This simple cookie icing recipe is one that I always turn to whenever we are decorating cookies around our house. It has been in my family for as long as I can remember and isn’t going away anytime soon!
It works great for spreading or piping onto cookies, whichever you prefer. You can also easily make the cookie icing thinner or thicker based on your preferences. You’ll add a little bit more sugar for it to be thicker and a little more milk for it to be thinner. Totally up to you to get the cookie icing to the consistency you prefer.
Here’s my family’s cookie icing recipe perfect for using with our sugar cookie recipe that I’ll share tomorrow. You definitely don’t want to miss it!
Related Recipes
Cookie Icing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (114 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 – 2 tablespoons (14-28 g) milk
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract, clear preferred
Instructions
- Stir all ingredients together to make sure well-combined and smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Happy Cookie Making!
XO,
Robyn
Hi Robyn,
Just a question, can I make this with anything other than cows milk?
Would nut milks work? Or even water in a pinch?
I’m making cookies with a group of work colleagues so just want to provide alternatives if possible.
Thanks!
You could use almond or coconut milk, Tammy.
Anxious to try this recipe. Both the cookies and icing.
Hope you enjoy them!
Dear  Robyn,
It is my first time making royal icing for sugar cookies.  I have 15 medium size olaf cookies to decorate for grandson’s birthday.  How long will the icing last if made ahead of time.  I was making it with milk.  And is it necessary to keep in refrigerator.  I would perfer not. Thank you . Carolyn
Hi Carolyn,
I just want to make sure you know that my Cookie Icing is not quite the same as a royal icing. My icing has more of a glaze consistency than the royal icing.
You should not have to refrigerate my icing. It should stay fresh in an airtight container for up to a week.
As with any special event, when making a recipe for the first time, I always suggest giving it a test run before the big day. I hope this helps!
I hope your grandson has a happy birthday! Thanks! xo
I haven’t tried this yet. But I am fixing to. It sounds good. Thank youÂ
Thanks- it was perfect for the ingredients we had on hand!!!!!! Delicious taste.
Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. I enjoyed your chewy sugar cookies and your family cookie icing recipe. However, I added two tablespoons of melted unsalted butter to the recipe. Years ago (several!) I had a Land of Lakes pamphlet and they had a cookie icing recipe like yours but it included the melted butter. I also periodically add almond or orange extract to the icing recipe too.
Thanks Helene! xo
Hi I was wondering what you think the break down would be for icing for a single cookie? I am doing cookie party with students but i want them to mix there ingredients independently. Thank you
Thank you – perfect for valentines cookies! I left the cookies out overnight to allow the icing to harden (shortbread, no cookies were harmed!). I halved the recipe and went ahead with coloured vanilla because I added red food colouring.
Approximentaly how many cookies does this icing work for?