There’s something weirdly satisfying about watching royal icing flow across a cookie like shiny sugar lava — right before it dries into a flawless, bakery-level finish. This simple royal icing recipe ...

Let the cookies set up at room temperature on the baking rack for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they are dry to the touch.

Kat Lieu is the author of 108 Asian Cookies and the founder of Subtle Asian Baking. Through the decades, royal icing has been the edible glue of choice when it comes to building gingerbread houses.