I use a recipe for Cookie Glaze from Land O' Lakes -- it's not buttercream, but it does harden to a shiny glaze, and is great for decorated iced cookies.
Ingredients 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla, if desired
Directions
Combine powdered sugar, water, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl; mix until powdered sugar is moistened. Beat at medium speed until smooth, adding additional water, if necessary, to reach desired spreading consistency.
Glaze cooled cookies. Let stand until hardened (6 hours or overnight).
If you use a simple buttercream using butter and powdered sugar, as opposed to a Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream, you'll have much better luck. The latter two can't harden because their sugars have been dissolved. But with a simple buttercream, the sugar doesn't dissolve completely, and will dry out leaving behind some hardened crystals that form the crust you're looking for.
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Ingredients 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla, if desired
Directions
Combine powdered sugar, water, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl; mix until powdered sugar is moistened. Beat at medium speed until smooth, adding additional water, if necessary, to reach desired spreading consistency.
Glaze cooled cookies. Let stand until hardened (6 hours or overnight).
Recipe Tip. Nutrition Facts (1 tablespoon)Calories: 50
Fat: .5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 5mg
Carbohydrates: 12g
Dietary Fiber: 0g
Protein: <1g
Recipe #10148©1998Land O'Lakes, Inc.