The Best Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe That Dries Smooth and Glossy
Learn how to make the best sugar cookie icing that hardens perfectly smooth for detailed decorating. This easy recipe provides a glossy finish ideal for cut-out cookies and holiday baking.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 10 min
- Yield: Enough icing for 2-3 dozen medium cookies
- Category: Baking
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6–8 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder until fully combined.
- Add the vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.
- Gradually add the warm water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a whisk or electric mixer on low speed until the icing comes together.
- Continue mixing until the icing is smooth. For outlining consistency, use less water; for flooding consistency, add more water until the icing flows slowly off the whisk in a thick ribbon that disappears into the bowl after about 10 seconds.
- Divide the icing into separate bowls if you plan to color it. Add gel food coloring sparingly and mix until the color is uniform.
- Use the stiff icing for piping borders and details. Let the borders set for 10-15 minutes before flooding the center of the cookie with the thinner consistency icing.
- Allow the iced cookies to dry completely at room temperature for several hours, or until the surface is hard to the touch.
Notes
- For a corn syrup free cookie icing option, substitute the corn syrup (if using a different base recipe) or simply omit it; this meringue powder recipe achieves hardness without it.
- If the icing is too thick for flooding, add water 1/2 teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add sifted confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- This icing dries firm, making it perfect for stacking holiday cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 110
- Sodium: 5
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 112
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 0
Find it online: https://pureplatepath.com/cookie-icing-recipe/