Knowing how to properly color royal icing is one of the most important skills a cookie decorator can master. The right coloring method keeps your icing smooth, stable, vibrant, and predictable—while the wrong method can lead to bleeding, bitterness, or icing that never fully dries. Whether you are tinting soft pastels or making red royal icing for bold holiday designs, the type of color you use and how you apply it will directly affect your final results. This guide will walk you through best practices for coloring royal icing with confidence and consistency.

Why Gel Food Coloring Is the Best Choice

When you color royal icing, the type of coloring matters just as much as the amount. Gel food coloring is the preferred option for royal icing because it is highly concentrated and adds very little liquid to the icing. This helps preserve the original consistency and strength of your icing while giving you rich color payoff.

Unlike liquid food coloring, which can thin your icing and weaken its structure, gel colors allow you to deepen color slowly and safely. This control is especially important when working on detailed designs or making red royal icing, where stability matters. 

How to Add Color the Right Way

Start with the “One Drop Rule”

Always begin with one small drop of gel color and mix thoroughly before adding more. This prevents over-saturating the icing and makes it much easier to control the final shade.

Allow Colors to Develop

Many colors—especially darker shades like red—will deepen over time. After mixing, cover the icing and allow it to rest for at least 2–4 hours. For the best results when making red royal icing, resting overnight is ideal.

Should You Use Clear Extracts for Bright Whites?

I often hear decorators talk about using clear extract for bright white icing.  I have never found this to be required.  I use regular vanilla and vanilla paste and have never had an issue with my royal icing not being bright white.  

The Unique Challenge of Making Red Royal Icing

Making red royal icing is widely considered the most difficult color to achieve successfully. Red requires a high concentration of pigment, which can affect drying time, taste, and icing structure if not handled carefully.

If too much red coloring is added:

• Icing may become crumbly or remain soft

• Drying time can be significantly delayed

• The flavor may become bitter

• Color bleeding may occur after drying

Because of this, making red royal icing requires patience, planning, and high-quality color products.

Best Methods for Making Red Royal Icing Successfully

Use High-Quality Coloring

My go-to gel color is SUPER RED by Chefmaster.  I can achieve the most beautiful and rich shades of red without over-saturating my icing with too much color.

Start with a Pink Base

One popular technique for making red royal icing is to tint your icing pink first using a stable pink gel color. Once fully mixed, slowly add red gel color. This builds depth more gradually and can lead to a more stable red.

Mix Early and Let the Color Develop

Red icing almost always looks lighter when first mixed. Allow it to rest covered for 24 hours whenever possible. The color will continue to deepen naturally without requiring excessive dye.

Preventing Color Bleed in Royal Icing

Bleeding occurs when pigment migrates after icing has dried. This is most common with saturated colors like red.

To avoid bleed:

• Do not over-thin icing with water

• Avoid acidic ingredients such as lemon juice in red icing

• Store decorated cookies in a dry environment and allow plenty of air flow. 

• Use a food dehydrator to set your icing.  I place the cookies in my dehydrator, set to 95 degrees, for 25 minutes after I decorate them.  

• Allow cookies to dry in low-humidity conditions (Again, air flow is very important!)

Humidity, moisture, and changes in pH are the most common causes of bleeding when making red royal icing.

Mixing and Recording Custom Colors

Gel colors can be blended to create custom shades. When mixing:

• Always make more icing than you think you’ll need

• Write down your color formulas for repeat projects

• Label containers to avoid confusion later

This practice ensures consistency, especially for orders, classes, and creating just-for-fun cookies!

Food Safety and Storage When Working with Colored Icing

Always store colored royal icing in airtight containers and keep it covered while working to prevent crusting. Stir well before reuse, especially after resting. If icing thickens during storage, add only tiny amounts of water to restore consistency.

Dark colors should always be tested in small batches before committing to large projects—especially when making red royal icing.

Final Thoughts from The Cheerful Baker

Learning how to color royal icing correctly gives you control, consistency, and confidence in every decorating project. From soft pastels to bold statement colors, success always comes from using high-quality gel colors, building color slowly, and allowing time for development. While making red royal icing requires extra care, the right approach will reward you with rich, vibrant results that dry beautifully and hold up in real-world conditions.

With these methods, you can color royal icing with accuracy and predictability—no surprises, no streaking, and no bleeding—just clean, professional results every time.