Quick Icing with Powdered Sugar

Powdered Sugar Icing: Learn how to make a smooth, glossy powdered sugar icing in just minutes. Ideal for drizzling over cinnamon rolls, muffins or decorating holiday sugar cookies.

Jump to:

• How to Make Sugar Cookie Icing
• Ingredients
• Icing Variations
• Troubleshooting Your Icing
• Color Your Cookie Icing
• Storing Cookie Icing
• PIN FOR LATER
• Recipe
• Comments

This icing sugar recipe is perfect for home bakers new to making icing for cookies at Christmas time, Valentine's Day and other occasions.

This sugar cookie frosting would also be good for decorating Easter cookies.

You could also drizzle it over homemade banana bread.

You'll start with a foundation of powdered sugar, milk or cream and a bit of vanilla extract.

Use gel dye to color the icing to match the holiday or color scheme you're working with.

How to Make Sugar Cookie Icing

Sift powdered sugar and then measure three cups.

Beat powered sugar, cream or milk and a bit of extract in a mixing bowl using a hand mixer or a sturdy spatula until smooth and combined.

I added two tablespoons of clear corn syrup to make icing but that's optional.

Using corn syrup in icing will help the icing harden so you don't have smudges and also so you can stack iced cookies together without any trouble.

Ingredients

• Powdered sugar (also called confectioner's, 10x or icing sugar)
• Cream or milk
• Vanilla extract
• Corn syrup (optional)
• Gel food coloring (optional)
• Sprinkles or decorations

See recipe card for amounts

Icing Variations

Switch up the flavor however you like, be creative.

Lemon Icing: Swap out the vanilla extract for a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest.

Chocolate Icing: Add two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to make a chocolate icing.

Pumpkin Spice Icing: add a teaspoon of homemade pumpkin spice for a spicy version.

Troubleshooting Your Icing

See in the photo below how dry the icing looks?

There are little crumbles of confectioners's sugar and it's a ways off from being something you can dip a cookie into or drizzle over a pastry.

To get the right consistency, add a tablespoon of milk or cream at a time until your icing is spreadable.

If you go too far and your icing is too drippy, then add a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar.

Color Your Cookie Icing

I recommend using gel or paste food dye to color your icing.

Gel color is more intense than liquid food color and can be easier to control and to mix with other colors for a more complex hue.

If you want to make multiple colors of icing, be sure to divide up your batch into little bowls.

Toothpicks are your friend here.

Squeeze out one drop of food color on a piece of Saran Wrap or a paper plate or a plastic baggie.

Dip a toothpick in the drop of that food color and then drag it through the icing you want to color.

Then you can build the color you want. Easier to build it than start with too dark or intense a color.

Storing Cookie Icing

Store icing in an airtight container or in a piping bag.

It can be left out at room temperature, even if you've used milk or cream. The high sugar content will keep it safe if it's left out.

Best if used within three days.

PIN FOR LATER

More ideas for your cookie tables or boxes to give away or eat yourself! If you're a white chocolate fan, try making Gumdrop Nougat Candy, White Chocolate Chex Mix or Easy Peppermint Bark Candy Recipe or look through my white chocolate buying guide.

Or for more easy holiday treats, check out this easy chocolate slow cooker candy recipe or White Chocolate Chex Mix or Holiday Muddy Buddies.