The Best Buttercream Frosting For Sugar Cookies

This is the sugar cookie frosting recipe you’ve been searching for! The best sugar cookies can be ruined by a bad frosting, but not in your kitchen anymore! You can always rely on this homemade icing to deliver a smooth, creamy, and bursting with rich, buttery vanilla flavor. 

Elevate your sugar cookies with Buttercream Cookie Frosting

The best sugar cookies can be ruined by a bad frosting, but not in your kitchen anymore! You can always rely on this homemade icing to deliver on taste and texture.

Made in just 5 minutes with 6 base ingredients and whatever color gel food coloring you want, this recipe is perfect for everything from simple cookies to intricate designs.

This homemade sugar cookie frosting doesn’t just make your cookies prettier, but it makes them taste even better, too! It’s perfect for decorating and can be adjusted to the right consistency for any recipe.

If you need a good cookie recipe, this sugar cookie frosting pairs perfectly with my easy sugar cookie recipe and my cut-out sugar cookie recipe. This frosting is also great for decorating gingerbread cookies and any other dessert that just needs a good frosting.

Go ahead and print, save, share, and pin this recipe, because it’s going to be your favorite! But first, keep reading for all my best tips for making the perfect sugar cookie frosting.

What’s the difference between buttercream frosting, icing, and royal icing?

The main difference between buttercream frosting and traditional royal icing is the texture. Royal icing hardens on the surface of the cookie or whatever it is used to decorate, while buttercream stays soft and creamy. Icing sugar is just another name for powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar). Icing is just a generic term for a topping or glaze for a dessert.

Why you’ll love this Buttercream Frosting For Sugar Cookies

The perfect frosted sugar cookie needs the perfect buttercream frosting, which you’ve found here. Here are just a few reasons why you’ll love this recipe:

• Just 4 super easy steps
• Ready in just 5 minutes
• Made with basic ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen
• Perfect icing for your favorite sugar cookie recipe (or other cookies and desserts, too!)
• Easily make multiple colors

What you’ll need for the Best Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies

This sugar cookie icing recipe only uses 6 simple ingredients, plus whatever food coloring you want. Get the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Unsalted butter: room temperature
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract: optional 
• Powdered sugar
• Milk or heavy cream: if the frosting becomes too thick
• Pinch of salt
• Gel food coloring: optional

How to Make Sugar Cookie Buttercream Frosting

This is seriously the easiest sugar cookie icing you’ll ever make! Just 4 quick and easy steps between you and the best homemade frosting. Keep reading for my best tips and tricks and get the full recipe card below. Here are the steps:

1. Mix butter and vanilla extract. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and vanilla extract, and beat using an electric mixer until fluffy, 60 seconds. 

2. Mix in powdered sugar. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined.
3. Adjust as needed. Taste as needed to determine if you want more powdered sugar, salt, etc. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a dash of milk or heavy cream until it reaches the desired consistency.
4. Add color. If you want to add food coloring, do so now. Mix again until the color is consistent. 

Variations for Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies

Here are some substitutions you can make:

• Extracts: If you’re going for a specific flavor, feel free to swap extracts for any other flavored extract like lemon, orange, or peppermint extract. However, the combination of vanilla and almond extract in this recipe is what makes the flavor so good, so alter at your own risk!
• For more vibrant colors: ​Feel free to swap the vanilla extract for clear vanilla extract.
• Butter: If you want to use salted butter, omit the pinch of salt from this recipe.

Tips for Making Buttercream for Cookies

For best results, follow these tips:

• Powdered Sugar: ​If your powdered sugar has a bunch of lumps, use a fine mesh strainer to sift it out first. Also, fresh is always best!
• Make sure butter is room temp: ​If your butter is not softened, it’s going to be too hard to combine with the other ingredients and create a smooth, creamy consistency.
• Don’t over-mix: ​Be careful not to over-mix your frosting, as this will create bubbles that can ruin the texture.
• Adjust consistency as needed: If your frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or heavy cream. If it’s too thin, add a small bit of powdered sugar.

How to decorate with Sugar Cookie Buttercream Frosting

Here are my best tips for decorating with this easy sugar cookie icing:

• Make different colors: Divide this recipe into smaller bowls and then mix in drops of food coloring (always add a little at a time until you reach your desired colors).
• Use gel food coloring: I recommend using gel food coloring. It helps maintain the texture of a thick, creamy frosting.
• Make sure cookies are cooled first: ​If you try to add any frosting to hot or warm cookies, it will just melt right off. Make sure your cookies are fully cooled first.
• Decorate with room temperature frosting: ​If you’ve been storing the frosting in the refrigerator, let it come to room temp before trying to spread it on cookies.
• Add toppings: After frosting, you can add any other toppings you want to the frosted cookies, like sprinkles!

Storing Buttercream Cookie Frosting

Store frosting or decorated cookies with frosting at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, place the frosting in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Before using, re-whip the frosting with a mixer to make it smooth.

More Frosting Recipes

• Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting
• Cool Whip Pudding Frosting
• Oreo Frosting
• Cream Cheese Frosting