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Perfect No-Fail Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe (Easy & Hardens Smoothly)

Five round sugar cookies decorated with brightly colored, hardened cookie icing recipe in pink, yellow, orange, and teal.
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You need a reliable cookie icing recipe that dries firm for decorating cut-out sugar cookies. This easy recipe gives you a smooth, glossy finish perfect for holiday cookies and stacks beautifully.

Ingredients

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  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup (optional, for extra gloss)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder until fully combined.
  2. Add the warm water, vanilla extract, and corn syrup (if using). Start mixing with a whisk or electric mixer on low speed until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
  3. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 5 to 7 minutes. The icing should become very smooth, thick, and glossy. This step incorporates air and creates the structure needed to dry hard.
  4. Check the consistency. For outlining, the icing should hold a soft peak. For flooding (covering the cookie surface), you need to thin it slightly.
  5. To thin for flooding, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the icing flows smoothly off the whisk in a ribbon that disappears back into the bowl after about 10 seconds. This is the perfect flood icing consistency.
  6. Divide the icing into separate bowls for coloring, if desired. Use gel food coloring for the best results without thinning the icing too much.
  7. Apply the icing to your cooled sugar cookies. Use a thinner consistency for flooding and a slightly thicker consistency for outlining details.
  8. Allow the icing to dry completely at room temperature. Depending on humidity, this can take 4 to 12 hours. The icing will dry firm and glossy, ready for stacking.

Notes

  • For a cookie icing without corn syrup, simply omit the 1/2 teaspoon of light corn syrup listed above. The icing will still dry firm due to the meringue powder, though it may have slightly less shine.
  • If your icing seems too thick after sitting, stir in a few drops of water. If it is too thin, mix in a tablespoon of sifted confectioners’ sugar.
  • To store leftover icing, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the icing to prevent a crust from forming, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Re-whisk before using.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://devourdish.com/cookie-icing-recipe/