Cookie Icing That Hardens

sugar cookies frosted with cooking icing on a baking rack.

5 from 2 votes

This easy sugar cookie icing recipe that hardens stirs together in a few minutes with simple ingredients and dries to a firm, glossy finish. Perfect icing recipe for decorating Christmas sugar cookies.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 52kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
¼ teaspoon almond extract
2-3 tablespoons milk
gel food coloring

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir powdered sugar, corn syrup, almond extract, and two tablespoons milk. Add more milk, a little at a time, until it drizzles into thick ribbons that hold their shape for a few seconds, then dissipate back into the icing.
Another trick to tell if it's ready is if the icing is thick enough to spread onto a cookie without dripping. It should spread on with a little texture, then settle into a smooth layer.
To tint the frosting, divide the frosting into separate bowls and stir in gel food coloring, a little at a time.
Spread icing onto cookies with a knife or offset spatula, or pipe it on using squeeze bottles, piping bags, or ziptop bags with the corner snipped off.
I like to pipe on the outline, flood inside the lines, then use a toothpick to fill it in -- and fix any unstraight edges.
Add sugars and sprinkles while the icing is still wet.
You can also add swirls by placing small drops of a different icing color onto still-wet icing and dragging a toothpick through it.
Enjoy frosted cookies right away or let the icing dry on uncovered cookies for several hours or overnight.
When the frosting has hardened, store the cookies in airtight containers at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for 10 days.

Notes

If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the correct consistency.
To thin icing that is too thick, add more milk, a tiny, tiny bit at a time.
Do not adjust the corn syrup amount to make the icing thicker or thinner. More corn syrup will just make it stickier and will take longer to dry.

Nutrition