Ever since posting my easy sugar cookie icing recipe, I’ve gotten some questions on what a good substitute for corn syrup in the icing would be. So today I’m going to go through my top 4 recipes for sugar cookie icing without corn syrup and talk through the pros and cons to each.
#1: Powdered Sugar Icing for Cookies
Besides my original sugar cookie icing recipes (that uses corn syrup), powdered sugar icing is probably on the same level of easy. Using basic ingredients like powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and almond extract, and a pinch of salt – this is the perfect icing when you’re in a pinch and need something quick.
Pros/Great when…
- Great when you only only plan to ice the cookie one color
- Great when you don’t need to include intricate details
- Uses basic ingredients you likely have on hand
- Does not use corn syrup
- Cookies are safe to leave at room temperature for 2-3 days (any longer than that, you should refrigerate or freeze them since they contain milk.
- Recipes best paired with: Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Cons:
- Won’t dry completely hard like traditional royal icing
- Not great for intricate details, as the icing is thin and will spread.
- Some people don’t like the taste of powdered sugar icing because of how sweet it is.
#2: Royal Icing for Sugar Cookies
Traditional royal icing doesn’t use corn syrup, but rather uses meringue powder to help it harden. Because of this, royal icing is best when you want your cookies to be able to be stacked or when you need to pipe intricate details that you want to hold their shape.
Pros/Great when…
- Great when you need the cookies to dry completely hard for storing, stacking, or freezing.
- Great when you need to use multiple colors or pipe intricate details.
- When cookies are iced with royal icing, they freeze well (i.e. the icing won’t crystallize like it would if there were corn syrup inside). Learn more on how to freeze sugar cookies.
- Does not use corn syrup
- Cookies do not need to be refrigerated after frosting if you’re using meringue powder.
- Recipes best paired with: Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Cons:
- Uses meringue powder, which you may not have on hand (but can find at Michaels or Walmart)
- Some people don’t like how hard or crunchy royal icing can be when eating
- Can be tricky to get consistency correct. I talk all about how to achieve the perfect consistency in my royal icing for sugar cookies post.
#3: Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies
If you’re looking for something more creamy than traditional icings (that doesn’t require fancy decorating), I recommend frosting the cookies with cream cheese frosting. This frosting is a smooth cream cheese buttercream that you can spread with a knife or by using a piping bag (or even just a ziploc bag with the corner cut off).
Pros/Great when…
- You need something quick and don’t care about intricately decorated cookies
- Cookies freeze well after being frosted. Learn more on how to freeze sugar cookies to prevent smudging.
- Does not use corn syrup
- Recipes best paired with: Cut Out Sugar Cookies or No Roll Sugar Cookies
Cons:
- The frosting will develop a slight crust if left sitting out (or when refrigerated), but it won’t completely harden. Which means you shouldn’t stack them when they’re at room temperature. For my tips of perfect stacking, see my guide on how to freeze sugar cookies.
- Frosting is creamy and won’t hold a intricate piped shape (best for just spreading)
- Cookies need to be refrigerated since the frosting contains cream cheese.
#4: Pipeable Sugar Cookie Buttercream Frosting
Looking for something a little fancy without going all out on intricate designs? My pipeable sugar cookie buttercream frosting is the perfect addition to soft and thick sugar cookies. Use a star tip to swirl on the frosting and top with sprinkles.
Pros/Great when…
- You want a thicker, creamier frosting.
- Cookies freeze well after being frosted. Learn more on how to freeze sugar cookies to prevent smudging.
- Does not use corn syrup
- Recipes best paired with: Cut Out Sugar Cookies or No Roll Sugar Cookies
Cons:
- The frosting will develop a slight crust if left sitting out (or when refrigerated), but it won’t completely harden. Which means you shouldn’t stack them. For my tips of perfect stacking, see my guide on how to freeze sugar cookies.
- Although the amount of sugar will stabilize the butter (meaning you could technically leave them at room temperature for 2-3 days), I recommend refrigerating these so that the frosting doesn’t “melt” down and flatten out.
Which icing is the easiest to make?
If I had to rank them from easiest (1) to hardest (4), they would go:
- Powdered Sugar Icing for Cookies
- Cream Cheese Frosting for Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Buttercream Frosting
- Royal Icing
Which icing tastes the best?
If I had to rank them according to taste, I tend to lean towards putting the cream cheese or buttercream frosting before the icings. But if I had to rank ALL five of the icing/glaze recipes on my site for actual icing/glaze recipes, they would go:
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Buttercream Frosting
- Easy Sugar Cookie Icing (uses corn syrup)
- Royal Icing
- Powdered Sugar Icing for Cookies
What’s the best sugar cookie recipe to use with these icings?
I have a few favorites depending on the texture you’re going for. My cut out sugar cookies is my favorite for roll out cookie, while my no roll sugar cookies is my favorite for soft pillowy cookies.
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies = good with any 4 of these icings.
- No Roll Sugar Cookies = best with the cream cheese or buttercream frostings.
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