Sugar Cookie Frosting: 6 Ways
Here's your answer for an easy, soft, luxurious sugar cookie frosting! Six of our favorite icing recipes to spread on top of homemade cookies and decorate as desired...sprinkles anyone?! Mix and match your favorite flavors, there's something for everyone to love!
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Servings: 16 servings (1 TBSP)
Calories: 97kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Vanilla Bean Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 Tablespoon whole milk or half-and-half
Almond Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 Tablespoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 Tablespoon whole milk or half-and-half
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk or half-and-half
- Pinch fine salt
Strawberry Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup seedless strawberry preserves or jam
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 Tablespoon whole milk or half-and-half, if needed
Orange or Lemon Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon fresh orange or lemon juice
- Zest one orange or lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- Pinch fine salt, as needed
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, Skippy or Jif
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- Pinch fine salt
Instructions
Vanilla Bean Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add vanilla bean paste and milk to combine. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, beating between each addition until smooth. Continue working until light and fluffy. approximately 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
Almond Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add almond and vanilla extracts, and milk to combine. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, beating between each addition until smooth. Continue working until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
Chocolate Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and milk to combine. Add a pinch of salt, and powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, beating between each addition until smooth. Continue working until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
Strawberry Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add strawberry preserves and mix to combine. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, beating between each addition until smooth. Continue working until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes on medium speed. You likely won't need milk due to the moisture in the jam, but if you do, add about 1/2 tablespoon at a time until desired texture is reached.
Orange or Lemon Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add juice and vanilla extract to combine. Rub the zest with the powdered sugar for additional flavor (optional) then, in 1/2 cup increments, add the sugar to the butter, beating between each addition until smooth. Continue working until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add peanut butter and mix to combine. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments, beating between each addition until smooth, along with a pinch of salt. Continue working until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes on medium speed. You likely won't need milk due to the moisture in the peanut butter, but if you do, add about 1/2 tablespoon at a time until desired texture is reached. You may want to add an additional 1/2 cup powdered sugar if it is too fluffy and smooth, too.
Video
Notes
Salt: feel free to add a pinch of salt to any of the frostings where it is not listed. A pinch of salt helps balance out the sweetness if needed.
Texture: for thinner frosting, add about an extra 1/2 tablespoon milk. For thicker frosting, add additional powdered sugar in 2 tablespoon increments as needed.
Serving size: each frosting makes approximately 1 cup of frosting.
Nutrition Information: they are estimates based on the ingredients provided. Listed is the nutrition information for the vanilla bean frosting.
Nutrition
Serving: 1TBSP | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 3mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 179IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
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