That looks like a pretty good recipe. Sometimes I feel lazy and just put random ingredients in a bowl to make an exceptable icing. So I really don't have a recipe.

I make small size gingerbread men and instead of decorating with icing, I melt almond bark and dip them 1/2 way up like they have pants on, then dip their feet in sprinkles.

season55, I've used the same technique in the past and I made a lot of fairly terrible icing!

suzyqtexas, that's an adorable idea! I had to look up what almond bark is, but it sounds like a great way to decorate them.

For my mini cookies (gingersnap recipe but I use cinnamon instead as I'm not fond of ginger) I mix up this for decorating -- easy and dries hard.

Confectioner's sugar

dried egg whites (Deb El Just Whites) reconstituted according to directions

vanilla extract

heavy cream

Mix to desired consistency for piping. The cream makes it taste really good. =)

Haha, blueocean sometimes they fail but sometimes I create the best using ever! Unfortunately I never measure out the igpngrediants so I can't recreate it

I've not had "real" icing harden enough to suit me and so I use the Royal icing and yes I do buy the meringue powder but I often make cookies for the grands and so I do use it up.

I just use a thin version of buttercream, and it "crusts" fine as long as I don't get it on too thick. The kids promptly cover them with sprinkles, M&Ms, colored sugar and various candies, so they're happy too. I do have to let them sit for several hours to get hard enough to stack in a container though.

Annie

I've never used anything other than confectioner's sugar mixed with a bit of the extract of your choice (I particularly like lemon), and a bit of milk and food coloring. Just mix until it's the right consistency. Do use far more confectioner's sugar than you think you will need - I usually use an entire box.

I am terrible with royal icing, but, for me, it's the only thing that makes gingerbread men "right" for me. Perhaps the meringue powder is the secret to keep it from running away? (The royal icing--not the cookies like the story.) When I was little I didn't even like the icing and would nibble at my cookie from underneath until I could break off the icing, but it has a certain flavor (eggs, I presume?), plus that delightful hard thing, that is so much of what I want from a gingerbread cookie. I've only made royal icing from fresh eggs, however, and I don't usually get it to where it pipes well (but I'm also bad with a pastry bag...).

Notice that I'm bad at all this that I insist is the only way I like it? I make the Moravian Ginger Cookies instead. More spice and molasses, easy to roll, crisp, no icing, always delicious and within my skill set!

I just make a thick powdered sugar and milk or water frosting.