Recipe: Easy Cookie Icing

This easy cookie icing is great for decorating sugar cookies. It’s very forgiving when compared to royal icing. This icing works well when outlining and filling shapes/patterns on top of cookies, though be sure to fill the cookies one at a time; the icing can start to set immediately. The corn syrup, while optional, helps the icing dry shiny. This recipe ices 24-48 cookies, depending on the size of your cookies.

Ingredients

• 390 g (~3 cups) powdered sugar
• ⅛ tsp table salt
• 3 tbsp liquid (i.e. milk, lemon juice, or other liquid) plus additional as needed
• 1 tsp vanilla or other extract (OPTIONAL - best with milk or neutral liquid)
• 1 tsp light corn syrup (OPTIONAL)
• 1-2 drops of gel food coloring (OPTIONAL)

Directions

1) Once your cookies are completely cool, make the icing.

• Whisk together the powdered sugar and salt in a small bowl. Add 2 tbsp liquid, extract (if using), and corn syrup (if using); and mix. It will likely be hard to stir or whisk, so add a little more liquid, 1 tsp at a time until the icing is a thick, pourable consistency. To get the right consistency, lift your whisk out of the bowl and drizzle the icing back into the bowl, making a “ribbon” on top of the icing. The ribbon should hold its shape for 3 seconds before being absorbed back into the icing. 
• Add 1-2 drops of gel food coloring to the desired hue. Mix well and then transfer to a piping bag.

2) Cut the tip of the piping bag. Decorate cookies.

You can enjoy the cookies right after they’ve been decorated, though the icing will not be completely set. Wait 24 hours if you want the icing to be completely set. Cookies can be stored for up to 5 days at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator.