Homemade Sugar Cookie Frosting that Hardens!
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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!
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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!
mORE AMAZING RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Homemade Sugar Cookie Frosting that Hardens
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.
Tips
Video
Nutrition Information
Recipe Slightly Adapted from: Skip to My Lou
Candice says
Could I leave out the almond extract if I don’t have it?
Sarah says
Yes, you could just do all vanilla. Excited to try this recipe! Thanks so much for posting!
Julie Evink says
You sure can!
Alicia says
Just cut the recipe in 1/2. That’s what I will have to do for piping on my gingerbread men.
Jennifer Fischer says
Due to a dairy allergy, could I sub water for the milk and use a dairy safe butter?
Julie Evink says
Hey Jennifer, I have never tested the recipe like that so I’m not sure. If you try it let us know how it goes!
Ginger says
I can’t comment on the water for milk part, but I have made this recipe with Crisco instead of butter (in a pinch). It takes almost exactly the same. Just FYI.
Julie Evink says
Thanks for letting us know!
Teresa says
Can the frosting be coloured
Julie Evink says
Yes! We just use regular food coloring for ours.
Ryssa says
Great recipe! Makes a nice big batch of frosting too! I upped it to 1 cup butter and 1.5 bags of powdered sugar and it turned out perfect, definitely putting this one in my recipe book!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Ryssa! Thanks for coming back and commenting and rating the recipe!
Mimi says
I. Do not understand the quantity of 2 lbs. Of powered sugar..is this a typo..
Julie says
That is not a typo, it equates to about 8 cups of powdered sugar.
Kamber Brandon says
Sounds super easy! How many cookies does this usually work for?
Julie says
Around 80 cookies
Deb says
2 lbs of powdered sugar??? I only have about 8 cookies to frost, did you mean 2tbs of powdered sugar? How would i break this down for just a few cookies?
Julie says
2 lbs is correct – this recipe will frost around 80 cookies. I don’t know how you could cut this recipe down to frost just a few cookies.
Tanya says
Do you think this would keep if I shipped the cookies by 3 day mail? Wondering if you’ve had them out at room temperature for 3 days
Thanks!
Julie says
These should be fine at room temperature, I think they would be okay to ship!
Marilyn says
Can you roll these out and make cut out cookies?
Julie says
This is not the best recipe for that, they will expand a bit when baking so they aren’t great for cutouts.
Becky says
It was easy and delicious! This was the best frosting I’ve ever made and will use every time! I used salted butter because that is all I had.
Julie says
Perfect!
Melissa L Arnott says
Hello. How long does it take to harden? Do they have to be refrigerated for the icing to get hard or is it right away? Can I use plant based food coloring in the icing? Sorry so many questions.
Julie Evink says
It’s usually hardened in 1-2 hours. You can place the cookies in the fridge or freezer to speed the process along. I’ve never tired plant based food coloring so I can’t help you on that one!
Dena says
Do you use salted butter or unsalted butter?
Julie says
Unsalted
Lauren says
Do you know if this frosting would work in piping bags? I’d like to make ahead of time place in bags and use another day for kids to decorate. Do you think it would hold up if I made sure the air was out?
Thanks!
Kathy says
You might have to thin it a little, and it should last about 7 days in frig
Julie says
I know it would work in piping bags made fresh but I don’t know how it will go to save for another day. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Elvira Menut says
This sounds exactly like the recipe my mom used when I was a child. I just never got the ingredients right to make the frosting get hard. Thanks for the recipe!
Julie says
You’re welcome! Glad you found it!
Judy Augenstein says
What temperature do you bake the sugar cookies on?
Kathy says
I bake mine at 400
Julie says
350 degrees