Royal Icing - Makes 5 Cups

• ½ cup meringue powder
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 lbs confectioners sugar

Cookies & Decorating

• owl-shaped cookies, baked & cooled (Dani is using gingerbread cookies)
• royal icing using a variety of food colorings
• jumbo candy confetti for eyes
• sliced gumdrops for beak
• button candy for eyeballs
• candy hearts
• orange candy dragées for feet

Special Equipment

• hand mixer to make royal icing
• parchment paper for work surface
• squeeze bottles for royal icing
• toothpicks used as holders & for spreading icing
• tweezers

Make Royal Icing

1. Using a hand mixer, beat together meringue powder and water to a smooth texture, removing air bubbles, and swirling the mixer to get at the edges of the bowl
2. Beat in confectioners sugar until combined. Brush down sides and bottom of bowl to make sure all ingredients are incorporated and icing has a ribbon-like consistency
3. Transfer to containers and add food coloring as desired. If not using immediately, store tightly covered at room temperature. Icing will last a couple of weeks until it starts to dry out. Re-mix briefly when ready to use. (If the icing is too thick, add water, about 1 tbsp at a time, and beat until the water is thoroughly combined.  If icing is too thin, add more confectioners sugar)

Decorate Cookies

1. Prepare your favorite cookie recipe and cut out owl shapes. Just before baking, insert a skewer into the bottom of each cookie. Bake and let cookies cool completely before decorating
2. Once cookies have cooled, outline with royal icing (in whatever colors you like!)
3. Zigzag within the outline with royal icing and use a toothpick to smooth it out
4. Decorate (except for button candy eyeballs) and let sit from 1-5 hours undisturbed
5. Dot each eye with royal icing and add the button candy eyeballs
6. Let sit 1 more hour and then use to sit atop your cupcakes!