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Home || Recipes || Dessert || Sugar Cookie Frosting

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Mar 31, 2018 · 123 Comments

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Sugar Cookie Frosting is a crusting vanilla buttercream that pipes and holds shape but tastes amazing at the same time!

Sugar Cookie Frosting is a crusting vanilla buttercream that pipes and holds shape but tastes amazing at the same time! 

Decorating Frosting for Cookies – great all-purpose frosting!

Sugar Cookie Frosting is one of those things that I know I could do some real damage with. I could eat this stuff by the spoonful..okay, okay. You caught me. I totally have eaten this stuff by the spoonful.

The frosting is good on so many more things than just sugar cookies. I top my cinnamon rolls with it and use it to glaze doughnuts too!

Check out the Perfect Sugar Cookie Recipe!

Sugar Cookie Frosting

The frosting is made up of butter, shortening, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.  I literally measure all ingredients out and throw them all into the stand mixer at the same time and just go for it. THAT is definitely my style.

Depending on what my plans are with the frosting, I will often use all butter instead of half butter, half shortening. This will result in a non-crusting frosting. Perfect for cinnamon rolls, in my delicious cream pies and on cakes!

Sugar Cookie Frosting is a crusting vanilla buttercream that pipes and holds shape but tastes amazing at the same time! 

(Printable recipe below)

Sugar Cookie Frosting is a crusting vanilla buttercream that pipes and holds shape but tastes amazing at the same time!

Cookie Frosting ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp clear vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tbsp milk

How to make Sugar Cookie Frosting

  1. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment. Whip until well combined.
  2. You can add more powdered sugar or milk to get the frosting to the consistency you like.
  3. If dying with food coloring, stir the food coloring in by hand at the very end.
  4. This frosting pairs great with The Perfect Sugar Cookie.
Sugar Cookie Frosting is a crusting vanilla buttercream that pipes and holds shape but tastes amazing at the same time! -Cooking with Karli- #recipe #frosting #icing #buttercream #sugarcookie

Tips for the PERFECT Sugar Cookie Frosting

  • Use Clear Vanilla Extract to keep your frosting bright and white! If you plan on dying the frosting, this helps to keep your colors bright! I found mine at Walmart.
  • You can use all butter instead of half butter and half shortening, this will just result in a non crusting frosting. That type of buttercream is not stackable at all.
  • YES, this frosting is okay at room temperature for 2-3 days. I know, I know. The milk! Have no fear! There is enough sugar to stabilize the milk.

How to store Cookie Frosting

In the short term (a few hours or up to 1 day) store in and air tight container on the counter. If you are wanting to store longterm (up to 1 week!) store in the refrigerator. Just pull the frosting out a few hours before needing it to allow the frosting to come up to room temperature.

Sugar Cookies with Frosting FAQs

Is this Sugar Cookie Frosting okay at room temperature even though it contains milk?

Yes! All that powdered sugar stabilizes the milk in this recipe and keeps it from spoiling.

When is the best time to add food coloring to the Sugar Cookie Frosting?

Add the food coloring by hand right before frosting the cookies. So, if you are planning on saving this frosting to use later in the week, I would suggest keeping the frosting white until right before using it.

Do I have to use Clear Vanilla Extract in my Sugar Cookie Frosting?

Nope, regular vanilla extract will taste great! I like to use the clear extract so my frosting colors stay bright and clear. Using Clear extract also allows for a brilliant white frosting.

Is cookie icing different than frosting?

Yes, cookie icing and frosting are different in terms of their texture, consistency and intended use. Frosting is typically thicker and can be piped or spread onto cookies while icing is thinner and usually is like a glaze on a cookie.

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Check out my other desserts:

  • Funfetti Cookies
  • No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
  • Sprinkle Cookies
  • Cheesecake Bites
  • Muddy Buddy Cookies
  • Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies
  • Brownie Ice-cream Sandwiches
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
  • Peanut Butter Birds Nest Cookies
  • Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies
  • Homemade Glazed Donuts
  • All Dessert Recipes

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Sugar Cookie Frosting is a crusting vanilla buttercream that pipes and holds shape but tastes amazing at the same time! 

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Sugar Cookie Frosting is a crusting vanilla buttercream that pipes and holds shape but tastes amazing at the same time! 
4.68 from 134 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cookie frosting, frosting, sugar, sugar cookie, sugar cookie frosting, sugar frosting
Prep Time: 4 minutes minutes
Total Time: 4 minutes minutes
Author: Karli Bitner

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp clear vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tbsp milk

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment. Whip until well combined. 
  • You can add more powdered sugar or milk to get the frosting to the consistency you like.
  • If dying with food coloring, stir the food coloring in by hand at the very end.
Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingwithkarli or tag #cookingwithkarli!
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ABOUT KARLI

This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house. There isn’t ever a shortage of crazy. I can promise you that! Buckle up, keep your hand and legs inside at all times and enjoy the ride! Read more...

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Comments

  1. Rachel says

    May 26, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    Hi! This recipe looks delicidous. Would this frosting work to “glue” on candy sprinkles? Specifically candy eyeballs for Elmo lol.

  2. Karli Bitner says

    May 28, 2021 at 7:51 am

    Yes, that should work! 🙂

  3. Velma says

    July 16, 2021 at 2:11 pm

    5 stars
    This was such a quick and easy recipe. I had all the ingredients in my pantry.

  4. Sarah Porter says

    September 28, 2021 at 2:32 pm

    5 stars
    Once frosted can the cookies be stacked?

  5. Karli Bitner says

    September 29, 2021 at 9:13 am

    Yes, once the frosting has crusted over, you can stack them on top of each other.

  6. Ashley says

    October 17, 2021 at 2:08 pm

    I’m having a few kiddos over to decorate Halloween cookies. Would this be an ideal frosting to use? I’ll let them use multiple colors of frosting, sprinkles and all sorts of toppings. Just making sure they’ll stick 🙂

  7. Annie says

    October 20, 2021 at 4:07 pm

    Can this recipe be thinned out successfully for flooding the sugar cookies?
    Thank you!

  8. Karli Bitner says

    October 25, 2021 at 10:00 am

    This will work great for that. How fun!!

  9. Karli Bitner says

    October 31, 2021 at 8:50 pm

    No, this frosting won’t flood like royal icing.

  10. AK says

    November 2, 2021 at 6:25 pm

    Can this frosting be left out overnight?

  11. Hannah says

    November 23, 2021 at 11:07 pm

    5 stars
    Hi! I just found your blog and these are beautiful! Would you bei willing to share what icing tip you used on the pink flowers? Thanks!

  12. Veronica Scrimshire says

    December 2, 2021 at 5:41 am

    How do you make them so perfectly round? So pretty

  13. Patricia Gerard says

    January 30, 2022 at 6:10 pm

    Can this frosting be used in a piping bag?

  14. Morgan says

    February 12, 2022 at 2:04 pm

    How many cookies would this frost? Just trying to gauge how many batches I need for 4 dozen cookies. Thanks!

  15. Cooking with Karli says

    February 20, 2022 at 9:53 pm

    Yes

  16. Cathy says

    March 7, 2022 at 9:39 am

    5 stars
    I used this frosting recipe yesterday. I did not pipe it as I was in a hurry, so I simply spread on a thick layer and swirled it with a knife. I used 1 and 1/2 tsp. Vanilla, and 1/2 tsp. Almond Extract, just because I like that combo. I added pink food coloring at the end and it turned out great! I will use this again and again, I’m sure. Thanks!

  17. Melissa says

    March 20, 2022 at 5:33 pm

    What tips do you use for frosting the cookies?

  18. Karli Bitner says

    May 12, 2022 at 1:00 pm

    2D

  19. Karli Bitner says

    May 12, 2022 at 1:39 pm

    Yes!

  20. Karli Bitner says

    May 12, 2022 at 1:49 pm

    This usually frosts 2 dozen smaller cookies.

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This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house. If you are Cookie obsessed like I am, check out my Sister Site, Cookies for Days.

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