Dye-Free Confectioners’ Sugar Icings, Plus Kudos for Simply Sensational Cookies

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted after measuring, if lumpy, plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon commercial meringue powder or pure dried egg white powder (see headnote; optional; omit if preparing sprinkles)
• 1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons frozen (defrosted) cranberry,
  orange, Concord grape, raspberry-white grape or cherry-grape juice
  concentrate (or a combination), plus more if needed
• 1/2 to 3 teaspoons unsweetened natural
  (non-alkalized) cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted after
  measuring, if lumpy (optional)

Directions:

For each color of icing you want to make, vigorously stir
together the confectioners’ sugar and the meringue powder, if using, in a
small, deep bowl. Stir in the corn syrup. Add the juice concentrate (or
a blend of concentrates) and stir until completely smooth. If a brown
color or tint is desired, stir in cocoa powder as needed. You want a
uniformly colored icing that’s thick enough to coat the cookie but not
so thick that it’s hard to spread. Adjust the texture as needed by
adding confectioners’ sugar, juice or cocoa powder, stirring to combine
thoroughly.

Use a table knife, pastry brush or artist’s paintbrush to spread a
thin, even layer of icing on the cookie. This is your base color. To add details, stir in more confectioners’ sugar so that the icing
has some body. Spoon the icing into a small cone of parchment paper with
just the tip of the pointed end snipped off, or into a plastic food
storage bag with the tip of one corner snipped off. (Don’t fill a bag
more than half full.) Use the bag to pipe accents onto the cookies. If
you want the accents to blend into the existing icing, pipe when the
icing base is still wet; if you want them to stand out and hold their
shape, wait until the base has dried.

To make homemade sprinkles, omit the meringue powder from the icing.
Pipe very fine lines of icing onto a sheet of parchment, spacing them
far enough apart so they don’t run together. Let the icing dry for at
least 12 hours, or at least 18 hours if the weather is humid. Slide the
parchment onto a cutting board and use a large knife or pizza wheel to
cut across the piped lines, creating sprinkles that are 1/2 inch long or
shorter. Let stand for at least 4 hours, then transfer to airtight
containers and store in a cool spot, away from bright light, for up to 6
months.

Another post you might like:
  Use the same icings to make your own decorator sprinkles to use on cookies, cakes, and other sweet treats, too!  Or perhaps you’d like to check out my short video on the BEST way to roll out cookie dough; it’s been very popular.

For another all natural icing, my green tea icing, go here.