Easy Sugar Cookie Icing
Whether you’re baking for the holidays, your kid’s class or just because, this Easy Sugar Cookie Icing is a simple, go-to recipe to make decadently sweet icing for any cookies! Makes enough icing for 60 cookies.
Looking for the perfect cookies to pair with this icing? All-Butter Tea Cake Cookies, Chocolate Sugar Cookies and Greek Yogurt Cut Out Sugar Cookies are our favorites!
Hey-o! The Sweetest Season Cookie Exchange week rolls on… and I’m sharing my favorite icing recipe.
In fact, it’s kind of a shock that I haven’t shared this with y’all before, as it’s something that is integral for so many different cookie recipes.
Whatever the case, I finally took the time to quantify it when I was updating another recipe for this week, and I’m happy I did because cookies that need icing need a good icing, right? And one that’s pretty darn easy to make, too, right?
Why I love this recipe:
This sugar cookie icing without corn syrup is a dream. It’s a little sweet, a little tart and a lot good. It pairs particularly nicely with a sugar cookie or a shortbread cookie that’s not too sweet.
This icing recipe is on the runnier side, which makes it relatively easy to work with when you get a feel for it. You can also use piping bags for it, but I rarely get that fancy with it. My kids love it, too, because they can make abstract art-looking cookies with it, haha.
It can also be transformed into a dairy free or vegan icing recipe with a simple ingredient swap.
Other festive recipes to make this season: Sweet Potato Sugar Cookies with Fluffy Marshmallow Icing | Lemon Drop Cookies | Shortbread Brown Butter Cookies | Orange Cranberry Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies | Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge
Looking for dessert inspiration? Meander on over to my Desserts Recipe Index for all kinds of ideas!
What do I need to make this Easy Sugar Cookie Icing?
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- Large glass bowl
- Sifter or a Fine Mesh Strainer to ensure there are no lumps in the sugar
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Ramekins or small bowls to separate the icing for coloring
- Gel food coloring (I like this better than the drop kind because it’s a little less messy)
- Offset spatula or butter knives
- Wire cooling rack
- Parchment paper to cover the counter beneath the wire cooling rack so cookies can drip onto this instead of your countertop
Also, if you’re baking cookies, you miiiiiiiiight want to check out these 10 Best Baking Tools for Cookies!
In addition to these tools, you’re going to need a few ingredients to make this sugar cookie icing without corn syrup. (Yes. It’s made without corn syrup, and it still hardens. Hallelujah!)
- Powdered sugar, also known as confectioner’s sugar
- Kosher salt—just a pinch!
- Vanilla extract
- Milk—cow’s milk or non-dairy milk is fine here, friends. This works as a vegan icing if you need it!
- Lemon juice—just a little bit to give it some tang
I know someone is going to ask about why I add the lemon juice to this icing recipe when lemon juice curdles milk. Yes, it does. (Please don’t freak out about this: I promise it’s gonna be OK.)
The lemon juice and milk combination adds some major tanginess to this icing, like you’d get with a classic buttermilk without necessitating purchasing buttermilk, which is something I always forget on my shopping list.
I, personally, enjoy that because icing that’s too sweet is decidedly not my jam. If it is yours, I suggest finding a different sugar cookie icing recipe.
How to make Frosting for Sugar Cookies
This frosting is super easy to make. In fact, you only need a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
Measure the dry ingredients
First and foremost, measure out the powdered sugar, and use a sifter to ensure there are no lumps in the sugar.
Season with salt, and whisk.
Pro tip: We add a pinch of salt to this recipe because it will make the icing not sickeningly sweet. Just a little bit of salt helps balance out sweet treats. 🙂
Measure the wet ingredients
In another bowl, combine vanilla extract and milk. Whisk ‘em together.
Mix all ingredients for the icing, then make it colorful
Pour them into the powdered sugar mixture, and whisk until combined.
Next, you’ll pour in the lemon juice, and whisk until smooth.
Yes, I know we’re doing lots of whisking. That’s how we roll with icing, y’all.
After that, you can divide the icing into various bowls and color them the colors of your dreams. Personally, I like gel food coloring to color this icing, but you can use the regular dropper kind, too, if that’s what you have on hand.
Decorate your cookies
Spread a thin layer on top of your favorite sugar cookie recipe, add sprinkles or additional stripes of color at your leisure.
Let the icing dry for 4-6 hours on top of the cookies at room temperature before storing in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of icing do you use to decorate sugar cookies?
Personally, I like a plain Jane frosting like this easy sugar cookie icing without corn syrup. It calls for minimal ingredients and adds some sweetness to a run-of-the-mill sugar cookie.
How long does this icing last?
Stored in the fridge, it’ll last for more than a week. But do you really want it to last that long? Noooooo.
Does this icing recipe harden?
Yes, but it takes a little time. Prepare for the icing to sit on the cookies for 4-6 hours before you’re able to transport them. Personally, I like to let mine sit overnight.
To make the hardening process faster, let the cookies dry on a wire cooling rack so that no icing pools around the edges. You can also pop them in the refrigerator uncovered for a little while to make the process speed up.
I see this icing recipe calls for milk. I don’t drink milk. Is there a substitute?
This can be made into a dairy free icing, which is also a vegan icing. To do this, simply use non-dairy milk in place of the cow’s milk. You can also use water.
My favorite non-dairy milks to use in this recipe are unsweetened cashew milk or unsweetened almond milk, which you would find in the refrigerated section of your grocery.
The only non-dairy milk I would not use for to transform this recipe into a vegan icing is coconut cream (from a can) because it would make the frosting too thick.
How can I store the extra icing if I don’t have FIVE DOZEN cookies to ice?
You have two options:
- Half the recipe before making it so that you don’t have an excess amount of icing.
- Pour the extra icing into an airtight container (or multiple, depending on if they are different colors.) Pop them in the freezer and freeze for a few months.
Help! I have a ton of cookies. Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely! This recipe makes a ton of icing—and it’s a thinner icing, so it goes farther than a thicker cream cheese icing—but if you need more, you can certainly double or triple the recipe without issue.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
This easy cookie icing recipe is the one I turn to, no matter the time of year, whenever I’m hosting people for cookie decorating.
Why? This icing is incredibly simple to make and easy for all to use, assuming they can hold a butter knife.
Here are some tips and tricks for using this icing for entertaining:
Make your icing in advance. The beauty in this Sugar Cookie Icing without corn syrup is that it can be stored in the fridge for quite some time before you use it. Let it come back to room temperature before it’s time to ice the cookies, though, or it’s going to be a little thick.
Let the kids get their hands sticky. I’ll be honest and tell you that I hate when my hands and my kitchen are sticky. But my kids l-o-v-e- being able to participate in the making of this easy cookie icing recipe. Depending on their ages, they can measure, whisk and color the icing! Let them do it, and just be mentally prepared to do the clean up and the de-sticky-ing of your kitchen. 😉
Put it in icing bags for easy application. If you’re having a cookie decorating party and are hosting a ton of people and don’t want to worry about icing being strewn across most surfaces of your home, I GET THAT. Use piping bags without tips (affiliate link), meaning you cut a teeeeeeeeny tiny hole on the end to make your life easier and to make your house potentially less messy.
More frosting and icing recipes to try:
Now who’s ready to learn how to make this delightful sugar cookie icing?
Scroll on down to see how I do it.
Easy Sugar Cookie Icing
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk non-dairy milk OK
- ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice freshly squeezed
- Gel food coloring
Equipment
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Instructions
- Measure out the powdered sugar into a sifter or a fine mesh strainer.
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large glass bowl. This sifting will ensure there are no lumps in the sugar. Add the salt, and whisk.
- In another small bowl, combine the vanilla extract and milk. Whisk them together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the powdered sugar.
- Whisk until combined.
- Measure in the lemon juice, and whisk until smooth. (This will make 1 ¼ cups icing, and it will be relatively thin.)
- Use a measuring scoop to divide the icing as needed. (For 5 colors, use a ¼ cup measure.)
- Use the food colors of your choice to dye the icing, stirring with a spoon or a knife until the color is correct.
- Spread the icing thinly on top of the cookies, and let dry for 4-6 hours at room temperature before enjoying.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you have a go-to icing recipe in your household?
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Ahh, I had no idea sugar cookie icing was SO easy! These photos are beautiful and I cannot wait to try this.
Ahh, I had no idea sugar cookie icing was SO easy! These photos are beautiful and I cannot wait to try this.
Thank you so much, Madison! Sugar cookie icing is SO simple to make, and it’s delicious, too. 🙂 I hope you and yours enjoy this recipe as much as we have this holiday season!
Hi there!
I am familiar with, and regularly use royal icing. My neighbors little boy is allergic to egg, so I cannot use my normal go to recipe for any cookies for him. Is this recipe similar in consistency to a flooding icing?
Thanks!
Hi Tracey! I’m not super familiar with royal icing, as I’ve used it just once. That said, this *is* the consistency of a flooding icing. You could probably make it stiffer, too, with more powdered sugar (so it would be sweeter) to make a border icing.
I hope this icing works for you and that your son can enjoy it!
Curiosity, what is the lemon juice for? This will be my first time making this icing for cookies. But I have made a similar one for a cake. Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Kayla, The lemon juice adds a pop of acid and tartness to the icing and balances out the suuuuuuper sweetness of the powdered sugar. The salt does this, too. I find this really important (for me, at least) because I don’t like my sweets too sugary, if that makes sense.
If you’re unsure about using the lemon juice, mix up the icing without it, taste and see how it is. If it’s too sweet for you, add that lemon juice, and you should be balanced right out. (This is a palate thing, and since everyone’s is a little different, I suggest trying it like this to see what you think and what works best for your tastebuds!)
Erin, Thank you for the note about making the icing first. I can not have citrus. Adding it last means that I can pull mine out and then make icing for rest of family with lemon in it!
Marty
Marty, you’re welcome for the note! I’m glad you were able to pull out the icing for yourself and then finish making it for others. You could probably leave out the lemon, too, completely, if you’d rather. Either way, I hope the icing turned out and that you and yours enjoyed it!
Hi! Does this icing harden? Like would I be able to stack cookies that are iced on top of each other? Will the icing transfer to the other cookies?
Hi Amanda! Yes, the icing will harden, but it needs time to dry before you stack them on top of each other. I’ve found that letting them harden/dry overnight has worked best for me, then we stack them easily the next day.
I hope that helps, and I hope that you enjoy the recipe!
It seems so easy! Thanks for sharing! I was just wondering if the lemon taste come out. Like will it taste like sour and lemony, or just sweet??
Hey Alia! Thanks for your comment and question about the lemon flavor.
The lemon taste is very, very mild and balances out the sweetness of the powdered sugar so it’s not super sweet. (I have this thing about super sweet desserts and have found that icing can give me a headache if it’s too sweet, haha.) If you’re concerned about this, you can of course leave out the juice.
I hope that helps!
Hi
Do you think rice milk would be ok?
At first I was hesitant to add lemon juice but after tasting it I most admit one of the best tasting icing I’ve ever had the tartness of the lemon is the perfect touch
Can this be used for a ginger bread house? I have all these ingredients and really don’t want to use egg, please say yes 😉
Can I use this to make drippings on top of the cake and can I go without lemon too? The cake I’m going to make for little girl and she allergic eggs and nuts I want to make cool cake ever that it’s will be first time for her cake also! Please let me know thank you
Hi Lisa! I think you could drizzle this on a cake, but it’s pretty runny, so it might all end up at the bottom of the cake. It’s certainly worth a try, though, since it checks all your boxes for an allergy-friendly cake frosting.
The lemon juice is in the recipe to balance out the extreme sweetness of the powdered sugar, but you could use the same amount of white vinegar. (I know it sounds weird, but it gives it just a nice little pop of acid to take the edge of sweetness off.) You can also leave it out if you don’t mind the sweetness.
Let me know what you decide to do! I’m here to help troubleshoot and am cheering you on!
My cookies turned out so cute, I wish I could upload a photo to show you! I’ve never decorated cookies before and am so proud of myself that I was able to do it – how fun!!! Thank you for all the tips!!
Why make the measurements so difficult.
As though it is hard enough for those trying to cook at home and have leftovers or excited to make a nice dessert
Don’t make it harder like math or discourage more people to make homemade goods
Hi Monica, I’m sorry that the math of this recipe feels overwhelming for you. This icing recipe was developed to pair with my Tea Cake Cookies, which are a large batch cut out cookie recipe, so the amounts match. Making icing for just 12 cookies is such a small amount of icing that it would be incredibly challenging to measure accurately without a food scale. This recipe was not intended to make a small batch, and the math *is* challenging to try to scale it down less than half.
I always strive to make my recipes clear and enjoyable for everyone, and I encourage readers to adapt them as needed or if they find it necessary (like halving or quartering a recipe.) That said, leaving 1-star reviews on a recipe you haven’t tried does not reflect its quality or intention, so I will be removing your reviews to ensure the feedback remains helpful and accurate for others.
Sorry should have been specific I had only 12 cookies and the measurements were impossible