This is the perfect sugar cookie icing. It is sweet, delicious, and doesn’t overpower the flavor of your sugar cookie recipe. It is the best decorating icing too!
Decorating sugar cookies doesn’t need to be intimidating. It’s not difficult to make and it’s fun to create once you get the hang of it! I’m going to show you how!
What is Sugar Cookie Icing
This sugar cookie icing hardens smooth, firm, and glossy. You can add sprinkles and sparkles. Once dried, these cookies can be stacked and stored or frozen and enjoyed later.
For the average cookie baker, sugar cookie icing or decorating icing is more than enough to make some fun and pretty designs.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Icing
This easy powdered sugar cookie icing is hardly 3 steps and can be colored to whichever color you desire!
- Beat all ingredients, except milk, together (see recipe below).
- Add milk slowly until the desired consistency is reached.
- Separate into bowls and add food coloring!
Color For Icing
I would highly suggest using gel food coloring for icing. It produces vibrant colors and doesn’t add extra liquid to the icing (even 1/4 teaspoon of liquid can change the consistency).
How Thick to Make the Icing
If you’ve watched cookie decorating videos on Instagram (I’m obsessed with them) you’ll notice there are usually two types of icing:
- A thick icing (almost thick like a peanut butter consistency) is used to outline the shape
- A thinner icing is used to fill the inside (more like a gravy consistency). If you’re making fancy cookies, you’ll likely want both consistencies.
I decorate cookies just for my family so, I’m not looking for perfection and I usually make only one consistency.
To get the right consistency. If it is too thick, add a little more milk (1/2 teaspoon at a time, it doesn’t take much). If it’s too runny, add a little more powdered sugar.
You can test one cookie to make sure it doesn’t run off the edges and holds its shape well enough but still spreads.
How to Ice Sugar Cookies
This is always the fun part! Spread out lots of bowls of fun edible decorations like sprinkles, non-pareils, dragees, or even colored whips of licorice.
To Ice Cookies:
- piping bag with a #2 cake decorating tip and outline sugar cookies.
- Once the cookie outline has set for about 10 minutes, then you can ‘flood’ the inner section of the cookie with the same or another color.
- Top with sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or a variety of fun toppings!
If you are new to piping with icing, practice your ‘drawing’ on a piece of parchment paper until you get the hang of it. Instant sugar art!
Can You Freeze Cookies
Yes, you can freeze iced cookies! Ensure the icing has fully dried. Place your finished sugar cookies in an air-tight container or freezer bag and pop in the freezer for up to three months.
To defrost, remove cookies from the freezer and pop in the refrigerator overnight or leave at room temperature from a few hours!
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Gingerbread Cookie Recipe – moist, soft, & sturdy!
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Best No Roll Sugar Cookie Recipe – simply mix & bake
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Eggnog Cookies – fav holiday drink in a cookie!
- Mexican Wedding Cookies
- Easy Buckeye Recipe
- Candy Cane Cookies
Did you love this Sugar Cookie Icing? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Sugar Cookie Icing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract clear
- 1 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2-3 tablespoons milk divided
- food coloring gel is best
Instructions
- Beat powdered sugar, vanilla, corn syrup and 1 tablespoon milk in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add milk a little at a time to reach desired consistency.
- Stir in food coloring to reach desired color. Decorate cookies and allow icing to set.
Notes
- thick icing (peanut butter consistency) used to outline the shape
- thinner icing to fill the inside (more like a gravy consistency)
- piping bag with a #2 cake decorating tip and outline sugar cookies.
- Once the cookie outline has set for about 10 minutes, then you can ‘flood’ the inner section of the cookie with the same or another color.
- Top with sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or a variety of fun toppings!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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Recipe slightly adapted from food.com
i am very glad i reallly like it
Mine turned out just perfect! Thanks!
This didn’t work great for me, very sweet and didn’t firm up.
How disappointing Linda. I am sorry this recipe did not work for you. Thank you for trying it.
My daughter loved making these cookies for Christmas!!!
Thx.
You’re welcome Jenny!
I will be handing this down to my family
What difference would the finished product be if the corn syrup was omitted?
I haven’t tried this without corn syrup so I can’t say for sure.
I have tried it without corn syrup and the results were that the icing does not dry. If you try to decorate with sprinkles the colors will bleed.