I took a cookie class last weekend - mainly about how to decorate sugar cookies. She highly suggested using a glaze on all sugar cookies, especially before decorating with royal icing. Now, I did like the glaze on the plain cookies w/out RI b/c it gave them a more professional look. Plus, you could add just sanding sugar. But I don't know about adding the step if I'm going to cover w/ RI. She said it helped keep the RI from popping off. Personally, I've never had that happen. Any opinions?

Here is the recipe if anyone is interested:
1C powdered sugar
1T white corn syrup
2T water
-Mix all ingredients. Stir several times while glazing cookies. Will dry clear, but can be colored.

I have been making my cookie bouquets using just glaze and fondant. Some I just leave glazed, some I just put on fondant, others I use both.

The only difficulty I had was when I decorated the cookies and did not let the glaze dry long enough before I put them in a bouquet.

I have also used flavorings in the glaze which adds to the taste of the cookie

hmmm... that's interesting. I only use RI on my cookies, and I've never used a glaze first and never had a problem withteh icing coming off the cookie.

I was wondering how the fondant stays on but I never thought to use glaze. Now I see it will stay on with or without it, I gotta try it.