Sugar Cookie Frosting is the classic, fluffy frosting that makes homemade sugar cookies feel bakery-worthy. It spreads smoothly, pipes beautifully, and sets up just enough, so you can stack cookies without a huge mess.
Our sugar cookie frosting is our most requested frosting by far!! We add a hint of almond extract (our secret ingredient) that really takes it to the next level.
Add color, or top with holiday sprinkles to fit any occasion. Print it off, bookmark it, and heart it… you’ll want to have it within reach because this will be your go-to cookie sugar cookie icing from here on out!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Made from scratch. Not only is it budget-friendly, but you can control the quality of ingredients used.
- Personalize it. Experiment with different frosting flavors, colors, and decorations to cater your cookies to the occasion.
- Simple and easy. Using 5 ingredients, this frosting is whipped up in only 5 minutes.
Sugar Cookie Frosting Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter softened: Creates a rich, creamy base and helps the frosting whip up smooth. We use unsalted, but salted may be used. It won’t make the frosting salty, it will just amplify some of the flavors and slightly reduce the sweetness. See How to Soften Butter Quickly for tips.
- 4½ cups powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting, giving it that classic fluffy texture. Sift the powdered sugar when adding it to the bowl, to ensure the frosting is smooth.
- ¼ – 1/2 cup milk, plus more as needed: Thins the frosting to the perfect spreading or piping consistency. We use whole or 2% milk, but a lower-fat milk can be used. Add more milk to thin it, or add more powdered sugar to thicken it.
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract: Adds warm flavor that makes the frosting taste homemade and classic.
- ½ teaspoon almond extract: Adds that signature bakery-style flavor that takes sugar cookies up a notch. Or try mint extract, strawberry extract, orange extract, peppermint extract, or lemon extract. You can also substitute for more vanilla if you do not love almond extract.
- optional food coloring: Makes it fun for holidays and themed cookies, totally optional. Start with a small amount of food coloring, mix the frosting, and add more if desired. We recommend gel food coloring as it is less likely to affect the texture than liquid food coloring
- optional topping: Jimmy Sprinkles or another festive sprinkle.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Frosting
COMBINE. In a large bowl, mix softened butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract with a hand mixer. Add more milk until it’s the desired consistency. Add food coloring (optional). *This can also be made in the stand mixer.
ENJOY! Spread on top of cookies with a knife or piping bag. Top the iced cookies with delicious Jimmy sprinkles, and enjoy!!
This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting.
Add this frosting to these favorite cookie recipes:
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- No-roll Sugar Cookies
- The Best Sugar Cookies
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Make sure the butter is truly softened, it blends smoother and prevents lumps.
- Start with the smaller amount of milk, then add a tiny splash at a time until it is the consistency you want.
- Confectioners’ sugar makes for silky frostings, but it can occasionally get clumps, which will ruin the texture. Sift the powdered sugar when adding it to the bowl, to ensure that the frosting is smooth.
- Depending on the event or holiday, we love to add food coloring the the frosting and of course sprinkles, jimmies or candies on top. NOTE: When adding food coloring, it’s important to remember that once added, ingredients cannot be subtracted. Start with a small amount of food coloring, mix up the frosting, and then add more if desired.
- We add milk to thin out the frosting or thicken it with powdered sugar to make it easier to apply with piping tips.
- For spreading, keep it slightly thicker, for piping, add a touch more milk so it flows smoothly.
- If the frosting gets too thin, add a little more powdered sugar to thicken it back up.
Sugar Cookie Frosting Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ – ½ cup milk, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring
Instructions
- Mix softened butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract with a hand mixer. Add more milk until it’s the desired consistency (for spreading, keep it a little thicker; for piping, add more milk to make it thinner). Add food coloring, if desired.
- Spread on top of cookies with a knife or piping bag. Top it with delicious Jimmy sprinkles, and enjoy!! This recipe makes about 3 cups of frosting.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is truly softened, it blends smoother and prevents lumps.
- Start with the smaller amount of milk, then add a tiny splash at a time until it is the consistency you want.
- For spreading, keep it slightly thicker, for piping, add a touch more milk so it flows smoothly.
- If the frosting gets too thin, add a little more powdered sugar to thicken it back up.
- Use quality extracts, and don’t overdo it. Too much extract can give the icing an artificial or overpowering taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
This is great for making ahead. Store frosting in an airtight container or in a bowl with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Let the frosting come up to room temperature before using it.
Freeze the frosting in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature before using, and blend with a hand mixer if it isn’t the right consistency.
Sugar cookie frosting doesn’t get hard like royal icing and can get smashed if not stored properly. Be sure that the frosting has set before storing. Use parchment or wax paper to separate layers of cookies. Do not stack too high; otherwise, the weight will smash the frosting.
>> Royal Icing is made using meringue powder and confectioners sugar. Adjust this icing so that it “floods” or holds a shape. It can be used to create pictures and intricate designs on the top of the cookies. It dries smooth and hard.
>> Sugar Cookie Icing has a confectioners sugar base that is thinned out with liquid, usually milk. It is thinner than frosting and is often simply spread on the cookie using a butter knife. Adjust the thickness of the icing with more powdered sugar to be applied with piping tips.
>> Cake Frosting uses a creamy base and then adds confectioners sugar to sweeten it up. It is thicker and can hold its shape when using a piping tip or spread on using a butter knife.
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This recipe was originally published July 2020.
I will definitely be using this icing for sugar cookies from now on. It’s much easier to decorate them and you can do it anytime. The icing is delicious, but I will leave out the almond extract as I think it overpowers the other flavors.
Finally got around to making our annual Christmas cutout cookies- this recipe is our favorite! The almond extract in both the cookie and the frosting make them sooo yummy! 😋
Easy but super sweet. An extra 1/2 tsp of milk makes it much easier to spread. Thanks for sharing!
Recipe my mother-in-law taught me. We don’t use almond though. Sometimes peppermint. But I love it plain! Making it today actually with my grandson
Ooh I bet the peppermint is yummy too! So glad you enjoy the frosting recipe.
How long can this frosting stay good for?
You can store the buttercream frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to bring the frosting to room temperature before using it to spread. Also, you can revive the texture a bit by whipping it up with a hand mixer. Once you have frosted the cookies you can store them, covered, at room temperature for 2-3 days.
In a different comment you said that they could be stored on the counter for up to 5 days. 🥴🫤
They’re best for 2-3 days, but can often last for up to 5.
OMG IMA MAKE SOME YUMMY COOKIES😁😁
Yay! Hope you enjoy the frosting and the cookies!
How much merengue to add for creative designs? I’m making gingerbread men and Christmas trees.
I halved this recipe and added a little bit more of everything but the milk and it turned out AMAZING!!! I’ve never had frosting taste this good and I think it’s all thanks to the almond extract. But this recipe is sooooo good and thank you so much for sharing!!!
You are so welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Do u need to use the almond extract or can i double the vanilla
You certainly don’t have to use the almond. You can use whatever flavoring you prefer — vanilla, lemon, etc.
You definitely need more than 1/4 c milk fir 4.5 c of powdered sugar.
Otherwise simply yummy. Best powder sugar frosting I’ve ever made.
Best cookie frosting, delicious
Awe, thank you! So glad you like it as much as we do!
Can you use any kind of milk? I plan on using this recipe tomorrow for valentines cookies,
I think any would work 🙂
This frosting is AMAZING
It’s my favorite! Glad you like it! Thank you!
Does the frosting ‘set up?’