Classic Sugar Cookie Icing
A smooth and glossy icing perfect for decorating sugar cookies, this recipe comes together in minutes and hardens enough to stack cookies without sticking.
Ingredients
Icing Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar Sifted if lumpy
- 2 tablespoons milk Whole, 2 percent, or non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup Essential for shine and flow
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Can substitute with almond extract
- to taste food coloring Optional, add a drop at a time
Instructions
Mixing
- In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Stir gently at first to avoid a sugar cloud. Use a spatula to bring the sugar into the liquid.
- Mix until smooth and glossy. If lumps appear, switch to a whisk or a hand mixer on low for a few seconds.
- Stir gently and test the thickness. For piping, the icing should hold shape. For flooding, it should run slowly off a spoon in a steady ribbon.
- Add food coloring to achieve the desired shades, starting with a drop and mixing well.
Using the Icing
- Use immediately to decorate cookies or store in an airtight container until ready to use.
- For piping, transfer a portion into a piping bag with a small round tip.
- For flooding, thin with a little extra milk, a drop at a time, until it flows steadily off a spoon.
- Let icing set on a cooling rack or flat tray without touching the cookies.
- If you need a faster set time, place cookies in a cool, dry room.
Notes
Store leftover icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours. Can be refrigerated for up to a week. Keep cookies stacked in parchment-lined tins once set. Avoid humid places for best results.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 30gSugar: 30g
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