Easy Sugar Cookie Frosting (Printable)
A quick, creamy frosting that dries beautifully on cookies. Easy to color and flavor for any occasion.
# What You'll Need:
→ Base Frosting
01 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
02 - 2-3 tablespoons milk (whole or 2%)
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
05 - Pinch of salt
→ Optional Add-ins
06 - Food coloring (gel or liquid), as desired
07 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, for flavor variation
# Directions:
01 - Beat together powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium mixing bowl until well combined and crumbly.
02 - Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition, until smooth and spreadable. Use less milk for piping consistency or more for glazing.
03 - Stir in almond extract and food coloring if desired, mixing until evenly distributed throughout the frosting.
04 - Immediately frost cooled sugar cookies and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour to allow frosting to set completely.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It comes together in literally ten minutes with ingredients you already have
- The consistency is forgiving enough that your toddler can help without ruining everything
- You can make it thick for piping or thin for glazing with one tiny adjustment
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are the difference between professional bakery frosting and something that tastes like cafeteria disappointment
- Start with less milk than you think you need because you can always add more but you cannot take it back once your frosting is too thin
03 -
- Set your cookies on a cooling rack over parchment paper when frosting so the excess drips through instead of pooling around the edges
- If you are making multiple colors mix your base first then divide into separate bowls before adding colors to each portion