Sugar Cookie Icing (Printable)

Glossy vanilla icing that sets firm for beautifully decorated cookies

# What You'll Need:

→ Icing Base

01 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
02 - 2–3 tablespoons milk (dairy or non-dairy)
03 - 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
04 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Color and Decoration

05 - Food coloring (gel or liquid, as desired)
06 - Sprinkles or colored sugars (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
02 - If icing is too thick, add additional milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until reaching thick but pourable consistency.
03 - Divide icing into separate bowls for multiple colors. Stir in food coloring a few drops at a time until desired color is achieved.
04 - Use immediately on cooled sugar cookies. Dip, spread with knife, or pipe designs using piping bag or squeeze bottle.
05 - Allow decorated cookies to dry at room temperature for at least 4 hours or until icing is completely set.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This icing creates that professional bakery look without any fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients
  • The texture is absolutely perfect—it flows smoothly but sets firm enough to stack your cookies without smudging
02 -
  • Humidity is your enemy here—on rainy or muggy days, your icing might take longer to dry or stay slightly tacky
  • The window between perfectly pourable and frustratingly runny is tiny, so add extra liquid drop by drop
03 -
  • Add sprinkles or colored sugars immediately after icing, while it's still wet, so they stick properly
  • For marbled designs, drop dots of contrasting colored icing onto wet base icing and drag a toothpick through them

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