Glaze, Beautiful Glaze (Recipe Included)

As I mentioned, when I started out with Glaze icing, I didn't love it. I was still bitter about not being able to use Royal for my cookies. I expected it to behave the same way Royal did. But it didn't. Not one bit. It ran off my cookies, it cracked when drying, it had tons of bubbles, the colors bled into each other, and it TOOK. FOREVER. TO. DRY. But most of all, I was bummed, because I wasn't able to get finer details with it, or write with it, without it looking like a hot mess, or make those beautiful flowers with it, that I was so used to with Royal.

I felt like I was being robbed of all things pretty. Sure, the taste was amazing, but was that alone worth it? I had no choice but to make it work.

So I sat down and did what I did when I first tried icing cookies with Royal. I practiced. A lot! Then, I read a post by Angela Nino of The Painted Box, where she said, "Stop looking for perfection." She doesn't care about bubbles or cracks in her icing. She is not looking for that perfectly iced cookie. There is not a doubt that her cookies are amazing! Each its own little masterpiece.

I stopped trying to achieve that perfect cookie surface. And by doing so, I realized that the pressure went away. I created cookie designs with Glaze that were beautiful, even though they weren't exactly perfect, and everyone loved them!

I also stopped comparing Glaze to Royal. That honestly was my biggest break through, not comparing the two, and not using the techniques on Glaze I had learned to perfect with Royal.

Are my cookies perfect? Far from it. But I think more than having a perfect cookie, my confidence is mirrored in them! And also my proficiency. People don't know they are made with Glaze until they bite into them, or they watch me decorate from start to finish.

That was my goal.

I want you to look at it and say, that is a pretty cookie. And then when you bite into it, I want you to be surprised at the softness and the delicious taste Glaze offers.

So how do I achieve such soft, delicious icing? The answer is right here! I will give you my recipe and will let you see for yourself. But I must warn you, DON'T EXPECT A PERFECTLY ICED COOKIE ON YOUR FIRST TRY! Remember, you must not compare it to Royal icing. EVER.

THE PERFECT GLAZE ICING (basic recipe):

• 2 lbs Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• about 1/2 cup water (or if allowed, milk)
• flavoring (I use 2 tsp pure Vanilla extract)
• a healthy squirt of white food color (I use Americolor Bright White )

You can put everything except the water into a stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, start mixing on low, slowly adding the water until the right consistency is reached. Make sure all ingredients are mixed in well, but don't over mix it. And you're done! Easy peasy!


I'm gonna let you in on a few secrets. Tricks of the trade as you will. I make my icing ahead of time and let it sit for at least a day or two until I use it. Let's say I have orders one week; I will make my icing either Saturday or Sunday, just plain white icing, and store it in food containers with a lid on the counter. I probably won't use it until about Tuesday or Wednesday, when I start flooding my base. The reason I do this is, so that all those pesky bubbles will have a chance to come up to the surface.

If you don't let your icing rest for at least one day, you will get so much more bubbles in your finished product! "But Bettina, what if I need to add color to my icing? Won't I incorporate bubbles again?"
Yeah, you will, but it will still be significantly less than if you were to be using freshly made icing. Hands down.

When I make my icing, I make at least 4lbs worth of powdered sugar, or more. AND I always have two icing consistencies on hand. I have a flood consistency and I also have a thick consistency on hand. Always. I make quite a few cookies on a regular basis, so that icing is usually stored on my counter. And if for some reason I don't use it all up, I either store it in the fridge, or I fill it in zip top bags and throw it in the freezer. But that almost never happens.

You end up using more Glaze for the same project than if you were to use Royal. Royal icing has egg whites in it (or meringue powder), which will give it volume. Glaze does not have that, hence you will need a lot more icing. So yes, you will end up buying more powdered sugar, but you will save a bunch of money on  meringue powder!

I have a YouTube video where I compare the two icings here, if you'd like to have a look!

Make a batch and let me know how you like it! I promise, you won't be disappointed!