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No-Fuss Icing

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 27, 2011

Yield

Makes enough to glaze several dozen cookies

No-Fuss Icing

Ingredients

1 - 2 tablespoons milk 1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) confectioners' sugar Food coloring (optional)2 - 3 drops flavored extract (optional)

Before You Begin

Flavor this icing with vanilla, peppermint, or almond extract, if desired. It can also be dyed with food coloring. If glaze hardens over time, add a bit of milk or water and mix until smooth. Use this recipe with the related recipe for Best Christmas Cookies.

Instructions

  1. With small whisk or fork, combine 1 tablespoon milk and confectioners' sugar in small bowl to make soft, smooth icing. Stir in optional food coloring and flavored extracts. If mixture is too stiff, add milk in very tiny increments until desired consistency is reached.
No-Fuss Icing

No-Fuss Icing

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Makes enough to glaze several dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 - 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) confectioners' sugar
Food coloring (optional)
2 - 3 drops flavored extract (optional)

Ingredients

1 - 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) confectioners' sugar
Food coloring (optional)
2 - 3 drops flavored extract (optional)

Ingredients

1 - 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) confectioners' sugar
Food coloring (optional)
2 - 3 drops flavored extract (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted a simple glaze icing recipe that would set up on rolled butter cookies, and was also versatile enough to flavor or color for any occasion. We found that the easiest icing recipe was to mix confectioner’s sugar with just enough milk to make a smooth icing that could be adjusted effortlessly with drops of food coloring or flavor extracts. This no-fuss icing recipe will harden over time, so if you’re still using it, whisk in a few drops of milk to return it to a fluid consistency.

Before You Begin

Flavor this icing with vanilla, peppermint, or almond extract, if desired. It can also be dyed with food coloring. If glaze hardens over time, add a bit of milk or water and mix until smooth. Use this recipe with the related recipe for Best Christmas Cookies.

Instructions

  1. With small whisk or fork, combine 1 tablespoon milk and confectioners' sugar in small bowl to make soft, smooth icing. Stir in optional food coloring and flavored extracts. If mixture is too stiff, add milk in very tiny increments until desired consistency is reached.

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