Don't know if anyone hear is into cookies as well as cakes, but I would like to find a substitute recipre for the royal icing used to decorate cookies.
I am not a big fan of the taste of royal icing. Has anyone ever modified the standard or other buttercream frostings and used it for this. I need something that will ice very smooth like the royal icing, and set up hard enough to decorate on. Thanks to anyone out there who can help I have a baby shower for my daughter next month and am making cookies for party favors. 
I'm new to the site and have found many useful ideas so far!!
I don't have an answer for you but I'm interested also. I'll give you a bump!!
I am certainly not an expert, but I have been using a recipe that has powdered sugar and corn syrup in it. This is the link:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sugar-Cookie-Icing/Detail.aspx
It's pretty easy to work with and tastes pretty good after it dries. It dries shiny and hard, so you can stack the cookies. After I ice the cookies, I go back with royal icing to do details.
Hope this helps.
I use fondant on my cookies. It's pretty easy because you can just roll it out & use the same cookie cutter to cut the shape. After you place it on the cookie, it gives a nice surface to decorate however you like. I usually just make sure to roll the fondant thinner than I would for a cake so that it does not over power the cookie.
Just made my first cookies last night. Like you, I very much dislike royal icing on ANYTHING! So, I tried Toba's Glaze and it's super super yummy! I added vanilla & almond extracts. I also made it much thicker in the beginning by only adding about 1/4 of the milk it called for so I could do outlining first, then slowly added more of the milk, although I never used all of it. All in all I was super proud of my first cookies and again they were really good, but REALLY sweet
(I tried to attach a pic, but it wouldn't let me, so here's the link, sorry)
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1261865.html
This is the cookie recipe I always use. When I decorate cookies though, I apply the decorations using a pastry bag and #3 decorating tip. If you want to apply the icing as a run in or glaze, you will need to thin it a little.
This icing gets crusty enough you can stack the cookies, when they are dry, yet it is soft when you bite into it.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=998653
CUTOUT COOKIE ICING
3 egg whites, at room temp.
Whip 2 min., fast speed or until stiff.
Add:
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar (1 box)
Mix.
Add,
2 TBS. Crisco
Mix on low speed until smooth.
(if you want to make a glaze from this, just add a little hot water.)
I use a buttercream icing with no shortening....half unsalted butter and half 50/50 butter magarine, then I add enough milk/vanilla to make it the consistency I like and it tastes amazing! It's quite sweet which is what I like on my cookies. I will also use the same icing on mini cupcakes but once you get into the bigger cupcakes and cakes it's just a tad too sweet (I don't think I would ever say such a thing but it's true!).
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