Cookie Icing
Learn how to make the best homemade Icing ... this delicious recipe is super easy and so versatile!
Servings: 1 (makes about ½ cup)
Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 3 tablespoons milk (or water)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- gel food coloring
Equipment
- Squeeze Bottles (or decorating bulbs or pastry bags with tips)
Instructions
- Combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl, mixing until smooth. Add food coloring, if desired.
- For thick icing (for lines), you will need about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons milk. The consistency should be barely pourable. For thinner icing (used to flood cookies), you will need about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons milk. Start with the smaller amount of liquid, then add more (a few drops at a time) to reach desired consistency. If icing gets too thin, just add more powdered sugar.
- Transfer finished icing to squeeze bottles. Outline cookies with thick icing first, then fill in with thinner icing.
- Let icing harden before stacking cookies. It can take up to 24 hours (chill cookies in refrigerator to speed up process).
Notes
If your icing get too thick, add more milk, a drop or two at a time. If your icing gets too thin, simply add more powdered sugar.
For best results, use a thicker icing to outline your cookies, then fill them in (flood them) with a thinner icing. Test the thick icing by drawing a line on a plate or piece of wax paper ... it should hold its shape and shouldn't spread.
I recommend using gel food coloring (rather than liquid food coloring). It's thicker and won't affect the consistency of your icing as much. If you're making multiple colors, I'd recommend making a separate batches of icing for each color.
For glossier icing, add 1 teaspoon light corn syrup. Just keep in mind that you will probably also need to add more powdered sugar.
Make sure to read the info before this recipe card for helpful tips, step by step decorating photos, variations, and more!
Tried this recipe?Mention @HelloLittleHome or tag #hellolittlehome!