Natural Cookie Icing

This natural cookie icing recipe is quick and uses natural dyes to create vibrant colors for decorating cookies. The basic icing recipe makes natural white icing and has substantially less sugar than traditional cookie icing recipes. For creating colored cookie icings, try thawed juice concentrates: cranberry for pink, orange for pale orange or Concord grape for pastel purple.

Natural Cookie Icing - multiple colors of icing in piping bags
Cook Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
5 mins
Servings:
24
Yield:
about 1/2 cup
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 24 servings

  • 1 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more as needed

  • 1 tablespoon dried egg whites (see Tips)

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • ½ teaspoon light corn syrup

  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

  • Natural liquid dye (optional; see Tips)

Directions

  1. Stir together confectioners' sugar and dried egg whites in a small bowl. Stir in water, corn syrup and vanilla (or almond) extract and drops of natural liquid dye, if using, until completely smooth. To color the frosting with frozen juice concentrate, see variation below.

  2. Use the icing as is for drizzling or stir in more water to thin for spreading or more sugar to stiffen it for piping.

Tips

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days; thin with a little water if necessary before using.

Tips:
Pasteurized dried egg whites are a wise choice in recipes that call for uncooked egg whites, like icings or meringues. Look for brands like Just Whites in the baking or natural-foods section of most supermarkets. Reconstitute according to package directions or use according to the recipe.

Find a rainbow of natural liquid dyes plus a rainbow of already-dyed decorating sugars at chocolatecraftkits.com.

Variation: To dye icing with frozen juice concentrate: Omit the water and stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons thawed frozen juice concentrate to color the icing instead of purchased natural dye. Try cranberry juice for pink, orange juice for pale orange, Concord grape juice for pastel purple.

Originally appeared: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2013

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

21 Calories
5g Carbs
0g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 24
Serving Size 1 teaspoon
Calories 21
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Total Sugars 5g
Added Sugars 5g 10%
Protein 0g 0%
Folate 0mcg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Calcium 0mg 0%
Magnesium 0mg 0%
Potassium 3mg 0%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.