How To Make Icing For Cookies (Easy Sugar Cookie Frosting!)

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This easy sugar cookie frosting is an easy recipe for your cut out sugar cookies for the holidays. This buttercream frosting recipe will lightly crust over on the top, tastes fantastic, and takes only minutes to mix up.

There’s nothing more fun than during the holidays than whipping up a batch of cut out sugar cookies and decorating them is there?

This sugar cookie frosting is a simple buttercream frosting recipe that is not only easy to make but also tastes great. I love beautiful frosted sugar cookies but they have to taste good too. And this sugar cookie frosting is definitely going to be loved by everyone.

Growing up we always used a buttercream frosting like this one to decorate our cookies with unlike a cookie icing or royal icing that takes more precision and detailed decorating.

For this frosting you can use a piping bag or just use an offset spatula to frost your cookies with. Then just add your sprinkles! This icing dries on top which means the decorated sugar cookies can be stacked and the frosting won’t get smushed.

I used my vanilla buttercream frosting recipe I use on my cupcake recipes but replaced some of the butter for vegetable shortening so that the frosting will slightly crust over. I flavored it with vanilla and almond extract.

You can keep the frosting white, or add food coloring to make this frosting festive for the holidays! This is truly the best sugar cookie frosting you are ever going to find!

Ingredients Needed

Here are the general ingredients you will need. For the full recipe and ingredient amounts be sure to use the recipe card listed at the bottom.

Butter – I prefer using unsalted butter in my frosting as I find salted butter is too salty for my taste. If you have and like salted butter, then you can definitely use it.
Vegetable shortening – I use half vegetable shortening so that the frosting dries after spread onto your sugar cookies
Powdered sugar – Otherwise known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar. This will sweeten your cookie frosting. If you have run out, then make your own powdered sugar at home. Do not substitute with granulated sugar. If your sugar is lumpy, try sifting it first.
Milk – This will thin out the frosting and provide some richness. You can also use heavy cream or half and half. I used whole milk, but a lower-fat milk or plant-based milk also works.
Vanilla extract – I recommend using pure vanilla extract for best flavor, but imitation vanilla can also be used. For a pure white frosting, use clear vanilla extract.
Almond extract – I love the flavor that almond extract gives to the frosting but you can omit this and swap in more vanilla.

How to make icing for cookies

In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat on medium speed together the butter and shortening until smooth and combined, about 1-2 minutes. I prefer using my stand mixer with my paddle attachment, but a hand mixer can also be used.

butter and shortening being creamed together in bowl with a hand mixer

With mixer off, gradually add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time then mix on low speed at first. Continue adding in the powdered sugar gradually. Increase speed to medium once the powdered sugar has been mixed in. Mix for 2-3 minutes, once all the powdered sugar has been added until combined and smooth.

powdered sugar being mixed into mixing bowl with butter and shortening

Add vanilla, almond extract and milk and mix on low speed to start, then increase speed to medium to high speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.

vanilla extract being added to bowl of frosting

You can leave the frosting white or color it however you want for whatever holiday you need the frosting for. To color your frosting in multiple colors, divide the frosting into different bowl and then add your food coloring.

I prefer a gel food coloring because it doesn’t take much to get the color you want and doesn’t add extra liquid to the frosting.

But you can also use a liquid food coloring, like McCormick food coloring, that you would get from the grocery store. However, liquid food coloring I find isn’t as vibrant or come in as many colors as gel. Keep in mind that using liquid food coloring will thin out your icing.

I always recommend adding food coloring just a few drops at a time, giving it a stir, and letting it sit for a few minutes to see if the color intensifies.

two bowls of frosting - one bowl of white and one blue

Decorate cookies – 3 ways!

When decorating cookies with this frosting you can either spread or pipe the frosting on, or you can also thin out the frosting out and dip the cookies in the frosting. Be sure to add your sprinkles before the icing dries.

Spread with a spatula – Use an offset spatula or small knife and simply spread on a layer of the frosting onto your cooled cookies.
Pipe the frosting – You can also use piping bags fitted with different piping tips to pipe the frosting onto the cookies.
Dip the cookies in – For this method, you will need to add more milk (2-3 tablespoons) and thin out the frosting in the microwave (15-20 seconds at a time, and stir in between). Once it’s thinned out, you can dip the sugar cookies in upside down into the sugar cookie icing.

heart cookies being frosted with a pink frosting in a piping bag

Recipe Tips

Heather’s Baking Tips

Use softened butter – To mix the butter with the shortening and powdered sugar your butter needs to be softened to room temperature.
Sift your powdered sugar – If your powdered sugar is lumpy, try sifting it first before adding it to your recipe.
Use a stand mixer for easiest prep – You can use a hand mixer but it will take longer to make the frosting and whip it to a creamy frosting. Bring frosting to room temperature – If you store this frosting in the fridge, be sure to bring it back to room temperature before using. Otherwise the frosting will be too hard to spread onto your delicate sugar cookies.
Add sprinkles immediately after frosting – This sugar cookie frosting dries and develops a crust on top, so be sure to add your sprinkles immediately after icing your cookies before the icing dries.

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I use all butter in this recipe?

Yes you can definitely omit the vegetable shortening and use all butter instead. The frosting will not crust over, however, like it will if you use shortening.

How do I store this sugar cookie frosting?

room temperature before using. You can store this sugar cookie frosting in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to bring to room temperature before using.

Can I freeze this sugar cookie frosting?

This frosting will freeze well for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag. When ready to use, thaw overnight in your refrigerator before using. The frosting may need to be re-whipped before using.

Why is my frosting so thin?

You may have added too much milk, or not enough icing sugar. Try stirring in more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Why is my frosting so thick?

Sounds like you added too much confectioners sugar. Try adding in more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

More Buttercream Frosting Recipes To Try

Sugar Cookie Frosting

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 0

Total Time: 10

Servings: cups

Calories: 650kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 10 Tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature softened to room temperature
▢ ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons (115 g) vegetable shortening
▢ 2 ½ cups (284 g) confectioners sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons milk
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

Mix butter and shortening together. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat on medium speed together with the butter and shortening until smooth and combined, about 1-2 minutes. I prefer using my stand mixer with my paddle attachment, but a hand mixer can also be used.
Add sugar. With mixer off, gradually add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time then mix on low speed at first. Continue adding in the powdered sugar gradually. Increase speed to medium once the powdered sugar has been mixed in. Mix for 2-3 minutes, once all the powdered sugar has been added until combined and smooth.
Add milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Add in your milk, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix on medium to high speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. If not using immediately, store in a container in the refrigerator until ready to use, mix again until light and fluffy.

Notes

Butter: You can omit the vegetable shortening and use all butter instead. The frosting will not crust over, however, like it will if you use shortening.
Storage: You can store this sugar cookie frosting in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to bring to room temperature before using.
Freezing: This frosting will freeze well for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag. When ready to use, thaw overnight in your refrigerator before using. The frosting may need to be re-whipped before using.
Icing consistency: You may have added too much milk, or not enough icing sugar. Try stirring in more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is too thick, Try adding in more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.