White icing from a squeeze bottle, what could be easier?
My family enjoys baking and decorating cupcakes. The only real hassle is making the icing just right for piping, then getting it into the bags with the tips adjusted just so.
It's a messy undertaking.

These ready to use icing containers have been a welcome addition to our cupcake decorating projects: no hassle, no mess.

The icing is vanilla flavored and the taste is as acceptable as homemade because it's just for decorating. The cake and frosting flavors still predominate.

These are fine to use for decorating cookies as well. The frosting doesn't harden completely as royal icing does, so care must be taken not to smear the icing when packing the cookies as gifts.

I've found these decorating icings to add more fun and less frustration to our baking projects.
Star and flower tips are included.

This icing worked great on my ginger bread cookies!!

Bought to make baseball cookies. I used this to make the white stripes. Worked great.

I happen to like fondant. Although I've never used it on cookies before it's actually pretty good for that purpose. It creates a firm and easy-to-control topping so you can outline the cookie or make some sort of doodle on it. When it dries, it will stay sharp.

You work with the fondant when it's slightly warm. You have to microwave it to get it to piping consistency. You wait about half an hour and it firms up beautifully. Since these are white, I microwaved two: one to use white and another to dye and transfer to a piping bag. It made me realize how comfortable and convenient using the icing as it's meant to be used (in the jar) is. I found it hard to dye evenly so, from now on, I will stick to white.

My usual method (which is making confectioners sugar frosting) is not as dependable and it's hard to control the texture: when it's thick it will be harder to apply and, even then, it doesn't create as dependable or predictable a topping. I always have to make two versions: a version heavy on the sugar to serve as an outlining (and restraining) edge and a thinner version to use as filling within the outline.

There are pluses and minuses to both options:
--many people prefer the taste of the confectioners sugar frosting--it's what they're used to
--the confectioners sugar version is more work, messier, and it's harder to control the results.
--the confectioners sugar version is easier to dye so multi-color creations are easier.
--the fondant version (this one) is less sweet
--the fondant version is not what most people expect in terms of taste
--since it contributes a taste of its own (which may conflict with some cookie recipes) I prefer to use it for outlining, not for filling the entire surface of the cookie.
--the fondant version gives more professional-looking results
--there is less mess and more control with the fondant version

I think that, from now on, I will use the fondant version to substitute my firm (outlining) version of confectioners sugar frosting and to make designs or letters. If I want to do more than merely outline, I will use the thin-to-medium confectioners sugar frosting to fill or dye in different colors.

I bought these to decorate Christmas cookies with and they always work like a charm. The taste is delicious. There is a bit of a learning cure with flow icing but even my kids get the hang of it quickly.