ByDonna Elick
198 Comments
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MySugar Cookie Icingis sweet and scrumptious! People say it tastes like marshmallow. With hints of almond extract, this icing will melt in your mouth as you bite into soft, delicate cookies.Watch the helpful video in this postto see how easy it is to make this cookie icing recipe, plus tips on how to use it for decorating sugar cookies!
Sugar Cookie Icing
Sugar cookiesare a delightful treat for any special occasion, but I especially enjoy them during Christmas time.
They are soft, chewy, and slightly crispy on the edges, plus they go perfectly with my best tasting icing recipe.
The best part? This cookie icing recipe comes together in just 5 minutes with a handful of ingredients! It has the right consistency to make the perfect icing!
Decorating sugar cookies is a great way to get creative in the kitchen and to soak up the magic of the season.
Put on a festive music playlist in the background and gather your loved ones for some Christmas cookie decorating.
Add them to your dessert table with a few more of mybest ever Christmas cookies, or put together treat boxes for your neighbors!
Cookie Icing Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Powdered Sugar– Also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar, this has the perfect texture for sugar cookie icing.
- Whole Milk–This helps to thin the icing and give it the perfect consistency. You can also use low fat milk or even water if you prefer.
- Light Corn Syrup– Not only does this help to dissolve the sugar, but it gives your sugar cookie icing a gorgeous glossy appearance!
- Almond Extract– In my opinion, the flavor of almond extract balances out the vanilla in the sugar cookies.
You could also substitute vanilla extract or use a mix of both. Just be sure to useclearvanilla extract if you want a bright white icing.
- Gel Food Coloring–You can use any color that you’d like, or mix different colors together to create the perfect shade.
A little bit of gel color goes a long way (and won’t change the consistency!), so start with a few drops and add more if needed.
Frosting vs Icing
You may have heard these terms used interchangeably, but they are actually not the same!
Frosting is known to be thick and fluffy and is commonly spread on cakes or cookies. It can have different textures and consistencies depending on the preparation.
Buttercreamis one of the most popular, but whipped cream andcream cheese frostingare tasty too! You can also try ourstrawberry glaze.
On the other hand, icing is thinner and glossier than frosting. It dries hard, shiny, and smooth and is typically made with just powdered sugar and liquid.
It’s often used to decorate cookies or drizzle over pastries.
Homemade icing is also typically used on the top of the cookie and the edge of the cookie, making it a great go-to recipe for adding color and taste quickly to plain sugar cookies.
How to Make the Best Icing For Decorating
- Eliminate Clumps.Sift your powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve before mixing it with the liquid ingredients.
You’ll get perfectly smooth results every single time!
- Use Two Consistencies.Pipe a thin line along the outside of the cookie with thicker icing. Then, use a thinner batch to fill the middle (flood) the cookies.
Aim for the same consistency as corn syrup, so it spreads easily but isn’t too watery.
- Make It Glossy!The icing will already dry with a lovely shine, but you can use a heat gun to guarantee that it turns out glossy.
- Keep It Covered.Because the sugar cookie icing will start to harden when exposed to air, be sure to cover it when you’re not using it.
Or, simply store it in squeeze bottles or piping bags until it’s time to decorate!
- Dry Completely.Yes, this is a cookie icing that hardens quickly, but I still recommend giving it time to dry overnight.
Store your cookies in a single layer on cookie sheets, tenting them with foil to keep the bottoms from drying out.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Stand mixeror large mixing bowl withhand mixer.
- Sieve– Great for sifting your powdered sugar to prevent clumps.
- Decorating Squeeze Bottlesare perfect for icing cookies and there’s less mess too!
Or, make your ownPiping Bagby filling a plastic storage bag and snipping off the corner opposite from the zippered top.
Sugar Cookie Icing FAQ
How can I make sugar cookie icing thicker or thinner?
To make your icing thicker, add a little more powdered sugar. To make it thinner, add a little bit of milk. It’s that easy!
How do I make icing with vibrant colors?
It’s all about using liquid food coloring. Once you make the sugar icing, just add a few drops of food coloring into it and stir. If you want different colors of icing, separate the frosting into different bowls, and add coloring to each one.
The fun part about this easy sugar cookie icing recipe is that it’s really simple to change the color. This helps you decorate all those little intricate details with different colors, which really adds to the look of the cookies!
How do I prevent cloudy spots on my iced cookies?
Too much humidity can cause icing for cookies to get spots, so you may want to run a dehumidifier while you are decorating your cookies.
You could also try working with a thicker icing to remove some of the water content — this will also help it dry faster. Finally, make sure the cookies are completely dry before closing them in a container.
Can I freeze iced sugar cookies?
Absolutely! Iced sugar cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or bag for up to three months.
Just make sure that the icing is fully dried before stacking or packaging them. I like to add a piece of parchment between each layer to be safe.
Then, thaw at room temperature once you’re ready to eat them! Leftover icing is a great way to prep and save time for your next cookie decorating adventure!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Fabulous Holiday Cookie Recipes
Best Tasting Sugar Cookie Icing + Video
Donna Elick
This is the best sugar cookie icing! It dries hard but melts in your mouth + tastes great!! This recipe makes icing for decorating cookies.
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Method Mixed
Servings 24 Ounces
Ingredients
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons almond extract, or clear vanilla extract
- gel food coloring, in desired colors
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an electric mixer), combine sugar and ¼ cup milk. Mix until combined, then add more milk, one tablespoon at a time, as needed to create a smooth consistency. Add corn syrup and almond extract.
To decorate cookies, your outline icing should be the consistency of toothpaste, your flood icing should be the consistency of corn syrup.
Add food coloring one drop at a time until desired color is reached. Pour into bottles, decorator bags or a cup. Keep unused icing sealed until ready to use.
Video
Donna’s Notes
The icing will dry hard. It can take up to overnight before I would recommend stacking them. I store mine on cookie sheets tented with foil to keep the cookie bottoms from drying out while they are drying.
You absolutely can substitute vanilla extract (or any other extract). Keep in mind, it will give your icing a slightly off white hue but if you are coloring it anyway it won’t matter.
This icing will keep for several weeks on the countertop, in a sealed container. I actually keep mine much longer than that.
We have received some questions about cloudy spots on the iced cookies. I have never had to deal with spots, I live in Arizona and it is a very dry climate and we use air conditioning to cool (which is also very dry). I know that too much humidity can cause icing to get spots. Do you live in a humid climate or use a swamp cooler? I would try a dehumidifier while you are making cookies to help the issue or stick to white icing (actually add white color to the icing) or try working with thicker icing. Or try using thicker icing. That will remove some of the water content and allow the cookies to dry faster. Also make sure the cookies are 100% dry before closing them in a container.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 129cal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 4mg | Sugar: 32g | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Originally published December 2013, updated and republished November 2023
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