This sugar cookie frosting is a soft, buttery frosting made with 1 cup of butter, 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. It takes about 20 minutes, frosts 24 to 30 medium cookies, and sets with a light crust on top while staying soft underneath.
It is the frosting for people who want cookies that taste like a bakery frosted sugar cookie rather than a hard, glassy decorated one. Beat the butter well before the sugar goes in, and the frosting spreads in one smooth swipe.
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- Frosts: 24 to 30 medium sugar cookies
- Time: about 20 minutes
- Base ratio: 1 cup butter to 4 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons cream
- Finish: soft frosting with a light crust, not hard like royal icing
- Stacking: use 1 tablespoon cream for a firmer crust, then layer with parchment
- Keeps: frosted cookies 2 to 3 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge
Frosting vs Icing for Sugar Cookies
People search for both, but they are different toppings. Sugar cookie frosting, like this one, is butter based. It is thick, creamy, and spreadable, and it sets with a light crust but never turns hard. Icing is usually powdered sugar mixed with milk or egg whites. It is thinner, glossy, and dries firm, which is why it is used for detailed piping and flooding.
Choose this frosting when flavor and a soft bite matter most: family cookie trays, cookie swaps, and kids decorating with sprinkles. Choose an icing when you need to stack or ship cookies or want crisp designs. For that, use my sugar cookie icing that hardens or classic royal icing. For a quick glaze without butter, there is powdered sugar icing.
Cream or Milk: How Each Changes the Frosting
Butter is the base. Softened butter holds air, which is what lets the frosting spread so smoothly. Powdered sugar gives sweetness and body, and vanilla and salt keep it from tasting one note.
I have compared cream and milk side by side more than once. Heavy cream makes a richer frosting that crusts more firmly, so I use it for cookie boxes and gifts. Milk makes it fluffier and a little softer, which is perfect for cookies eaten straight from the tray. Both are reliable.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Frosting
Beat the softened butter on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until it is pale and very creamy. Do not rush this step. Under creamed butter is the main reason frosting feels heavy or greasy.
Turn the mixer to low and add the sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping the bowl between additions. Add the cream or milk, vanilla, and salt, then beat on medium high for another 2 to 3 minutes until light, fluffy, and spreadable.
Coloring It for Holidays
Add food coloring one drop at a time and mix until there are no streaks. Gel color gives deeper shades without thinning the frosting. For Christmas trays I split the batch into a few bowls and tint each one, usually red, green, and one left white. It makes a platter look much livelier with almost no extra work.
For fall, a little maple extract works well. My maple frosting shows how to build that flavor. For a classic bakery taste, swap ½ teaspoon of the vanilla for almond extract, or add a little finely grated lemon zest for spring cookies. Keep flavor additions small so the texture stays the same.
Frosting and Decorating the Cookies
Make sure the cookies are completely cool. Warm cookies melt the butter and the frosting slides. Spread it with a small offset spatula or butter knife, or pipe it with a round or star tip. Add sprinkles right away, because the surface starts to crust within minutes.
For holiday baking days, I bake in the morning, frost at midday, and leave the cookies uncovered for a short while so the crust forms. They are much easier to pack after that. It works on Christmas tree sugar cookies, Halloween sugar cookies, pumpkin sugar cookies, and an easy 3 ingredient sugar cookie base.
Fixes for Common Frosting Problems
- Too stiff to spread: beat in more cream or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Too soft or runny: add powdered sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, or chill the bowl for 10 minutes.
- Gritty: the sugar was not sifted or the frosting was not beaten long enough after the liquid went in.
- Streaky color: keep mixing, or use gel color instead of liquid drops.
- Frosting sliding off: the cookies were still warm.
- Cookies sticking when stacked: let the crust set first, use the 1 tablespoon cream option, and put parchment between layers.
Storing Frosted Sugar Cookies
Frosted cookies keep for 2 to 3 days at room temperature in a covered container, or up to 1 week in the fridge. Layer them in shallow containers with parchment between layers so the tops stay neat. They travel short distances well, but do not leave them in a warm car.
For gifting, a small box lined with paper and filled with frosted cookies looks lovely with very little effort. If you have frosting left over, it also tops cupcakes. For layer cakes I would pick something lighter, such as Cool Whip cream cheese frosting. For a richer, nutty change on cookies, try peanut butter icing.
Your Questions
Does sugar cookie frosting harden?
It forms a light crust on top but stays soft inside. If you need a fully hard finish, use royal icing or an icing that hardens.
What is the best frosting for decorating sugar cookies?
For spreading and sprinkles, a butter frosting like this one. For fine piped details and flooding, royal icing.
Can I stack cookies frosted with this?
Yes, once the crust has set. Use 1 tablespoon of cream for a firmer crust and place parchment between the layers.
Can I make sugar cookie frosting ahead?
Yes. Keep it covered in the fridge, then let it soften and beat it briefly before using.
How much frosting do I need for 2 dozen cookies?
One batch of this recipe frosts 24 to 30 medium cookies.
Before Holiday Baking Starts
Save this sugar cookie frosting to your Christmas cookie board so it is there when the baking days begin. If you try it, tell me in the comments whether you used cream or milk and how your cookies turned out.
Sugar Cookie Frosting Recipe
This sugar cookie frosting is a soft, buttery frosting made with softened butter, sifted powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. It takes about 20 minutes and frosts 24 to 30 medium cookies with a smooth, creamy layer that sets with a light crust. The butter is beaten until pale before the sugar goes in, so the frosting for sugar cookies spreads in one smooth swipe. Use it for Christmas cut outs, holiday cookie trays, cookie swaps, and decorating with sprinkles; for hard designs, use royal icing instead. Tint it with gel color. Frosted cookies keep 2 to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week chilled.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk for a lighter texture)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Optional: A few drops of food coloring
Instructions
- CREAM THE BUTTER: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until it becomes pale and very creamy. Proper creaming at this stage is essential for a smooth frosting texture.
- ADD POWDERED SUGAR GRADUALLY: Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well between additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to prevent clumps and ensure a smooth consistency.
- ADD VANILLA, CREAM, AND SALT: Pour in the heavy cream (or milk), vanilla extract, and salt. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for another 2–3 minutes until the frosting becomes light and fluffy with a smooth, spreadable texture.
- COLOR IT (IF DESIRED): If using food coloring, add it one drop at a time and mix thoroughly between additions until you reach the desired color. Mix well to avoid streaks.
- FROST YOUR COOKIES: Once the cookies are completely cooled, use an offset spatula, butter knife, or piping bag to frost them. Add sprinkles immediately if decorating, as the frosting will begin to crust slightly as it sets.
Notes
For a firmer frosting that crusts more for stacking or packaging, use less cream (1 tablespoon). For a lighter texture, use milk instead of heavy cream. Frost only completely cooled cookies and add sprinkles right away. This frosting sets with a light crust but does not harden like royal icing. Frosted cookies can be stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Information
Yield
27Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 72Total Fat 0.8gSaturated Fat 0.5gTrans Fat 0.0gUnsaturated Fat 0.3gCholesterol 2.4mgSodium 13mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 0.0gSugar 16gProtein 0.0g
Hi! Is this firm enough to pipe? Thanks!!
Looks great, can’t wait to try!
Hi Jess, great question 😊
Yes, this frosting is firm enough to pipe, especially if you use heavy cream instead of milk and whip it until it’s fluffy but still holds shape. It’s not stiff like royal icing, but it pipes beautifully for soft details and swirls on cookies. If you’re doing more intricate work, you can chill it briefly to help it hold its form even better.
Let me know how it turns out when you try it!
Hi. Can I make this a day before and store it in the fridge?
Hi, Alyssa! Yes, you can definitely make that frosting a day in advance and store it in the fridge. Just be sure to bring it back to room temperature before using it. I usually give it a good stir or re-whip it with a hand mixer if it’s firmed up too much overnight. That helps restore the texture so it spreads smoothly again.
If your kitchen is on the cooler side, letting it sit out for 30–45 minutes usually does the trick.
Can I thin this recipe enough to flood the cookies? I have been searching for years for an icing/frosting recipe that tastes like buttercream but behaves enough like a thinned royal icing to be able to flood without turning grainy or speckled white. Thank you!!!
Hi Amanda! This frosting is more of a buttercream, so it doesn’t thin well enough to flood without becoming grainy. If you’re looking for a floodable icing that still tastes rich, try adding a bit of meringue powder or corn syrup to royal icing. That will give you a smoother finish with more flavor than traditional royal icing. Let me know if you’d like more details! 😊
Do you have a recipe for chocolate buttercream that’s soft but crusts? Can I just add cocoa powder to this recipe? Thanks!
You’re right on track—adding cocoa powder to the sugar cookie frosting will give you a chocolate version, but it tends to stay pretty soft and doesn’t crust much. If you’re looking for something chocolatey that still sets with that slight crust on top, the brownie frosting I shared on the blog might be just what you’re after – https://emmascakestudio.com/frosting/brownie-frosting/. It’s rich, smooth, and firms up nicely as it sits. I’ve used it on cookies when I wanted a soft bite with a finish that isn’t too messy. Definitely worth trying.