Sugar Cookie Icing: Like Buttercream Cake Frosting, But Harder

sarita — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:02:26 +0000

Unlike cake frosting that you want to remain pliable and fluffy, sugar cookie icing is a different story. While buttercream cake frostings use large amounts of butter or other fats to keep them from drying out, cookies use a different ratio of fat to sugar so that the frosting dries smoothly, hardens and doesn’t move. All this while maintaining its vibrant color and tasting delicious!

We came across two easy, fabulous recipes for sugar cookie icing at Simply Recipes. One creates a more textured look and is more suitable for piped decorations. The other is smooth and glaze-like and makes your cookies safe for stacking. Both harden nicely and make your cookies look festive and professional.

Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe #1 (for piped decorations)

1/3 cup Crisco (trans fat-free) or a 1/3 cup of softened butter
1 pound of confectioners sugar
About 1/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix icing ingredients together until smooth. Separate into different bowls, add food coloring to achieve various colors. Spread on cookies with a butter knife, use cake decorating piping equipment to add decorative accents. If you want the sprinkle type decorating candies to stick, brush the cookie with clear Karo syrup and then sprinkle.

Sugar Cookie Icing #2 (for hard, glazed cookies)

2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup milk
Food coloring

To make icing, combine sugar, almond extract and just enough milk (about 1/4 cup) to make the frosting the consistency of thin glue. Pour icing into shallow bowls wide enough for dipping cookies. Add food coloring.

Sugar Cookies Recipe | Simply Recipes

Frosting Recipes » Cookie Icing and Frosting

Sugar Cookie Icing: Like Buttercream Cake Frosting, But Harder