Need a quick glaze to decorate sugar cookies? This powdered sugar icing for cookies is made with basic ingredients you likely already have on hand. Forget the meringue powder or corn syrup, this icing can be made with powdered sugar, milk, vanilla & almond extract, and a dash of salt. Great for icing my favorite cut out sugar cookies.

plate of heart sugar cookies with powdered sugar icing for cookies

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Ever since posting my easy sugar cookie icing recipe, I've gotten a few questions on whether or not the corn syrup can be removed from the recipe if you don't have it on hand. The answer to that question is that you can, it will just be a different consistency and won't have as much shine to it.

So instead of revamping that recipe, I decided to create this powdered sugar icing instead! It's a perfect homemade cookie icing for quickly decorating sugar cookies for birthdays, Christmas, or any occasion when you just need a simple glaze.

Looking for a fluffier cookie icing? Check out my sugar cookie buttercream frosting recipe.

sugar cookie with bite topped with powdered sugar icing for cookies

Ingredients for Powdered Sugar Icing for Cookies

Powdered Sugar
Milk
Clear Vanilla Extract
Clear Almond Extract (omit if you don't like the flavor)
Salt
Food Coloring (optional)
Sugar Cookies (these cut out sugar cookies are my favorite)

ingredients to make powdered sugar icing for cookies

How to Make Powdered Sugar Icing for Cookies

Step 1: Add powdered sugar into medium-sized bowl and add milk, vanilla, almond extract, and salt.

Pouring milk into bowl of powdered sugar to make powdered sugar icing for cookies

Step 2: Use a rubber spatula to mix until smooth. The consistency should be thick enough that it won't run off cookies, but thin enough that the icing "melts" back in on itself when you drizzle a spoonful over the bowl.

Tip: If your icing looks too dry, add 1 teaspoon of milk until it looks like the consistency in the video above. If it is too thin, add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar until it looks like the consistency in the video.

Step 3: Once you reach the correct consistency, add food coloring. I recommend squeezing a dot of food coloring on a paper plate, dipping the tip of a toothpick through it, then swiping it through the icing. This will allow you to control the amount of color you add.

Tip: To achieve this peach color, I did 2 swipes of red with 1 swipe of yellow. If making Christmas cookies, check out my formulas for How To Make Dark Green Icing (5 Shades!).

Adding red food coloring to bowl with toothpick. Stirring pink icing to make powdered sugar icing for cookies

Step 4: Once colored, spoon the icing into a tipless piping bag (or plastic bag with the corner snipped off). To ice the cookies, pipe an outline around the edge of the cookie then working your way from the outside in, fill in the center.

Step 5: Immediately after piping on the icing, use a toothpick to spread out the icing and fill in any holes. Top with sprinkles, if desired.

Tip: For more decorating ideas, check out my 7 Easy Sugar Cookie Decorating Techniques guide!

How to ice sugar cookies using powdered sugar icing for cookies

Step 6: Allow icing to dry on the cooling rack for 2-3 hours until the icing starts to firm up. Note that this powdered sugar icing will not completely harden, meaning that you don't want to stack these cookies after they are iced. If you want an icing that completely hardens, you will instead want to make a traditional royal icing for sugar cookies or a thinner sugar cookie glaze.

More icing & frosting recipes:

If you make this powdered sugar glaze for cookies, be sure to leave me a comment below and tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat - I LOVE seeing what you made!

Powdered Sugar Icing for Cookies

4.95 from 180 votes

Print Rate

Total Time: 5

Servings: 20 Cookies (ices 18-20, 2.5" sized cookies)

By: Melissa Rose

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk any kind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Food coloring optional

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Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine powdered sugar (1 ¾ cups), milk (3 tablespoons), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), almond extract (½ teaspoon), and salt (¼ teaspoon).
Use a rubber spatula to stir mixture until smooth.
The consistency should be thick enough that it won't run off cookies, but thin enough that the icing "melts" back in on itself when you drizzle a spoonful over the bowl.
Tip: If your icing looks too dry, add 1 teaspoon of milk until it looks like the consistency in the video. If it is too thin, add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar until it looks like the consistency in the video.
Once you reach the correct consistency, add food coloring. I recommend squeezing a dot of food coloring on a paper plate, dipping the tip of a toothpick through it, then swiping it through the icing. This will allow you to control the amount of color you add.
Once colored, spoon the icing into a piping bag (or plastic bag with the corner snipped off). To ice the cookies, pipe an outline around the edge of the cookie then working your way from the outside in, fill in the center.
Immediately after piping on the icing, use a toothpick to spread out the icing and fill in any holes. Top with sprinkles, if desired.
Allow icing to dry on the cooling rack for 2-3 hours until the icing starts to firm up. Note that this powdered sugar icing will not completely harden, meaning that you don't want to stack these cookies after they are iced. If you want an icing that completely hardens, you will instead want to make a traditional royal icing for sugar cookies.

Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Nutrition

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this icing need to be refrigerated?

Because of the high sugar content, the iced 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).

Can I freeze powdered sugar icing?

Freezing iced cookies is safe to do, although the icing may become watery or sticky after removing them from the freezer and thawing (because of this, I recommend just waiting to make the icing until you're ready to frost the cookies OR freeze the icing in a bag, thaw, and re-stir when ready to use). To thaw frozen cookies that have been iced, place them in the refrigerator to thaw or on the counter for up to a few hours. Traditional royal icing freezes better than this simple cookie glaze.

If you have leftover icing, you can freeze it in a plastic ziploc bag. To thaw, place the plastic bag in the refrigerator until it is thawed. You will likely need to re-stir the icing before piping. An easy make-ahead tip for the holidays is to make all the icing ahead of time, freeze it in individual bags, thaw it, then re-stir when ready to use. You can also learn how to freeze sugar cookie dough so that it can also be made ahead of time.

Will this icing dry hard?

This powdered sugar icing will not completely harden, meaning that you don't want to stack these cookies after they are iced. If you want an icing that completely hardens, you will instead want to make a traditional royal icing for sugar cookies or my thinner (dippable) cookie glaze with powdered sugar.

Can I use this icing for intricate details?

This icing is best used as a solid glaze and is not great for intricate details (as the icing is thin and will spread). If you want to pipe on details, you would want to use a traditional royal icing for sugar cookies.