Best Sugar Cookie Icing for Decorating

I’m sharing my absolute favorite sugar cookie frosting recipe that EVERYONE loves.

You know how most icings either taste great but look awful or look perfect but taste like cardboard? This one actually does BOTH things right!

I’ve been using sugar cookie frosting recipe for years now and it’s become our family tradition.

It’s so simple to make and it actually hardens enough to stack the cookies but stays soft enough to bite without breaking your teeth. Win-win!

So, let’s check out my sugar cookie icing recipe but make sure to check out my vanilla buttercream frosting for more inspo!

Sugar Cookie Frosting – What You’ll Need

Powdered sugar :It gives that perfect sweetness and smooth texture we all want.

Milk: This thins out the frosting to just the right consistency. Add it little by little or you might end up with runny frosting that slides right off your cookies

Light corn syrup: This gives the frosting that beautiful shine and helps it set properly so you can stack your cookies without them sticking together.

Extract (vanilla, almond, peppermint or coconut): Depending on the time of year, a coconut sugar cookie is perfect in the summer!

Food Coloring: Get creative and have fun decorating your sugar cookies!

How to Make Sugar Cookie Icing for Decorating

Step 1: Grab a big mixing bowl and dump in your powdered sugar.

Add two tablespoons of milk (start with JUST two, trust me!), your corn syrup, and whatever extract you’re using.

I usually stick with vanilla and (peppermint for chocolate cookies) in the base and then divide it up if we want different flavors.

Step 2: Now start mixing! I use a whisk because it gets out all the lumps.

The frosting will look way too thick at first. This is where patience pays off.

If it’s still too thick after a good mix (and it probably will be), add more milk but DO IT SLOWLY!

I use a 1/4 teaspoon to add milk and mix between each addition.

How do you know when it’s right?

It depends what you’re doing with it.

For fancy piping work like when we make snowflake cookies, you want it thick enough to hold its shape but still flow smoothly.

If you’re just spreading it with a knife or spatula you want something a bit softer, like the consistency of peanut butter.

And if you’re dipping the whole cookie tops (which is what we do when the girls have friends over because it’s faster), you want it thinner so it settles into a smooth surface.

Once you’ve got your perfect consistency, divide it up and add food coloring if you want.

Step 3: Now for the fun part! Decorating!

If you’re piping, I use ziplock bags with the corner snipped off because who has time to wash piping bags?

For spreading, the girls each get a little butter knife and go to town.

And for dipping, we just hold the cookie upside down, dunk the top in, and let the excess drip off.

IMPORTANT MOM TIP: Add your sprinkles RIGHT AWAY before the frosting starts to set!

The frosting will start to harden within about 30 minutes, but I usually let them sit for at least 2 hours before stacking them.

And there you go! You can use sugar cookie or chocolate cookies to decorate!