This recipe for sugar cookie icing is one every home baker needs. It’s great for getting the kids involved and can be made on a whim. It can be made as thick or as thin as you need and sets quickly so you can stack them up within 24 hours and then pack them up without worrying about making a mess!
This easy sugar cookie icing is made with just a handful of ingredients and can be made in any color you want. The corn syrup gives the icing a shine, even when it dries, and I use gel food coloring so that it doesn’t dilute the icing, making it too thin.
In just 5 minutes you can make the tastiest and easiest royal icing without meringue powder (ok, not exactly royal icing), ready to use on everything from reindeer Christmas cookies and Easter egg fruit pizza to Italian sugar cookies, sugar cookie fruit pizza, and everyday sugar cookies!
I don’t know about you but meringue powder is not something I ever have on hand, so I wanted to make a really easy icing with pantry staples (same thing I was after in my 5-minute chocolate frosting) and this is it.
5-Minute Icing for Sugar Cookies
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a 5-minute recipe that is basically foolproof!
- The almond extract gives it a really nice flavor.
- You can use it for all shapes of sugar cookies.
- The sheen it leaves behind is so pretty.
- Can be made in a variety of colors. The sky’s the limit!
Helpful Tools
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Powdered sugar – For sweetness. The cornstarch in powdered sugar also helps the icing to set and the powdery consistency allows for it to dissolve without any grittiness.
- Milk – The liquid needed to turn the powder into an icing. You can use water for this too.
- Almond extract – A flavor enhancer that gives it something special. Swap it with another extract for a different flavor of your choosing.
- Corn syrup – This is what will make your cookies look professional and straight out of the bakery. It gives them a pretty shine.
- Gel food coloring – Any color you want. You can also divide the batch and use a few different colors.
How to make Sugar Cookie Icing
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar and a bit of milk unil crumbly. Then, stir in the almond extract and corn syrup.
- Step Two: Slowly drizzle in the rest of the milk until it reaches the consistency you’re looking for. It should be thicker if you’re using it for outlining and a bit thinner for flooding (filling in the larger areas that have been outlined).
- Step Three: If using gel food coloring, divide the icing into small bowls. The number will depend on how many colors you’re using. Start with 3-5 drops and go from there, depending on how intense you want the color.
- Step Four: Now it’s ready to use on cooled cookies (if they’re warm, your icing will melt)! You can use this icing in a piping bag or squeeze bottles, or place it in a shallow dish and dip the cookies face down into the icing and let the excess drip off.
- I recommend avoiding liquid food coloring. It can change the consistency of the icing, and the colors aren’t as vibrant.
- Gel food coloring is more concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Don’t overdo it!
- Swap the almond extract for vanilla extract. Any icing flavor shouldn’t overpower the taste of the cookie itself. If you want a lemony flavor for a lemon sugar cookie, then by all means, add a bit of lemon extract.
- The number of cookies you can decorate from a single batch of icing depends on the size of the cookies. Generally, it decorates about 40 3-inch cookies.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, use a large Ziploc bag and cut the tip.
- You can also double or halve the recipe as needed.
- The icing sets quickly, so if you’re adding sprinkles, act fast!
- I recommend waiting 24 hours before stacking them. However, they technically set within several hours, so by all means, dig in!
If transferring the icing to a piping bag, I always recommend placing the bag into a tall cup so it’s supported. You can see it in the below picture or view my TikTok instructions here.
Storage
How to store leftovers
This icing can be kept in the fridge, covered in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. It’s great for making ahead of time.
When you’re ready to use it, let it come to room temperature and give it a stir.
Another fun tip I learned from Ashley of @ohheysamsclub, frost the cookies with white icing, let them set a bit, then add a couple drops of food coloring to a small dish with a teaspoon or so of water to make “watercolors” and let the kids paint the cookies with clean brushes. My kids love doing this!
Thinking about cookies now? Try these next:
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Red Velvet M&M Cake Mix Cookies
Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookies
Click here to view my entire collection of cookie recipes.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Easy Sugar Cookie Icing
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk + more as needed (I use 2%)
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 teaspoons corn syrup
- gel food coloring optional
Instructions
- To a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 3 Tablespoons of milk until crumbly.3 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tablespoons milk
- Add in the almond extract and corn syrup.¾ teaspoon almond extract, 3 teaspoons corn syrup
- Slowly drizzle in additional milk until the desired consistency is reached. Leave the icing thicker if using for outlining, thinner for flooding.
- If dying, divide the icing into small bowls and add 3-5 drops of food coloring until the desired color is reached.gel food coloring
- To decorate cookies, either transfer the icing to a piping bag (or large freezer bag & snip the tip), squeeze bottles, or simply dip the cookies into the icing and let the excess drip off.
Notes
- Store leftover icing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant color—avoid liquid, as it affects consistency.
- Water can be used in place of milk.
- How many cookies this will decorate will depend on the size of your cookies.
- The recipe is easily doubled or halved. As written, I find it generally decorates about forty 3″ cookies.
- Add sprinkles quickly—icing sets fast!
- Wait 24 hours before stacking, though they’ll set in a few hours.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
