I first came up with this icing recipe to frost my Christmas 2013 cookies. (You can read the story here.) Three years later – and hundreds of cookies – I'm still using the same recipe, albeit with a few small tweaks along the way. This version is the best-tasting cookie icing I've ever come across – and it looks pretty darn good, too. Even better, the top of the icing dries enough to stack the cookies but the icing inside remains a little soft.
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| Raspberry-Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies, outlined and filled with Cookie Icing |
When I first made this icing, I spread it on cookies with a knife. In 2014, after much inspiration from Bridget Edwards and her Decorating Cookies cookbook, I switched to piping an outline around the cookies, thinning the remaining icing just a little, and filling (or flooding) the outlines with the thinned icing before topping the icing with sprinkles.
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| Raspberry-Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies, outlined and filled with Cookie Icing |
I should note here that I have never tried drying this icing on cookies without sprinkles. I usually use colored sugar sprinkles, but I've used nonpareils, too. I think the sprinkles help the icing harden enough to be handled and packaged. I personally love using sprinkles to add color to cookies because (1) it means I only have to make white icing and (2) it gives my kids a fun way to help with the cookies.
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| Oatmeal-Brown Sugar Cut Out Cookies, outlined and filled with Cookie Icing |
Actually, this entire method of outlining, filling, and sprinkling is very kid-friendly. My kids have tried their hand at piping the outlines. It's a little tricky for them yet. But it's very easy for them to fill the cookies using a squeeze bottle and toothpick before adding the sprinkles.
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| Monika piping an outline |
We even had friends over for a cookie decorating party with pre-outlined cookies. The kids filled the cookies and topped them with sprinkles.
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| Chocolate-Hazelnut Cut Out Cookies, with Cookie Icing outline |
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| Chocolate-Hazelnut Cut Out Cookies, outlined and filled with Cooking Icing |
In 2015, I got a stand mixer for Christmas and tried making royal icing for the first time. I'm still not a fan of the taste, but it does work extremely well for outlining cookies – especially intricate shapes like stars and wreaths. And a royal icing outline doesn't change the taste of the finished cookie.
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| Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies, outlined with royal icing and filled with Cookie Icing |
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| assorted cut out cookies, outlined with royal icing and filled with Cookie Icing |
Cookie Icing for Outlining
makes enough icing to outline 6 dozen 3-inch cookies using a #4 round tip
Ingredients
200 grams powdered sugar [2 cups] (don't worry about sifting)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon flavored extract* (almond, raspberry, orange, vanilla, etc.)
pinch salt
15 drops white food coloring (optional)
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until completely blended. Transfer icing to a decorating bag fitted with a #3, #4, or #5 round tip. Outline cookies. Allow icing to dry before filling cookies. (Usually, by the time I'm done outlining all the cookies, the first outlines are dry enough to fill.)
Cookie Icing for Filling
makes enough icing to fill 3 dozen 3-inch cookies
Ingredients
200 grams powdered sugar [2 cups] (don't worry about sifting)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon flavored extract* (almond, raspberry, orange, vanilla, etc.)
pinch salt
15 drops white food coloring (optional)
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until completely blended. Transfer icing to squeeze bottle. Fill outlined cookies, nudging icing up to the outline using a toothpick. Immediately top icing with sprinkles.
Note: Cookie Icing for Filling also makes a delicious icing/frosting for cinnamon rolls, quick breads, bars, or any other treat that just tastes a little better with icing.
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