Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe is a sweet homemade frosting that is made with just four ingredients and can be adapted to your favorite flavor and color. I love sugar cookies year-round, but they are especially popular around the holidays. It’s such a fun cookie to play around with. They are the perfect cookie for making into your favorite shapes and, of course, decorating! This icing recipe is an easy recipe to make and be as colorful and flavorful as you want it to be. Be sure to check out my Sugar Cookie Decorating 101 for tips on decorating sugar cookies.
Icing Ingredients
Confectioners’ sugar: Be sure to sift the confectioners’ sugar (also known as icing sugar) before adding the other ingredients. This will remove any lumps that may be in the sugar.
Milk: Whole milk will give you the best consistency in the frosting. Amounts of milk may vary depending on seasonality.
Corn syrup: Light corn syrup is in the frosting recipe gives the frosting a glossy finish and adds a little more moisture to it.
Lemon juice: As with the milk, the amount of lemon juice added to the recipe will be determined by the temperature of your kitchen and the overall climate. Lemon juice is an acid and will counter the “sweetness” of the confectioner’s sugar and corn syrup. No, the icing will not taste lemony.
What is the 10-Second Rule?
If you have already outlined your cookies and need to fill in or ‘spill’ your cookies, you can add more milk (as much as you would need) to make your frosting very runny. A great way to check the consistency of your frosting if you need to fill a cookie is to use the ‘ten-second rule’.
For this ten-second rule, run your spoon along the bottom of the bowl of frosting. You will want to be able to see the bottom of the bowl for at least a few seconds. If ten seconds pass and you can still see the bottom of the bowl you will need to add a little more milk.
Can You Stack Cookies with Glaze Icing?
Yes! Absolutely. After the icing dries it will stack beautifully, about 3 cookies high. It takes about 24 hours for the icing to dry depending on how thick your icing is.
Variations to Sugar Cookie Icing
- If you are using food coloring, be sure to use LESS milk. Most food colorings are liquid and can make your frosting runnier. If you are using gel food coloring, your milk quantity can remain the same.
- To add different flavors, you can add drops of vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon, etc. to flavor your frosting.
- If you want more shine, use more corn syrup and less milk.
How to Store Sugar Cookie Icing
I will often times store it in piping bags that have been sealed with a rubber band or twist tie. You can also store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you are using food coloring, I will often color the icing before storing, as you will see the “true” color after the icing settles.
I used this icing to make my Original Ugly Sweater Cookies. You can see how beautifully it sets and is firm enough to gently stack!
More Sugar Cookies
Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk, as needed depending on seasonality and desired consistency
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 -3 drops lemon juice, as needed depending on seasonality and desired consistency
Instructions
- Sift the confectioners' sugar to remove lumps.
- To a medium bowl, add all the ingredients and mix until combined.
- Add more milk and/or lemon juice as needed to achieve desired consistency.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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Is the lemon just for flavor? So of using Xmas cookies and you don’t want a lemon flavor, omit? I normally add vanilla to mine but no corn syrup and it doesn’t look white. I’m going to try adding the corn syrup and leave out the vanilla.
Nope, the lemon is used as an acid to cut the sweetness, and does not flavor the icing.
Here is what it says in the blog post:
Lemon juice: As with the milk, the amount of lemon juice added to the recipe will be determined by the temperature of your kitchen and the overall climate. Lemon juice is an acid and will counter the “sweetness” of the confectioner’s sugar and corn syrup. No, the icing will not taste lemony.
You are amazing, I love your recipes…
Will dry so cookies can be stacked
Yes, in 24 hours.
I have clear vanilla I would use.
Can you put an edible image on top of this icing
Thank you Amanda
I’m allergic to lemons. Any other suggestions for acidity to use?
You could use lime juice
If you are allergic to lemons or limes you can use a few drops of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to balance the sugar & the acidity on the recipe.
This glaze is fantastic! Amanda’s done it again!!
I’ve been looking for a less sweet, hard drying glaze b/c royal icing can be a pain at times.
The use of lemon (or lime juice – which is what I had) to cut the sugar is GENIUS. It does NOT flavor the icing when using just a few drops. I used almond extract and that’s all I tasted.
Dried hard, but not rock-hard, and is truly the icing I’ve been searching for!
Can I store this in the refrigerator?
Yes
Every question asked and answered was just what I needed to know!
Thank you everyone!
What can I use instead of corn syrup. It’s not available in my country.
Thanks Amanda!
I have heard others use Golden Syrup
GLUCOSE?
Will 2% milk be alright to use?
Sure
What is corn syrup ?
Hi, Elaine! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Corn syrup is a thick, sweet liquid made from corn. It’s used in many recipes to make things sweeter and help them stay soft. You can think of it like a sticky sweetener that’s different from sugar! I hope this helps, and have a great day!
Can I dry the iced cookies in a dehydrator, as I would with my normal royal icing cookies?
And do the finished iced cookies freeze well?
Hi there! Great questions!
While this icing isn’t a traditional royal icing, it does dry firm and glossy thanks to the corn syrup. That means yes, you can use a dehydrator to help speed up the drying process—just keep the heat very low and the airflow gentle, so the icing doesn’t crack or over-dry.
As for freezing:
Yes, the finished, iced cookies freeze well!
Just be sure the icing is fully set (this can take 24+ hours at room temp), then layer the cookies between sheets of parchment in an airtight container. When ready to enjoy, let them come to room temperature uncovered to avoid condensation on the icing.
I’m so glad you’re giving them a try—hope they turn out beautifully!
Can a different liquid be used like soy or almond milk to make them dairy free?