How to Make Red Royal Icing

Few things make decorated cookies stand out quite like a bold, vibrant red. Whether you’re preparing colorful royal icing cookies or Valentine’s Day cookies, mastering red royal icing is an essential cookie decorating skill. But as many bakers quickly learn, red is one of the trickiest icing colors to get right — too much food coloring can affect taste and texture, while too little leaves you with a dull pink instead of a true red.

In this post, you’ll learn exactly how to make  red royal icing that’s smooth, stable, and richly colored — with step-by-step instructions, pro tips, and trusted color recommendations.

Why Red Royal Icing Can Be Challenging

Unlike other icing colors, red royal icing presents unique difficulties:

• It requires significantly more pigment than most colors.

• Over-coloring can lead to bitterness or weaken the icing’s structure.

• Red tones often start pink and take time to deepen.

• Without proper care, red can bleed or dry unevenly.

For bakers and decorators working on large batches or in humid environments like Lexington, KY, mastering red icing can sometimes be tricky.

What You Need to Make Red Royal Icing

Ingredients

• Your favorite Royal icing base

• Super Red by AmeriColor (recommended for strength and no bitter aftertaste)
  

• Plastic wrap 

Recommended Tools

• Mixing bowl

•  Off set Spatula ( my favorite mixing tool)

• Food-safe containers
  

Step-by-Step Instructions for Red Royal Icing

Step 1: Start with a Pink Base

Add a small amount of Super Red gel coloring to your royal icing and mix until you reach a strong pink shade. Avoid trying to reach your final color immediately — this helps prevent oversaturation and flavor issues. 

Step 2: Mix Thoroughly

After each addition of gel color, mix well and assess. Color may look underdeveloped at first but will continue to deepen as it rests. Make sure you only add small amounts at a time. Super Red is such a highly pigmented gel color that you often need less than you expect. Adding too much too soon can affect both the flavor and consistency of your icing, so it’s best to build the color gradually.

Step 3: Let the Color Develop

Transfer the icing into a container and press plastic wrap directly against the surface. Let the icing sit for 4 to 24 hours at room temperature. This resting time allows the red hue to develop more fully without needing excess dye.

Step 4: Adjust if Needed

If, after resting, the color isn’t quite deep enough:

• Add a bit more of your gel color.  

Pro Tips from Professional Cookie Decorators

Decorators like The Bearfoot Baker, The Graceful Baker, and Sweet Sugarbelle recommend the following techniques for mastering red royal icing:

Customizing Red Shades

Once you’ve mastered a basic red royal icing, you can fine-tune it to suit different projects:

• Add brown for a rustic or brick red

• Mix in purple or blue for a deep wine red or maroon

• Use less color and keep the pink tones for softer styles

This flexibility makes red a versatile choice for everything from holiday themes to Valentine’s Day cookies and beyond.

In conclusion, making vibrant, dependable red royal icing doesn’t have to be intimidating — it just requires the right combination of technique, patience, and quality ingredients. Start with a pink base using a high-pigment gel like Super Red by AmeriColor, allow the color to deepen over time. By using proven tips from experienced bakers and understanding how red develops in royal icing, you’ll be able to create bold, beautiful results that are perfect for cookies year-round, especially for Valentine’s Day cookies.

Ready to put these techniques into practice? Check out my Meringue Powder and Royal Icing Recipe Bundle- the perfect starting point for decorators looking to upgrade their icing game with tested recipes and tools from The Cheerful Baker.