Why Did My Royal Icing Crack?
Does your cookie look like the one in the photo below? If your royal icing has cracks, ripples, waves, dents, or an uneven surface, it’s usually caused by one of two things: the cookie was moved before it was fully dry or there wasn’t enough (or too much!) airflow while drying.
Royal icing dries best when it’s left completely undisturbed with gentle airflow, such as placing the cookies in front of a fan. If you’re drying cookies in an oven or dehydrator and noticing cracking, the issue may actually be too little airflow. Try slightly cracking the oven or dehydrator door so moisture can escape and the icing can set more evenly.
When I made this llama cookie, I flooded the icing and let it sit on the table. Then I picked it up, tilted it at an angle, admired it (because it was cute!), and moved it to a drying rack. Unfortunately, all that movement caused the cracks and ripples you see 😭
Here’s what happens: the top layer of icing begins to crust—meaning it’s just barely dry on the surface—while the icing underneath is still wet. When the cookie is moved, shaken, or held vertically during this stage, the wet icing underneath breaks through that delicate top layer, creating cracks, waves, and dents.
Thankfully, I was able to cover the cracks with a cute colored blanket and a harness on the llama. Other options would have been to scrape the icing off and start over… or simply count it as a loss (which really just means a win for my taste buds 🍪).
How to Prevent Cracks and Ripples
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Avoid moving cookies once the icing has started to crust
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Keep cookies flat and horizontal while drying
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Use light, consistent airflow (a fan works great)
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Allow cookies to dry completely—about 24 hours
A little patience goes a long way when it comes to smooth, flawless royal icing!
Coastline Cookies Co