir until mixed thoroughly. For filling in areas, use thinned icing by adding small amounts of water to the icing
until the desired consistency is reached. Icing should be pretty thin and almost pourable. This is the recipe I use for icing cut out cookies. It dries
very shiny and hard.

* You can purchase this at a party supply store.

Royal Icing

2 large egg whites (or 5 tablespoons meringue
powder)

1 pound confectioners' sugar

Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the egg whites, 2
teaspoons water and confectioners' sugar for about 10 minutes.
If the icing is too thick, add an additional teaspoon of water; if
the icing is too thin, continue beating it for 2 to 3 minutes to
achieve a thicker consistency.

Note: Raw eggs should not be used in food that is prepared
for pregnant women, babies, young children or anyone whose
health is compromised. Five tablespoons meringue powder,
with a scant 1/2 cup water, may be substituted for the egg
whites and 2 teaspoons of water.

Makes enough for 15 to 25 gingerbread cookies or
approximately 15 snowflake cookies.