Best Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe + Video
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My Sugar Cookie Icing is 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 post to 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 cookies are 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 my best 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 use clear vanilla 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.
Buttercream is one of the most popular, but whipped cream and cream cheese frosting are tasty too! You can also try our strawberry 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 mixer or large mixing bowl with hand mixer.
- Sieve – Great for sifting your powdered sugar to prevent clumps.
- Decorating Squeeze Bottles are perfect for icing cookies and there’s less mess too!
Or, make your own Piping Bag by filling a plastic storage bag and snipping off the corner opposite from the zippered top.
Sugar Cookie Icing FAQ
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!
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!
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.
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
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
Nutrition
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.
Originally published December 2013, updated and republished November 2023
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Can I save the icing? If so for how long?
In a air tight glass jar you can store it then you will need to add more liquid before using it. Best to keep a damp cloth over it using it to keep it from drying out.
This is a great recipe. Good taste, easy to work with and beautiful results. This one will be the one I use from now on.
With the use of milk…What would be the best way to store the iced sugar cookie and for how long? How long can they be stored on the counter?
I love this recipe. I added just a bit of lemon flavoring to it….made it taste AMAZING!!
Silly beginner question. When you dry the iced cookies overnight, do you place them in a covered plastic container to do so? I assume the cookie itself would dry out if you left them out on the counter?
Not at all Marian. I store them on a cookie sheet over night so the bottom is sealed and stays moist and the tops can dry. You could also tent them with aluminum foil, but I never have. Enjoy and let me know how it goes!
It you place cookies on waxed paper, aluminum foil while decorating and drying the bottom of the cookie can't dry out
Hi how do you freeze the cookies and how to thaw?
How long does the unused icing last?
The icings 'shelf life' is about 2 weeks. I have however used it much past that point and it was great. Enjoy and let me know how it goes.
I want to give this icing as a gift in a cookie decorating kit. Can I put a few unopened tubes of the icing (in piping bags) in a cookie tin? Will they need to be refrigerated? Do they last 4-5 days? I'm worried about the icing hardening in the tubes.
Excited about the icing! Do you have the best sugar cookie recipe to go with it?
Excited about the icing! Do you have the best tasting sugar cookie recipe to go with it?
Do you have a good sugar cookie recipe that holds the cookie cutter shapes when baked?
If i make sugar cookies with this icing and freeze them until christmas for about 20 days will they still taste good?
Why use the corn syrup? I make icing with sugar& water and add the flavoring
The corn syrup makes the icing shiny.
Would you recommend the Americolor gel food coloring or will normal store bought McCormick food coloring do (if Americolor, would you recommend also purchasing the white coloring in order to get that bright white look)? Which do you use for your cookies pictured here? Also, would you recommend bottles or bags for decorating? I'm hoping to make these this weekend and try out your icing, but I've never used anything other than store bought, pre-made icing! Sorry to ask so many questions at once, but thanks so much in advance.
I seen an earlier comment about a sugar cookies recipe you have…I'd be happy to have it. Thanks [email protected]
Sure, Missy. You can find it here: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2012/12/christmas-sugar-cookies.html
Enjoy!
Is your cookie recipe on here???
Sure, Lisa. You can find it here: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2012/12/christmas-sugar-cookies.html
Enjoy!
How do you get the right consistency for the frosting? This is my first time frosting cookies.
Where's the recipe?
Do you think I could use a milk substitute? Still getting the same glossy hard finish…I have a little one that is lactose intolerant.
Where are you purchasing the silver little balls on your cookies. I have looked everywhere for them and cannot find them.
I love that the icing dries with such a gorgeous sheen! I have always had problems with the colors bleeding after a while, will that still happen with this recipe?
What are the little silver candies and where do you get them? I remember using those when I was a kid 50 years ago. Went looking for them last year and was told they were banned, at least in CA, because of their mercury content.
We call them Dragees. I find mine on Amazon in all sizes and colors. http://amzn.to/2gZb9yE <– Here is a link.
Enjoy and let me know how it goes.
Hi. I'm so excited to try your icing recipe! Thank you! One question though, does the food coloring need to be gel in order to harden well, or would the liquid kind work?
Hi. I'm really excited to try your icing recipe! Thank you! One question though… Does the food coloring need to be gel in order to harden well, or would the liquid kind of work?
Gel, paste, powder food colors are concentrated food colorsing. Liquid food coloring is watered down and will not produce deep dark bold colors. You only want a small amount of concentrated food coloring and it will not alter the consistency of the icing. Liquid food coloring if to much is added can change the icing consistency.
What are all the measurements for each ingredient
The outline icing needs to be the consistency of toothpaste and the fill icing needs to be the consistency of corn syrup. What does the consistency need to be for the icing when you are decorating the cookie? Also should I let these cookies sit out to dry overnight before freezing them?
The consistency of the icing used to decorate needs to be thick enough that it will come out of decorating bag and tip when squeezed with out dripping out because it's to thin and running. Decorating consistency depends on weather you want to frost the top of the cookie and let it dry or decorate it while the top is still soft. Decorating when it's soft with a thinner consistency will allow the decorating to sink into the frosted top of the cookie and waiting until the frosted cookie is dry will make it rest on top giving it more demention. The video shows decorating resting on top of the frosted cookie after it has dryed which needs a thicker consistency.
I have been a professional cake decorator for not than 50 years and would always use butterflies icing on a cake unless you are covering the cake with fondant which is usually thrown out.
Hi!! I am so excited to try this, but had a question about the measurements. Was the 6 cups powdered sugar sifted or unsifted? I'm assuming it's unsifted, but figured I'd ask 🙂 Hope you're enjoying your holidays so far!