Sugar Cookie Icing
It takes only four ingredients and 5 minutes to make the absolute best cut out Sugar Cookie Icing that hardens to a glossy, shiny surface!
Practically every holiday or occasion calls for cut out sugar cookies. Sugar cookie dough can be cut out in a variety of shapes to match different party themes. Whether it’s Christmas, Valentine’s, Halloween, a birthday, graduation, or wedding, there is a cookie cutter to go with it! An essential component of those apropos buttery cookies has the best sugar cookie icing to slather on it. Royal icing for sugar cookies hardens into a glossy, vibrant glaze makes those cookies shine!
SUGAR COOKIE ICING
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The best Sugar Cookie Icing has been a tried and true recipe in our family for years. Without fail, no class party would go by without my mom’s famous cut out sugar cookies making an appearance. Teachers might have highly requested them, but I think Mom made them year after year because I could be trusted transporting them to school.
This sugar cookie icing recipe hardens into a beautiful glassy surface that’s durable enough to be stacked, wrapped, or transported on a bumpy bus ride. It’s like a sugar force field for cookies.
(Now that I’m pondering it…that’s most likely why Mom sent us with homemade peanut brittle and caramel corn for teacher’s gifts. They’re also delicious and durable!)
How Do You Make Cookie Icing That Hardens?
The trick to getting sugar cookie icing to harden is in the ingredients, powdered sugar, milk, and corn syrup. The extract adds a boost of flavor. The small amount of corn syrup achieves that shiny, glossy surface.
Since there is no butter or fat in the recipe, this icing will harden similar to royal frosting. But, unlike royal frosting, the ingredients are simple, and this frosting impressively is made in only 5 minutes.
How To Make Sugar Cookie Icing
- Sift powder sugar into a bowl.
- Add corn syrup, extract, and milk.
- Stir ingredients vigorously until no lumps remain. If making colored icing, divide into bowls and add food coloring.
- To frost cookies, pipe an outline around the edge of the cookie. Fill in outline with icing.
TIPS FOR MAKING SUGAR COOKING ICING AND DECORATING
- Start with a couple teaspoons less of milk. Add the last 2 teaspoons as necessary.
- To achieve the perfect consistency add more powdered sugar to thicken and a touch of milk to thin.
- You’ve reached the correct consistency for frosting if a scoop of icing slowly falls off the spoon.
- Traditionally sugar cookie icing is flavored with almond or vanilla extract, but orange, lemon, maple, or coconut extracts can also be substituted.
- Sifting the powder sugar before adding milk will eliminate any potential lumps in the frosting.
- Pipe an outline of icing and fill in for pristine edges. Alternatively spread it on with a small knife and decorate with sprinkles.
- This frosting hardens quickly so have sprinkles ready to put on immediately.
- Before stacking or wrapping cookies, make sure the icing is completely hard. Set cookies on a baking sheet for 12 hours.
Looking for more amazing sugar cookie recipes?
- Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Spritz Cookies
- Molasses Sugar Cookies
- Peppermint Sugar Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cookie Bars
- More Cookie recipes…
Tools used to make Sugar Cookie Icing
Sift: This sifter makes it easy to blend together ingredients and remove lumps. I love that there is a lid, so I can throw everything in the sifter and set it aside until I’m ready to use it.
Medium Bowl: These mixing bowls are perfect for mixing and serving. I love the varied sizes so I always have to right size bowl for all my mixing needs.
Food Coloring: This gel-based food coloring makes it easier to color your batters and icing!
Piping Bags: Disposable pipings bags handy to have on hand for filling desserts & donuts and food decorating. Pop a coupler and icing tip on your bag or snip off the end and you’re all set!
Sugar Cookie Icing
Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 6-8 teaspoons milk
- 4 teaspoons corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
- food coloring optional
Instructions
- Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add 6 teaspoons milk, corn syrup, and extract. Stir vigorously until icing is smooth.
- If needed, add additional milk to thin icing more. You've reached the correct consistency for frosting if a scoop of icing slowly falls off the spoon. If making colored icing, divide into bowls and add food coloring.
Video
Notes
- Start with a couple teaspoons less of milk. Add the last 2 teaspoons as necessary.
- To achieve the perfect consistency add more powdered sugar to thicken and a touch of milk to thin.
- You've reached the correct consistency for frosting if a scoop of icing slowly falls off the spoon.
- Traditionally sugar cookie icing is flavored with almond or vanilla extract, but orange, lemon, maple, or coconut extracts can also be substituted.
- Sifting the powder sugar before adding milk will eliminate any potential lumps in the frosting.
- Sugar cookie icing can be piped as an outline and filled in for pristine edges. Alternatively, it can also be spread with a small knife and decorated with sprinkles.
- This frosting hardens quickly so have sprinkles ready to put on immediately.
- Before stacking or wrapping cookies, make sure the icing is completely hard. Set cookies on a baking sheet for 12 hours.
Nutrition
The recipe is fantastic!! It was easy peasy!! I’m enjoying baking in the fall. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry CHRISTmas 🎄🎁 🦃 Thank you for sharing.
This was a massive fail. By the time I added enough sugar for the icing to be somewhat thick, it tasted terrible – like I was eating straight powdered sugar. It does look nice and glossy but the taste was just not good.
I love this recipe! So much better than royal icing. I always pop the bubbles on the tops of the cookies after I flood the icing. However, once dry, spots that looked like popped bubbles appear. Do you know what causes this?
A friend shared this recipe after I admired her cookies. However, when I frosted my sugar cookies, the frosting mottled – sort of marbled looking – after they dried. Any idea what caused this? Thanks!
Because of the milk do the cookies have to be refrigerated after they set up? Or are they ok at room temp? And for how long? I need to be able to ship some cookies. Thank you!!
Hey Christa! I would put the cookies in an air tight container and would last several days at room temperature!
How long does the icing stay shiny on the cookies? I’ve tried some recipes and after a day it looks dull.
Can this be used for constructing gingerbread houses?
Hello Genna! Here is a different recipe for gingerbread house icing that would work better. Enjoy! https://realhousemoms.com/the-best-gingerbread-icing/
Hi Melissa, do you have a chocolate icing that can be used on cookies being packed and mailed ?
Your recipe for white icing works perfectly—they arrive and there is no smearing. So great!!!!.
Happt holidays to you and family ——-stay safe ——-norma
I’m hoping to make this tomorrow. I have 2 questions. Do you pack the powdered sugar and how many cookies will this recipe frost? Thank you for sharing this!!
Hey Angie! The powdered sugar is sifted, not packed. And this recipe should make about 34 cookies. Enjoy!
Once cookies are iced, can you freeze them? Or will that wreck the icing?
Sure Colleen! I do this all the time!
Can you make the icing in advance and refrigerate it will it set up too much?
Hey Terri, you should be able to store the icing in a sealed container in the frig but make sure you let it get back to room temperature before using.
Should the powdered sugar be sifted before or after measuring?
Hey Shelley! I measure before sifting. Hope this helps!
I would like to make this icing a day or two ahead of time. I understand that it hardens quickly. I was wondering if I keep in airtight container would that work? Or is it best to make it immediately prior to frosting my cookies? THANK YOU
Hey Sharon, you should be able to store it in an airtight container in the frig for several days. Just make sure you let it sit out a while before using it on your cookies so it can get closer to room temperature.
Would this icing be suitable for edible markers?
Yes, you’d be able to use them just fine.
Can this be made with almond milk? My son is highly allergic to cows milk.
Yes, you should be ok with almond milk but I haven’t tried it myself. I don’t see any problem though.
Will it work with alternative powdered sugars?
I haven’t tried them myself but you should be able to use an alternative that says it is a one to one replacement for powdered sugar.
Hello! I found this recipe wonderful!!! However I was wondering if you could substitute something for the corn syrup?? But thank you for this recipe it really helped me.
Hello Meri! Corn syrup is the best for achieving that shiny, glossy surface.
Where are the ingrediants for this recipe?
Angie the ingredients are listed in the printable recipe card. You can either scroll down the page to see them or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the post.
I’v been looking for a cookie icing that’s simple so that my grandson and i can have fun making cookies for his mom’s baby shower now i cant wait to get started.
Thank You for posting
Sandra
Yay! That sounds so fun!
Wondering if you can use water (or other non-dairy liquid) instead of milk for this recipe?
You should be able to use water for the recipe it will just have a different flavor.
I did this recipe. Instead of vanilla or almond extract. I used real lemon juice I squeezed from a lemon. The flavor was great.
Wonderful! Lemon juice is one of my favorites for icing.