This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Petit Four icing, or poured fondant icing, is perfect for using with petit fours, cookies, cupcakes, and cakes.
When making this icing recipe, you’ll want to make sure the consistency is smooth, not too thin or too thick, and that it falls back into flat ribbons in the bowl when you pour it slowly from a spoon back into the mixing bowl. This will make sure that your pourable fondant frosting will fully coat your petit fours, cookies, cake, cupcakes, or other treats when you pour it over.
I’ve found a couple of methods to work well for coating my petit fours, cookies, etc without wasting a great deal of my icing.
- Pour over a bowl. Place your petit fours or other items on a wire cooling racking, leaving about 1 – 2 inches in between each. Place wire rack over a bowl large enough to support the wire rack. Using a large kitchen spoon, pour icing over each petit four, making sure that the bowl is underneath to catch any drippings.
- Pour over parchment or silpat. Similarly to pouring the icing over a bowl, you can also use a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat to catch any drippings. You can then easily pour the captured icing back into the icing bowl for reuse.
- Dip. You can also dip your item directly into a bowl of the icing and then place on the wire rack for cooling.
Here’s my Petit Four, or pourable fondant, icing recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Poured Fondant Icing Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix together sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan. Place over medium – low heat and stir constantly until the icing reaches 100º F. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and pour over prepared cakes or cookies.
Notes
You may also use this fondant icing to dip in cookies, petit fours, etc. Makes about 1 ¼ cups. Nutrition information is for 2 tablespoons.
Nutritional Information
Enjoy!
Robyn
hi in australia we dont have corn syrup what else could i use ty
Hi Lisa,
tYou might try making your own simple syrup that is heavy on the sugar and lighter on the water in ratio to form a really thick syrup.
Look for Glucose.
You make it look so easy! I love it!
You always post just what I need/want! I have been looking for a recipe for this for so long! I have always googled fondant icing and most/all of the recipes I have found call for those candy melts and it is never what I am really looking for. I think this is IT!!! I can’t wait to try it. Going to try in the next few days for sure, my kids will be THRILLED!
I am in the process of getting up the nerve to try out fondant. This poured version might be a good place to start!
This looks so simple, I’ve always been too scared to try working with fondant but I think this is actually something I can do!
Okay, looks good, but is it really “3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar”, or is it “3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted”? The former contains less sugar than the latter.
I used the latter and it worked well. Thanks!
As for Corn Syrup, look for Glucose, it’s the same thing.
Thank you for taking the time to put this recipe online. I plan to try it for a baby shower. Hope your day is good and once again: Thank you.
Charlotte T
Your directions don’t include adding the vanilla, which I assume happens after removing it from the heat.
Hi Jen,
Thanks so much for letting me know about that. I’ve corrected the recipe. Hope you enjoy the icing! Thanks!
how many petit fours will this recipe cover
I only have regular coloured corn syrup, will that work?
I’ve only ever made with light corn syrup so I’m not sure how it would work with the dark corn syrup, Maria.
Does this dry solid, not sticky?
MaryAnn, this poured fondant will harden but wont be consistency of regular fondant. It has never been sticky when I made it. Hope you enjoy!