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Glossy Sugar Cookie Icing That Hardens Perfectly

Close-up of round sugar cookies topped with glossy, yellow sugar cookie icing that hardens, sprinkled with coarse salt.
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Make bakery-style sugar cookie icing that dries hard and smooth, ideal for decorating cutout cookies that need to be stacked or gifted.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons milk (whole or plant-based)
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Gel food coloring, as needed

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar, milk, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract.
  2. Mix with a whisk or electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just combined. Do not overmix at this stage.
  3. If the icing is too thick to spread smoothly, add milk, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach a thick but pourable consistency. If it is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
  4. For outlining, the icing should be thick enough to hold a line. For flooding, it should be slightly thinner.
  5. Divide the icing into separate bowls if you plan to use multiple colors. Add gel food coloring to each portion and mix until the color is uniform.
  6. Apply the icing to your cooled sugar cookies. Use a thin consistency for flooding the cookie surface after outlining, or use a thicker consistency for piping details.
  7. Allow the icing to dry completely at room temperature. This icing hardens to a firm, glossy finish, usually within 4 to 8 hours, depending on humidity.

Notes

  • Corn syrup is key to achieving a glossy finish and helping the icing set hard.
  • For a quick-drying icing, use a thin consistency and place cookies in front of a fan while they dry.
  • If you need a very firm icing for intricate piping work, consider using meringue powder instead of milk for a true royal icing texture.
  • Always use gel food coloring; liquid coloring adds too much moisture and prevents the icing from hardening properly.

Nutrition

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