Best Glossy Sugar Cookie Icing Recipes

HOW TO MAKE SUGAR COOKIE ICING

Steps:

• Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add 6 teaspoons milk, corn syrup, and extract. Stir vigorously until icing is smooth and no lumps remain.
• If needed, add additional milk to thin icing. Test the desired consistency for spreading by lifting a spoonful from the bowl. It should drizzle back down slowly and mound gently. If making colored icing, divide into small bowls and stir in food colorings. (See recipe notes for tips on decorating.)
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SUGAR COOKIE ICING

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
• Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.

GLOSSY SUGAR COOKIE ICING (THAT HARDENS)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sift confectioners sugar and then combine with light corn syrup, milk or water, and clear extract flavoring. Stir until smooth and the icing has reached your desired consistency.
• For flooding and dipping, use a consistency that sticks well to your spoon and icing 'drops' off slowly.
• For a light glaze that is somewhat transparent, use a consistency that runs off slowly from your spoon but also leaves a good clear coating on the spoon.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

SHINY COOKIE ICING

Steps:

• Stir confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, and milk together in a bowl until smooth.

GLOSSY ROYAL ICING

Steps:

• Stir warm water, corn syrup, and almond extract together in a small bowl until corn syrup and extract have dissolved. Place confectioners' sugar into a separate bowl and add liquid ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until royal icing is smooth. Store in a lidded container for up to a week; stir thoroughly before using.

GLOSSY SUGAR COOKIE ICING

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients into a bowl.
• Mix well and divide frosting into random bowls determined by the number of frosting colors of choice.
• Add food coloring, mix and drizzle onto cookies. Use back of spoon to spread. Allow 30 minutes for icing to dry before adding/layering colors. Icing should be dry within 90 minutes- depending on climate.

SUGAR COOKIES WITH ROYAL ICING

Steps:

• Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt onto a piece of parchment paper or into a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in 2 batches until just incorporated. Divide between 2 pieces of plastic wrap; shape into disks. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.)
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough on a floured surface, dusting with flour as needed, until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with 2-to-4-inch cookie cutters; arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (If the dough becomes too soft as you work, return to the refrigerator until firm.) Gather the scraps and refrigerate until firm; reroll once to cut out more cookies. Chill the cutouts 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are slightly puffed and just golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely before icing.
• Whisk one 1-pound box confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft glossy peaks form, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water if necessary. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap until ready to use to prevent the icing from drying out.

ROYAL ICING FOR SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar and meringue powder. Mixing on low speed, add a scant 1/2 cup water. For a thinner consistency, usually used for flooding, add more water. A thicker consistency is generally used for outlining and adding details. Mix until icing holds a ribbonlike trail on the surface of the mixture for 5 seconds when you raise the paddle.

SUGAR COOKIE ICING

Steps:

• Stir the powdered sugar and the milk until smooth.
• Beat in corn syrup and vanilla until icing is smooth and glossy.
• If it's too thick, add more corn syrup.
• Divide icing into separate bowls and stir in food coloring as desired.
• You can dip the cookies, paint them with a paint brush or spread them using a knife or the back of a spoon.

HEALTHIER SUGAR COOKIE ICING

Steps:

• Combine white sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, simmering until dissolved and a sugar syrup is created, about 5 minutes.
• Stir together confectioner's sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Beat in almond extract and 2 teaspoons of sugar syrup until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more sugar syrup.
• Optional: Divide icing into separate bowls and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies or paint them with a brush.