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Leigh Anne Wilkes

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Home / Latest Posts / Recipes / Course / Dessert / Cookies / Sugar Cookie Icing

Sugar Cookie Icing

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By: Leigh Anne WilkesPosted: 12/13/22Updated: 7/04/25

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.

bowl of white sugar cooking frosting

This easy sugar cookie icing recipe is the best you will ever eat. The frosting tastes as good as the cookie, maybe even better! Either way, it is the only sugar cookie icing recipe you will ever need.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I eat cake and sugar cookies so I can eat frosting.  For me, the frosting is the best part.  I am a firm believer that the frosting should taste as good or better than the cake or cookie and this frosting does! 

I began making sugar cookies when I was about 12 and I was designated the official family sugar cookie maker, especially at Christmas.  This icing recipe is the one I’ve been using since I first started making decorated cookies.  Nothing beats a delicious buttercream frosting.  You can find my favorite sugar cookie recipe here.

bowl of Sugar Cookie Frosting

Ingredients Needed

  • Butter. Only use real butter and buy a good quality butter. I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, add in a pinch of salt. Butter should be softened or room temperature.
  • Powdered Sugar. Also known as confectioners’ sugar. Make sure your sugar is fresh and doesn’t have a bunch of lumps. If it is lumpy, put it through a fine mesh strainer first.
  • Milk or Whipping cream
  • Pure Vanilla Extract. You can substitute with any flavor extract you like such as almond extract, peppermint, orange, or lemon extract etc. Use a clear vanilla extract for more vibrant colors.
  • Food Coloring. Divide frosting into smaller bowls to make different colors of icing. I prefer to use gel food coloring. See tip below for using liquid food coloring.
frosted Christmas Cookies

How to make sugar cookie Icing

  • Cream the butter well before adding in sugar in a stand mixer. You can also use a hand mixer and a large bowl.
  • Stir in your powdered sugar gradually, don’t just dump it all in.  If your powdered sugar is really lumpy, sift it first through a fine mesh strainer.
  • Pour in vanilla extract and enough milk to make it the right consistency for spreading. Add in a few tablespoons of milk at a time.
  • Use on cooled cookies.
  • After frosting add any sprinkles or decorations desired.
frosted sugar cookies

Tips from Leigh Anne

  1. If using liquid food coloring, add in your food coloring before adding in all your liquid, you may need a little less liquid.
  2. Do not over beat your frosting as it will put too much air into the frosting.
  3. Use your sugar cookie frosting at room temperature.  If you have stored it in the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature first
  4. If frosting is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar and if it is too thick, add some more milk, just a little at a time.
frosted christmas tree Sugar Cookies

Pair This With

  • This sugar cookie frosting is perfect on these Chocolate Sugar Cookies by adding in some cocoa powder. 
  • I love using almond extract for these small batch sugar cookies.
  • My favorite cookie to use it on are these Decorated Sugar Cookies

Frequently Asked Questions

Does icing need to be refrigerated?

Icing can be stored at room temperature for up to three days. If you want it to last longer, it can be refrigerated for up to a week. Cover with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.

Can I freeze frosted sugar cookies?

You can freeze iced cookies. Allow the frosting to totally set up first. Place cookies in an airtight container. If you are stacking them, place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between the layers. They can be frozen for up to three months.

Can I pipe sugar cookie icing onto cookies?

This recipe is for a buttercream frosting which is meant to be spread with a knife on the cookie. If you want a frosting that can be used in a piping bag, use the one found in this recipe.

Check out some of our other favorite cookie recipes:

  • Decorated Sugar Cookies
  • Maple Cookies
  • Lemon Brownies
  • Toffee Almond Cookies
  • Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.

4.94 from 73 votes
Sugar Cookie Frosting

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes
The best sugar cookie frosting you will ever need.  The frosting tastes as good as the cookie!
serves: 32 (1Tbs) servings
Prep:10 minutes minutes
Cook:0 minutes minutes
0 minutes minutes
Total:10 minutes minutes
Rate Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 Tbsp cream or milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • food coloring

Instructions

  • Cream butter.
  • Gradually add in powdered sugar.
  • Add in milk and extract.
  • Add add in food coloring and any additional milk if needed to get a smooth spreading consistency.

Tips & Notes:

recipe makes 2 cups
  • If using liquid food coloring, add in your food coloring before adding in all your liquid, you may need a little less liquid.
  • Do not over beat your frosting as it will put too much air into the frosting.
  • Use your sugar cookie frosting at room temperature.  If you have stored it in the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature first

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 586kcal (29%) Carbohydrates: 90g (30%) Fat: 25g (38%) Saturated Fat: 16g (100%) Cholesterol: 76mg (25%) Sodium: 162mg (7%) Sugar: 88g (98%) Vitamin A: 865IU (17%) Calcium: 20mg (2%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Course:Dessert
Cuisine:American
Sugar Cookie Frosting
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4.94 from 73 votes (48 ratings without comment)

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  1. Lisa says

    Posted on 12/30 at 12:26 pm

    Best homemade frosting. Creamy and ready to put on the cookies! Love it!

    Reply
  2. Alicia Dawn says

    Posted on 12/15 at 6:40 am

    What I really appreciate about this recipe is that it’s not only tasty, but also *intended* to be spread. When making cookies with my littles, an assortment of pipette bags is just too tempting to squish and smash — but they love smoothing the icing with their little butter knives! Thank you so much for this easy and delicious recipe!

    Reply
    • Leigh Anne Wilkes says

      Posted on 12/15 at 7:16 am

      So glad you liked the recipe! Have fun with those littles.!

      Reply
  3. Kimberly says

    Posted on 12/4 at 1:31 pm

    They aren’t lying -this is the best sugar cookie frosting and the only one you will ever need. We were looking for a new recipe to frost our sour cream sugar cookies w/ nutmeg. For decades we have used a store bought frosting, mostly due to the nostalgia because that’s the taste we were accustomed to and the way it had always been done for generations. Then they changed their recipe. The store bought frosting ended up sticky and a tad runny and just didn’t taste right. Our family taste-tested every store-bought frosting imaginable. Nothing did these cookies justice (we bake 25+ dozen every Christmas, so as you can about imagine, we are seriously invested in these cookies) until I stumbled on this recipe. I made a batch of Leigh Anne’s frosting. Every family member got a spoonful, and it was unanimous. I’ve made 12 batches of this frosting in the last two day and it is truly perfection. Just the right balance of vanilla, sweetness, and creaminess. Very spreadable and sets nice. Leigh Anne, you saved the day! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us.

    Reply
  4. Barbara Segura says

    Posted on 10/31 at 2:42 pm

    I really liked this sugar cookie frosting. It was so creamy. I will definitely pass this recipe to a friend.

    Reply
  5. Katie Smith says

    Posted on 2/13 at 9:44 pm

    Absolutely PERFECT!!!!

    Reply
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