Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1-3 drops lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the Sugar: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a bowl to remove any lumps, ensuring a smooth icing texture. This step is crucial as even small lumps can clog piping tips and create an uneven surface on your decorated cookies.
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, corn syrup, and 1 drop of lemon juice. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and no dry sugar remains. The corn syrup gives the icing a beautiful shine once dried.
- Adjust Consistency: Add more milk and/or lemon juice gradually, a little at a time, until you achieve your desired consistency. For outlining cookies, the icing should be thicker (like toothpaste), while for flooding (filling in outlined areas), it should be thinner (like honey). Test the consistency by lifting your spoon – the icing should flow off smoothly and a line drawn through it should disappear within 10-15 seconds for flooding consistency.
Notes
- For colored icing, add gel food coloring rather than liquid food coloring to maintain the proper consistency.
- Allow decorated cookies to dry completely (8-12 hours) before stacking or storing.
- The icing will form a crust after about 30 minutes but will remain slightly soft underneath for 24 hours.
- Store unused icing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. You may need to re-stir or add a drop of milk before using again.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian