296 Comments 
Homemade Sugar Cookie Frosting that Hardens!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Homemade Sugar Cookie Frosting that Hardens ~ The Perfect Sugar Cookie Frosting for Decorating! If You Are Looking for Frosting For Sugar Cookies that Hardens this is it!
I have been searching for YEARS for the perfect Sugar Cookie Frosting recipe that hardens. I didn’t want an icing I wanted a frosting. One that would harden so I could stack my cookies without them sticking to each other. This homemade frosting that hardens is delicious and easy!
I’ve finally found the ONE. The one frosting that I’ll use every single time I make sugar cookies. It’s ridiculously easy and all the ingredients are in my pantry so I don’t have to search out for “weird” ingredients that will never be used again.
I’m not that kind of girl. I live in small town Minnesota and ain’t no one got time for that!
Ingredients for Homemade Sugar Cookie Frosting that Hardens!
- Butter
- Milk
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
Yup that’s right only FIVE Ingredients needed!
Happy dance happening right here isn’t it?
Plus, it’s totally adaptable to any occasion. Dye it a different color. Throw some festive sprinkles to celebrate any occasion or make sugar cookies and frost them for the heck of it!
Can we talk Christmas cookies? I adore them, my hips don’t adore them, but once a year I don’t really care what the hips say! I make all kinds of them, but my all time favorites are Almond Cherry Cookies, Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies, Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies!
What is your favorite Christmas cookie? A more traditional, handed down recipe or something new and exciting?
Don’t forget these Soft Sugar Cookies that are perfect to pair with this amazing Sugar Cookie Frosting!
I feel this “expectation” when I go to holiday parties. People expect me to bring a cookie tray laden with deliciousness. I feel that I’m a fraud if I don’t bring the ultimate cookie platter. I try to make cookies for weeks so I have a good variety.
Except sugar cookies. I’ve always shied away from the rolling, cutting and frosting. It sounded overwhelming. I wanted to drop and bake and then stack and freeze. That’s more my kind of cookie baking!
Then I tried Pillsbury Sugar Cookies. You know the ones you find in your grocery’s diary aisle? The refrigerated pull about or cut ones…I need something fast, like super fast one day. I gave them a whirl. I promptly frosted them with this amazing Homemade Sugar Cookie Frosting that hardens.
Tools Recommended to Make Homemade Sugar Cookie Frosting that Hardens!
I served them secretly smiling. No one was going to know!
And then someone promptly asked me for my recipe for the cookies. I blushed and filled her in on my secret. She said, NO WAYYYYYYYY!
Yes Way. Totally. Not Lying.
Those cookies are soft, chewy and delicious. You top them with this amazing frosting for Sugar Cookies that hardens and Viola. You’ve got a home run.
I won’t tell if you don’t!
Homemade Sugar Cookie Frosting that Hardens
The Perfect Sugar Cookie Frosting for Decorating! If You Are Looking for Frosting For Sugar Cookies that Hardens this is it!
Ingredients
- 2/3 c. butter softened
- 1/2 c. milk
- 2 lbs powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- In mixing bowl cream together butter and milk with an electric mixer. Slowly mix in powdered sugar and extracts.
- Frost sugar cookies immediately. Let frosting harden. Store cookies in air tight container.
Notes
If frosting in mixing bowl starts to harden before you are done frosting cookies add a little milk and stir to combine.
I measured out how many cups are in 2 lbs of powdered sugar and it is about 8 c.
If the butter and milk doesn't perfectly cream together that's fine. Just start adding the powdered sugar and it will start to cream together!
Nutrition
Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 18gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 24mgPotassium: 4mgSugar: 18gVitamin A: 85IUCalcium: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Recipe Slightly Adapted from: Skip to My Lou
My mom did this recipe for years. Excellent. But she taught me 50+ years ago) different amounts of same ingredients and mine looks just like yours. Mom made chocolate by adding 1/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa. And she NEVER bought butter. Parlay all the way (I like butter). But it was yummy, easy, and worked great. Yes I still make both chocolate and white. Whoever tries will enjoy the taste
Thanks for sharing, Karen! I’m glad you enjoy it!
If I don’t have the food coloring gel, just regular food coloring – can I use that and if so, how many drops before it will effect the overall thickness?
You can use that. If it starts to get runny just add more powdered sugar.
Excellent recipe! Beautiful frosting for my mother in laws sugar cookies!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed it!
Best frosting! Always a hit every year. Thank you!!
So glad you love it!
Is there a way to make this into Chocolate Frosting?
I haven’t ever tried that! My guess would be to add 2-3 Tbsp of cocoa powder to it. I would probably skip the almond extract and just do vanilla extract.
Will this harden if I make and immediately put in piping bags to use for a few hours later?
It takes a few hours for it to harden but it will be tough to soften it back up if it is already in piping bags. If you plan to make it ahead of time, I would leave it in the bowl, soften it back up using milk and then transfer to piping bags right before using.
My Granddaughter has All Nut Allergies.
Do I have to use the Almond Extract for this to work?
No just leave it out!
Since you make this with milk do I need to keep the cookies refrigerated after frosting?
I guess I never refrigerate mine!
How hard? Soft hard or hard hard?
I would say a soft hard?
Works perfectly for the cookie dough recipe I found on my tasty app. Thanks 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it!
Do you use salted butter or unsalted butter
Unsalted
Can you refrigerate this frosting overnight?
It is best if you make it fresh right before frosting the cookies but if you refrigerate it overnight, you’ll need to add milk to soften the frosting, it will harden overnight.
Can I use margarine instead of butter? I’d have to go out and buy butter but I always have margarine on hand.
I haven’t tried this one with margarine. It might work fine but you may not have the same hardening effect!