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.

Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2013

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Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • 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.

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  • 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.

Nutrition Facts

1 teaspoon
21 calories; protein 0.2g; carbohydrates 5.1g; sugars 5g; folate 0.3mcg; calcium 0.4mg; magnesium 0.2mg; potassium 3.3mg; sodium 3.7mg; added sugar 5g.
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