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The Best Sugar Cookie Icing That Hardens for Decorating

Stack of round sugar cookies topped with white and brightly colored drizzle sugar cookie icing.
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Make smooth, glossy sugar cookie icing that dries hard, perfect for detailed decorating and holiday gifts. This easy recipe uses simple ingredients and achieves a bakery quality finish.

Ingredients

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  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1/4 cup warm water, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup (optional, for extra gloss)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder until fully combined.
  2. Add the warm water and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.
  3. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to mix on low speed until the ingredients are just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  4. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes until the icing is smooth, glossy, and holds stiff peaks. This is your piping consistency.
  5. If the icing is too thick for outlining or flooding, add water one teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. For flooding, you want it to flow slowly off the spoon in a ribbon that disappears back into the bowl after about 10 seconds.
  6. Divide the icing into separate bowls for coloring, if desired. Add gel food coloring sparingly and mix until uniform.
  7. Use the icing immediately for decorating cookies. For detailed work, use the thickest consistency. For flooding, use a slightly thinner consistency.
  8. Allow the decorated cookies to sit at room temperature until the icing dries completely hard, usually 4 to 8 hours depending on humidity.

Notes

  • For a very hard, crack-free finish, use light corn syrup in the recipe.
  • If the icing becomes too thick while decorating, stir in a few drops of water to restore the consistency.
  • Store unused icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days; stir well before reusing.
  • To achieve a smooth, glossy sugar cookie glaze, thin the final mixture slightly more than the piping consistency.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbycarla.com/sugar-cookie-icing-recipe-hardens-smooth/