I consider myself to be a pretty good artist. My education and former profession is in the design field and I’m pretty good at craft stuff. I also think I’m a decent cook, so I figured with those two things going for me, decorating fancy sugar cookies would be right up my alley. Imagine my surprise (not to mention shattered ego and broken self-confidence) when I attempted to play around with royal icing for the first time and my little masterpieces looked more like something in a 1st grader’s art pile. So I gave up on ever decorating fancy-schmancy cookies again.
That was until I found Cookie Decorating with Glace Icing. Now my confidence is back in tact because even my very first batch turned out beautifully! It’s super forgiving, easy to use, and it actually tastes good! The benefit of using an icing like this is that it dries to a solid sheen, making the cookies stackable and packable- perfect for giving or displaying on a platter. With a soft, fluffy buttercream, there’s just no easy way to give them away so you have to eat them all yourself (which may be the plan, right??).
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Cookies – Make your own using this recipe: The Best Sugar Cookies or buy some plain sugar cookies from the bakery.
- Powdered sugar
- Milk – Any percentage will do. You can use dairy-free milk alternatives as well.
- Light corn syrup
- Extract of choice – I like using almond because it’s clear and I put almond extract in my cookies. Other flavors like vanilla, lemon, and peppermint are also delicious.
How to Decorate Cookies with Glace Icing
Step 1: Make your Glace Icing
- Whisk up some powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and extract of your choice and you’ll have a nice glaze-y consistency. You’re going to use the same recipe for both glazing and piping. The way it is right now is the consistency you want for glazing. It’s smooth and thin and it easily runs off the whisk in a pretty thin drizzle (see the picture above).
Step 2: Ice A Base
- Now, you have some options of where to go from here. You can simply spoon this icing onto your cookies and gently spread out with a spoon and be done! In fact, one of the easiest ways is to just quickly spread and let it go completely off the edges, or you can add a touch more powdered sugar to a portion of your icing and pipe a border. Once the border is set, you can flood the cookie with thinner icing. That outline will work as a dam and give you nice clean lines.
Step 3: Add Designs (Wet on Wet Technique)
- While the icing is wet, you can mix colors and create all kinds of fun things. Try glazing in one color and then adding other colors from a piping bag with a very small, plain opening, and drag the designs with a toothpick to create gorgeous works of art. You honestly can’t make an ugly cookie here. Wet-on-wet icing will marble and swirl together. I actually did this whole batch this way because I didn’t have time to let mine dry very much.
Step 4: Add Designs (Piped and Layered Technique)
- If you’d like to add some dimension, allow your base layer to set and harden completely. Then pipe on designs with additional icing. You can add a little extra powdered sugar if you’d like to help your designs hold their shape well, but you can also pipe shapes and flood with thinner icing if desired.
Storing and Other Tips
- Iced cookies will keep as long as your cookie recipe outlines (usually 3-4 days for freshly baked cookies, but they are best within the first couple of days).
- If you are waiting for your base layer to dry and need to keep your other icing from drying out, place it in a piping bag or press a piece of plastic to the surface of the icing in a bowl until ready to use.
- If you have leftover icing you’d like to store longer than a couple of hours, store in a piping bag with the end twisted or tied shut. Simply cut the tip off when you are ready to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Glace icing is a simple, smooth icing made of powdered sugar, milk, and corn syrup that dries to a semi-hard finish similar to, but slightly softer than, royal icing. Unlike royal icing, it does not contain egg whites and is, in general, much easier to work with.
Not necessarily. Corn syrup gives the icing a nice, spreadable consistency, smooth finish and glossy sheen. There are glace recipes that skip it, so it can work. You’ll just have to adjust your liquid to get your desired consistency.
Yes, carefully. Glace icing dries semi-hard, not rock solid like royal icing. Allow iced cookies to dry at least 6-8 hours before stacking. For best results, place parchment paper or waxed paper between layers.
Yes, but only if they are fully dry first. Any extra moisture can potentially make the icing seep when thawed. After the cookies have dried for 6-8 hours and are hard to the touch, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe container, with parchment paper to separate layers. Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, do not open the container (this prevents introducing moisture from the air which can cause condensation to build up on the cookies) and set at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
Glace Icing
Ingredients
- 1 pound powdered sugar about 3 3/4 cups
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon extract I use almond because I use almond in my sugar cookies, but other flavors like vanilla, lemon, and peppermint are also delicious
Instructions
- With a whisk, combine sugar and milk until smooth (no lumps!) Then stir in corn syrup and extract.
- You will use this same recipe for both glazing and piping. Thickened, you can pipe outlines, and as you thin it, you can use it for “flooding” cookies. Make sure to let them dry overnight to fully harden for stacking.
Notes
- Iced cookies will keep as long as your cookie recipe outlines (usually 3-4 days for freshly baked cookies, but they are best within the first couple of days).
- If you are waiting for your base layer to dry and need to keep your other icing from drying out, place it in a piping bag or press a piece of plastic to the surface of the icing in a bowl until ready to use.
- If you have leftover icing you’d like to store longer than a couple of hours, store in a piping bag with the end twisted or tied shut. Simply cut the tip off when you are ready to use.
Questions & Reviews
I haven’t tried this yet, but like some, I’m not too artsy. If all these great people can do it, well I guess I can.
Thanks people, for giving me the confidence by your comments.
I was so inspired by your glace icing and the designs on your cookies, I thought I had to try it out. Well, sort of.. 🙂 I’d made shortbread stars and thought to do a glace icing over the top. I used a different recipe (as I already had the ingredients for it), but your designs were what made me know I had to use a glace icing over the top. I settled for simply spreading the icing over the top of the stars and followed your tips on using a baby spoon and a toothpick for small spaces. Worked really well! I’ll have to try your glace icing recipe next time. I really love the white outlines and the colours on the inside. Creates lots of depth to the cookies. Thanks for your inspiring designs!
I thought I would put the frosted cookies in the freezer to help them set quicker. Learn from my mistake and DON’T DO IT! 🙂 Once they return to room temp the frosting just runs off the cookie.
Last time I made these, I did it the right way and waited patiently for them to set. They were adorable!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m pregnant and can’t eat raw egg whites, and all the royal icing recipes require it. I needed to bake some type of shower favors, and didn’t know what to do to decorate them until I saw your blog…. You’re a life saver!!!
When I was pregant with my third child I made sugar cookies and used the gingerbread man cutout, and made approximately 60 cookies(30)for each kid and painted pink and blue diapers on them then froze them till their little brother arrived so that they could take them to school to announce the arrival of their new baby to their classmates and my boys were happy to have pink ones to eat at home!
PS I also made some for my husband to take to work instead of the cigars that they used to.
Hey, I am making cookies with the glace icing on them and want to know when I should start icing them. I plan on giving them out Saturday. The cookies are already cooked and in the freezer. I saw one comment said they started to lose their shine so I want to know when I should start the process with piping and icing and putting them in cellophane bags. Thanks soo much!
You’ve probably already made these Candace, but if you’re going to package these, I try to make them one day ahead so they’re sure to be dry!
Love this icing! It is perfect for decorating those sugar cookies we cut out with decorative cookie cutters (like Easter eggs with the design in the cutter). I also just realized that I can use my edible markers on it! Perfect for when I am not up for the mess of frosting cookies with my 3 year old…I frost and the next day he colors!
Your cookies look fabulous!
I have read through quite a few blogs and posts and by far you have THE very BEST one on decorating these sugar cookies! I am saving this one for my girls and I to make!!~
Thank you so much for taking the time to post wonderful step by step instructions and pictures. I cannot wait to read through all of your other goodies!!~
Michele 😀
I finally got around to trying this icing and it is GREAT! Looks just like the photos and mine turned out beautifully. I used skim milk and it didn't change the recipe.
Also, another tip: if you make the icing ahead of time, seal the container(s) or the icing will dry out.
I have been using Toba's recipes and book for 4 years now…THE BEST cookie decorating book out there! It is no nonsense, good recipes and good ideas. I have found her other recipes online as well.