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Glossy Sugar Cookie Icing That Hardens Perfectly

Close-up of heart-shaped sugar cookies topped with vibrant, shiny sugar cookie icing that hardens in pink, orange, yellow, and purple.
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Learn how to make bakery-style sugar cookie icing that dries hard and smooth. This simple recipe uses basic ingredients to create a glossy, stackable finish ideal for decorated holiday cookies.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons milk (whole milk works best)
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Gel food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, place the sifted powdered sugar.
  2. Add the milk, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract to the sugar.
  3. Whisk the ingredients together slowly until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Do not overmix, as this can introduce too much air.
  4. Check the consistency. For outlining cookies, the icing should be thick enough to hold its shape. For flooding (filling in the outline), add milk, one half teaspoon at a time, until the icing flows slowly off the whisk in a thick ribbon that disappears back into the bowl after about 10 seconds. This consistency is key for a hard setting cookie icing.
  5. If you are coloring the icing, divide it into separate bowls and mix in gel food coloring until you reach your desired shade. Gel colors work better than liquid because they do not thin the icing.
  6. Use the icing immediately to decorate your cooled sugar cookies.
  7. Allow the decorated cookies to sit at room temperature until the icing is completely dry and hard to the touch. This usually takes several hours, or overnight for thick layers.

Notes

  • For icing that dries hard and glossy, the addition of corn syrup is important. It helps the icing set firm and prevents a dull finish.
  • If the icing becomes too thick while you are decorating, stir in a few drops of milk to restore the correct consistency.
  • If you need a thinner icing for flooding, add milk slowly. If it becomes too thin, add a tablespoon of sifted powdered sugar.
  • This recipe is perfect for creating stackable sugar cookie frosting that holds up well for gifting.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastethisplate.com/sugar-cookie-icing-that-hardens/